by Lowell
Here are a few international, national and Virginia news headlines, political and otherwise, for Saturday, December 30.
- Climate scientists hail 2023 as ‘beginning of the end’ for fossil fuel era (“Cautious optimism among experts that emissions from energy use may have peaked as net zero mission intensifies”)
- Charting the Global Economy: Maritime Attacks Drive Up Costs
- Dumbscrolling in Wartime (“In 2023, the dumbest shit dominated and whizzed right past us in an unbroken stream. Then images of war and death filled our feeds. How do we process all of this?”)
- Poland says Russian rocket entered its airspace, summons diplomat
- Russia Shoots Down 32 Ukrainian Drones as Air War Intensifies
- Russia bombs cities across Ukraine in ‘massive’ overnight assault (“Poland says ‘everything indicates’ Russian missile briefly entered its airspace.”)
- Biden on Russia’s aerial attacks on Ukraine: Putin ‘must be stopped’
- Russia is working to subvert French support for Ukraine, documents show
- Russia unleashes biggest air attack on Ukraine since start of full-scale invasion
- Why are ties between Russia and Israel ‘at lowest point since fall of the Soviet Union’?
- Widespread devastation as more than 20 killed as Israel airstrike destroys residential building in Rafah (The fundamental problem with this war is that yes, Israel is totally justified in trying to destroy Hamas, which is pure evil, but Hamas is almost completely embedded with Palestinian civilians, so it’s almost impossible to destroy the terrorist group without doing tremendous damage to Palestinian civilians. Ugh.)
- Biden administration works around Congress in another Israel emergency weapons sale
- Israeli officials: Qatar says Hamas “agreed in principle” to resume hostage deal talks
- As Palestinians are pushed south in Gaza, some fear they will be forced out of the enclave
- Where Was the Israeli Military on Oct. 7? (“A Times investigation found that troops were disorganized, relied on social media to choose targets, and had no battle plan for a massive Hamas invasion.” Disastrous.)
- The Ruined Landscape of Gaza After Nearly Three Months of Bombing (Just horrible.)
- Israel-Iran Tensions Rise as Israeli Forces Trade Fire With Militias in Syria, Lebanon
- Israel pushes deeper into Gaza camps, 12 weeks into war
- Taiwan prepares to pick new president amid growing threat from China (“Taiwan’s election on 13 January is the first of more than 40 national elections to be held around the world in 2024. It will determine the presidency and legislature governing 23.5 million people on an island that is similar in size to Belgium. But it has major implications for the world.”)
- South Korea’s military has a new enemy: Population math
- A new rule requiring companies to climate risk is coming in 2024. Here’s what you need to know.
- S&P 500 falls slightly Friday, but rides 9-week win streak to end 2023 with 24% gain
- Tech stocks just wrapped up one of their best years in past two decades after 2022 slump
- Electric Cars Are Already Upending America (“After years of promise, a massive shift is under way.”)
- Supreme Court faces pressure to decide if Trump is on the 2024 ballot
- Supreme Court faces 2 key questions after Maine decision on Trump
- Suddenly, Trump Is Interested in Democracy (“As Maine throws him off the ballot, the president who betrayed democracy is now pleading for democracy’s protections.” Complete f’ing joke.)
- Trump Is Blocked From The GOP Primary Ballot In Two States. Who’s Next? (Actually, both decisions are stayed pending the US Supreme Court.)
- Yes, Trump should be removed from the ballot
- Can Donald Trump still run for president after Maine and Colorado rulings? (“Yes. These rulings only apply to Colorado and Maine respectively.” Plus, the Supreme Court will likely rule.)
- Trump’s dominance in GOP frustrates some in Iowa eager for a competitive campaign (“The Iowa frenzy is typically in full force by now. With less than three weeks until the Iowa caucuses formally usher in the presidential nomination process, White House hopefuls are usually in a heated competition.” The media is really bummed!)
- “Makes him a martyr”: Trump’s GOP rivals oppose removing him from the ballot (So ignore the parts of the constitution you don’t like? Got it.)
- Haley says as president she would pardon Trump if he’s convicted of crimes (Haley is a disgrace – and definitely no “moderate!”)
- GOP’s Biggest Losers of 2023: Donald “Smells Like A Butt” Trump and his fellow insurrectionists (“It ain’t over, but an avalanche of court losses exposed these would-be warriors as overcompensating clowns”)
- The worst right-wing influencers of 2023 (“From incels to neo-Nazis, Elon Musk’s X helped extremists promote hate for dollars and clicks” Musk is a heinous individual…as are these online extremists.)
- Maine secretary of state says she’s received threats after removing Trump from state ballot (Trump is a thug.)
- Marjorie Taylor Greene creates multiple headaches for new Speaker
- Ohio Governor Vetoes Ban on Gender-Affirming Care for Minors (“‘The consequences of this bill could not be more profound,’ Mike DeWine explained of his break with the state’s GOP.”)
- Longtime WaPo Political Columnist Greg Sargent Is Leaving After Taking Voluntary Buyout (This paper’s really going downhill. Greg Sargent is superb, one of the few WaPo opinion page writers who are always worth reading, also one who is willing to call out the failures of the political media. And he’s leaving. Great job, Jeff Bezos!)
- Newly blue Va. Capitol could send gun-control bills to Youngkin’s desk
- Virginia in 2023: Political upheaval, public tragedies
- Developer proposes 100% affordable Norfolk apartment complex named after former council member
- D.C.-area forecast: Worry-free weather through New Year’s Day
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