by Lowell
Here are a few international, national and Virginia news headlines, political and otherwise, for Saturday, February 3.
- Stop looking for loopholes, UN warns, after Saudi hints end of fossil fuels ‘just one option’ (“UN climate chief says ‘torrents, not trickles’ of public and private finance needed to meet global challenge”)
- ExxonMobil blocks green activists’ attempt to seek strategy vote (“Climate group drops petition for shareholder vote on targets following oil company’s court complaint”)
- Q&A: What an Author’s Trip to the Antarctic Taught Her About Climate—and Collective Action
- U.S. launches retaliatory strikes in Iraq and Syria, says more to come
- U.S. begins retaliatory strikes on Iran-linked targets in Iraq and Syria
- The U.S. Tries Escalating to Deescalate (“A series of attacks on Iranian-backed militias in Syria and Iraq appeared aimed at reestablishing deterrence without sparking a wider conflict.”)
- U.S. retaliatory strikes start in Iraq and Syria in first response to Jordan drone attack
- President Biden: ‘If you harm an American, we will respond’
- Biden attends solemn ceremony for troops killed in Jordan drone strike
- US bolsters defenses around Jordan base as it readies strikes in response to drone attack
- CENTCOM Statement on U.S. Strikes in Iraq and Syria
- Iraq Says 16 Killed in US Strikes, Warns Region on the Abyss
- U.S. Targets Iran’s Forces and Allies in Syria and Iraq
- Analysis: What to make of the US retaliation strikes against pro-Iranian militias in Iraq and Syria (“Biden’s short and sharp response to the deaths of three soldiers shows power is defined by its measured use”)
- Half of U.S. adults believe Israel has “gone too far” in Gaza war: poll
- Delays in cleaning up EU air will cause thousands more early deaths, say health experts
- ‘Andrew Tate is a symptom, not the problem’: why young men are turning against feminism (“Teachers describe a deterioration in behaviour and attitudes that has proved to be fertile terrain for misogynistic influencers”)
- Northern Ireland gets its first Sinn Féin first minister in historic shift
- El Salvador strongman Bukele eyes re-election – never mind the constitution
- Argentina’s lower house votes for Javier Milei’s sweeping reform package (“Far-right president’s measures aimed at tackling the country’s severe economic problems passed easily despite public protests”)
- An Impressive Jobs Report Shows the U.S. Economy Powering Into an Election Year
- The Biden Economy Keeps Roaring, with 353,000 More Jobs Added in January. As Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-VA11) Says, “I’ll take four more years of this economy please.”)
- Where the jobs are: Strong hiring in most industries has far outpaced high-profile layoffs
- S&P 500 closes at a record, rises for a fourth-straight week on strong tech earnings
- January jobs report shows the labor market is hot, hot, hot
- Supreme Court won’t block West Point from considering race in admissions
- Biden’s ‘holy grail’ economy
- Biden’s economy keeps messing up Trump’s message (“You can’t blame the president when policies go wrong, and then say he’s not responsible if things are going right.”)
- Do NOT Try to Solve a Problem if You Are a Republican Legislator (“There is a recurring lesson here for Republican legislators who want to solve problems: Do not try. This is especially potent on immigration, arguably the problem that Republicans believe is most in need of fixing.”)
- The Senate’s False Hope of a Grand Bargain Meets Its Trumpy Demise (“Whether folly, hubris, or denial, it was always going to end this way.”)
- Crisis! Crisis! Crisis! Oh, never mind.
- Republicans in Congress are bending to Trump’s demands. Some are frustrated.
- Special counsel mounts forceful — and unusual — defense of Trump classified documents case
- Accommodating strongmen is as dangerous as collaborating with them
- Most Republicans aren’t aware of Trump’s various legal issues
- The ‘runt’ of Trump cases now likely to be his first criminal trial
- The chances that Trump will be a convicted felon by Election Day have dropped (“It could still happen — but the four prosecutions of Trump have been beset by delays and challenges.”)
- Slowpoke federal appeals court puts 2024 election in jeopardy (“Hey — DC court of appeals? What’s the holdup on the Trump immunity case?”)
- Judge will delay Trump’s federal trial as court considers his presidential immunity claim (That’s f’ed up. In fact, Trump’s immunity claim is a delaying tactic that should be laughed the hell out of court!)
- FBI Agents Apparently Missed An Entire Closet and ‘Hidden Room’ In Mar-a-Lago
- Trump spent $76 million over last two years on attorneys as legal troubles mount ahead of election
- Fani Willis admits relationship with prosecutor on Trump Georgia case
- Fani Willis confirms relationship with fellow Trump prosecutor but denies impropriety
- Nikki Haley Thinks Texas Has Every Right to Peace Out of the Union (“If I recall correctly, (and I do) we settled this during the Civil War.”)
- No, Nikki Haley, the Constitution Does Not Say That
- There’s Barely Any Political Daylight Between Trump, Haley (“Middle of the far-right”)
- Biden poised for boost as Democratic primaries begin in South Carolina
- Kamala Harris Bolsters Biden for 2024 and Lays Groundwork for 2028 (“In South Carolina ahead of its Democratic primary, Ms. Harris has been working to shore up support for President Biden among Black voters and younger voters.”)
- Ohio GOP Senate candidate endorsed by Trump deleted tweets critical of the former president
- Texas border showdown is far-right magnet, hate trackers warn
- House Oversight Democrats call for investigation into Tuberville’s military holds
- Impeaching Mayorkas would debase the House, not secure the border
- Fox & Friends ignored “blockbuster” jobs report for second month in a row (“353,000 jobs were added in January, nearly double what economists expected”)
- Ryan Samsel, Jan. 6 defendant who instigated breach, convicted of multiple felonies
- VIDEO: Sen. Mark Warner on how to combat artificial content
- DLCC: Virginia House Democrats Use New Majority to Pass Legislation to Raise Minimum Wage and Ban Assault Weapons
- Virginia House of Delegates Passes Bill to Raise Minimum Wage to $15 by 2026 (All Republican delegates vote no; all Democratic delegates vote yes)
- Democrats hope Youngkin would give “Second Look” bill a good look
- Bills to ease barrier crimes restrictions on counselors get bipartisan support
- Schapiro: Youngkin lacks right stuff at wrong time (“Youngkin also has done little, if anything, to erase the impression that he has run off experienced state officials — at, say, the tax, purchasing, liquor and environmental agencies — who have one thing on him: They know how Virginia government works; that it is a collaborative enterprise that demands often-awkward consensus…For a such a tall man, Glenn Youngkin is starting to look very small.”)
- LGBTQ bills shows old and new attitudes at Virginia capitol
- VA Senate Majority Leader Scott Surovell Walks Us Through “A Day In The Life of Session!”
- Virginia pitches traffic, Metro fixes for planned Caps, Wizards arena (“Officials said they will ease the impact of a planned new sports arena in Alexandria with expanded turn lanes and more frequent trains and buses.”)
- Study finds arena plan would need $135 to $215 million in transportation investments
- Virginia Senate bill for casino in Fairfax County hits stumbling block (“A Senate subcommittee unanimously agreed Thursday that the bill should be carried over to the next General Assembly session.”)
- Washington Co. sheriff’s office sued again in bizarre catfish, murder, kidnapping case involving one of its deputies
- Arrests reported in theft of Pride flags, Arlington police say
- Williams: Richmond can’t afford to lock out young homebuyers
- One person found inside vehicle that drove off Virginia Beach Fishing Pier
- After SUV drove off Virginia Beach pier, missing-persons link examined
- D.C.-area forecast: Mild sunshine through the weekend, along with chilly nights
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