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by Lowell
Here are a few international, national and Virginia news headlines, political and otherwise, for Wednesday, August 21.
- Climate crisis fuelled storm that sank yacht in Sicily, say experts
- Moscow sees one of Ukraine’s largest drone attacks as fighting rages in Kursk and eastern Ukraine
- Kursk incursion boosts Ukrainian morale after grim year
- Blinken ends latest Mideast visit without a cease-fire, warning ‘time is of the essence’
- Netanyahu putting politics before Gaza deal, dead hostage’s daughter says
- Israel and Hezbollah Exchange Strikes Amid Fears of Escalation
- Iran signals promised strike on Israel may not be imminent
- Biden Approved Secret Nuclear Strategy Refocusing on Chinese Threat
- China has cut new coal power plant permits by nearly 80%, Greenpeace says
- Powell Confronts Policy Crossroads With All Eyes on Jackson Hole
- US judge strikes down Biden administration ban on worker ‘noncompete’ agreements (Trump-appointed judge, of course.)
- ‘Yes she can’ and the ‘comeback’ of hope: six key takeaways from day two of the Democratic convention (“Michelle and Barack Obama energized the crowd and Bernie Sanders emphasized progressive policies as notable Republicans trounced Trump”)
- ‘America is ready for a better story’: Barack Obama lauds Kamala Harris in rousing speech
- Takeaways from the second night of the Democratic National Convention (“Barack Obama called out Trump for ‘whining’ and Michelle Obama urged Democrats to drop the ‘Goldilocks complex’”)
- Obamas mock Trump over ‘black jobs’ and crowd sizes
- Barack and Michelle Obama electrify Democrats but warn of tight race
- In Back-to-Back Speeches, the Obamas Recall Hope and Assail Donald Trump
- “Do Something!” Michelle Obama’s Big-Hearted, Urgent, Barn-Burner of a Convention Speech (“The former first lady riled with bruising punches and hilarious zingers.”)
- Kamala Harris Bet on Barack Obama. Now He’s Returning the Favor. (“We shared a lot of values, so it’s been easy to develop a friendship.”)
- “Yes, she can”: 5 takeaways from Obama Night at the DNC
- Michelle Obama slams Trump at DNC and rallies Democrats behind Harris
- A double dose of Obama firepower, a doting spouse and a dance party: Takeaways from Day 2 of the DNC
- Barack Obama Spotlights Trump’s Monstrous Ego From DNC Stage
- Exclusive: Harris’ election effort raises around $500 million in a month, sources say
- “Who’s gonna tell him”: Michelle Obama jabs Trump on “Black jobs”
- ‘Hope Is Back’: Michelle Obama Brings Down The House At The DNC
- Michelle Obama Absolutely Takes Apart Donald Trump
- Michelle Obama articulated something Democrats have been afraid to say (“The party had lost hope. Now it has it back.”)
- Obama steps back into the spotlight — and absolutely skewers Trump
- What Barack Obama’s DNC speech was actually about (“Beneath the campaign rhetoric, Obama offered a strikingly philosophical defense of American liberalism.”)
- Michelle Obama lauds Kamala Harris and takes swipe at Trump
- In A Boisterous Second Convention Night, Democrats Turned Republican Attacks On Their Head
- Ex-Trump aide: Former president called supporters “basement dwellers”
- Trump’s Former Press Secretary Shows DNC A Troubling Text With Melania (“As Stephanie Grisham spoke at the Democratic National Convention, a screen behind her displayed a text exchange she said she’d had with Melania Trump on Jan. 6, 2021.”)
- Pritzker says Harris ‘spent four years’ cleaning up Trump’s ‘mess’
- It’s now up to Harris and Walz to prove they can win
- Finally, Someone Is Talking About Climate Change at a National Party Convention
- How Kamala Harris Is Trying to Claim the Mantle of Change
- Bill Clinton, boosting Harris, returns to a changed party
- Can Kamala Harris’s Campaign Solve the Latino Turnout Problem? (“For decades, Democrats have struggled to motivate communities that could guarantee them victories. Harris may have the best shot yet.”)
- Harris campaign knocks Trump over event in ‘KKK capital of Michigan’
- Trump baffles onlookers with claim Americans can’t buy bread without getting raped or shot
- Trump attacks Kamala Harris and ‘Marxist left’ in speech to police (“Ex-president falsely claims US is in grip of violent crime wave, and vows to shield officers from legal accountability” In no way/shape/form are Democrats “Marxist” or even “left,” particularly.)
- JD Vance’s complaints about “fake polls” eviscerated by massive explosion of energy at DNC (“The raucous crowd at the Democratic shindig contrasts with the low-energy Republican National Convention”)
- Chuck Schumer outlines 2025 agenda if Democrats sweep, eying filibuster changes
- Did Joe Biden get the send-off he deserved?
- The Far Right Is Becoming Obsessed With Race and IQ (“‘Race science’ has returned.”)
- Trump “Disgusts Me to My Core”: Ex-MAGA Supporters Tell the World Why They’re Voting for Kamala Harris
- RFK Jr.’s running mate drops the pretense about helping Trump
- Trump says he’d consider appointing RFK Jr. to role in administration (A Trump administration would be an utter nightmare.)
- Harris leads Trump in new Nebraska 2nd District poll (“The survey by conservative pollster Remington Research Group taken Aug. 14-17 indicates that Harris leads former President Donald Trump in the district 50%-42%, with a 3.8% margin of error.”)
- North Carolina Moves to Toss-up, Setting Up November Battle for Magnificent Seven Swing States
- Maria Bartiromo’s wild and “kind of racist” election conspiracy theory collapses immediately (She’s completely insane. Note that Glenn Youngkin’s been on her show multiple times – ’nuff said.)
- New College of Florida Is Dumping Books—and Losing Professors
- GOP megadonor drops another $50M into pro-Trump super PAC (“Timothy Mellon has now given $115 million this cycle to the group. — A reclusive Republican megadonor gave $50 million to a pro-Trump super PAC in July, following two other massive donations to boost the former president this cycle” Insanity.)
- Arizona Supreme Court clears way for voters to decide on constitutional right to abortion
- Gaetz fends off primary challenge in Florida, dealing blow to McCarthy
- Biden passing the torch to Harris was ‘enormously powerful decision,’ Virginia Sen. Tim Kaine says (“Sen. Kaine spoke with Scripps News Tuesday about his state’s role in the upcoming election and what he thinks about the Democratic Party’s coalescing around Vice President Kamala Harris.”)
- Video: At Democratic National Convention, Sen. Mark Warner Says “The best is yet to come with [Kamala Harris]….I think she is going to be a great president.” (Also: “if the Trump campaign decides to spend a whole lot more money in Virginia…it wouldn’t make me or Tim Kaine too upset”)
- Virginia Democrats says theirs is a convention about optimism
- Video: VA02 Dem Nominee Missy Cotter Smasal Releases First TV Ad: “Teammates” (“Anti-choice Jen Kiggans is teaming up with MAGA extremists behind our backs.”)
- Senate Candidate Hung Cao Avoids Debates, Leaving Tim Kaine to Solo Forum Appearances
- This New Roanoke College “Poll” Has Some Really, Really Bizarre, Non-Credible, Skewed-Towards-Republicans Sh** In It, Such as Having Tim Walz’s Favorability at -17 Points (WTF???) (Walz, of course, has been at about +5 favorable nationally, so….again, WTF???)
- Virginia students make some improvement on yearly test scores
- Virginia schools post SOL improvements, but most results still lag pre-pandemic levels (“Statewide, chronic absenteeism dropped from 19% in 2022-2023 to 16% in 2023-2024.”)
- Editorial: A debate about tax policy and modernization is overdue in Virginia
- Virginia Senate Democrats Celebrate Education Gains Linked to Strategic Investments (“The progress reflected in these SOL scores is the result of thoughtful, Democratic-led legislation that has consistently placed the needs of our students at the forefront.”)
- Williams: In Chesterfield, transgender fearmongering is the real threat to students
- Former Virginia Beach prosecutor accused of taking victim restitution money
- Fairfax Co. reports most single-year whooping cough cases in over a decade
- Man killed in Fairfax gym in targeted shooting, police say
- D.C.-area forecast: Amazing August weather as we stay sunny and dry for several more days
