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by Lowell
Here are a few international, national and Virginia news headlines, political and otherwise, for Thursday, December 12.
- ‘A human face on an abstract problem’: ICJ forced to listen to climate victims (“Marginalised communities have been elevated during hearings in The Hague on impact of climate crisis”)
- Trawl the sea or mine for metals? Pacific nations wrestle with how to protect oceans – and livelihoods (“Palau plans to allow more fishing in its marine sanctuary, as countries across the region seek to balance conservation with economic needs”)
- A Jan. 6 rioter tried to join the Russian military to fight against Ukraine, feds say
- Humbled in Syria, Putin Seeks Vindication in Ukraine
- Trump invites China’s Xi Jinping to inauguration
- South Korea’s ruling party backs impeachment as president refuses to step down over martial law
- South Korea president defends martial law decree and vows to ‘fight to the end’
- Scoop: Mossad director visited Doha for Gaza deal talks
- Hamas Concedes on Israeli Troops in Gaza, Raising Hopes for Hostage Deal (“Hamas has yielded to two of Israel’s key demands for a cease-fire deal, raising hopes of an agreement within days.”)
- After Assad’s ouster, Syrian rebel leader tightens his grip on the state
- America’s closest ally in Syria is losing ground as a new order takes shape (“Kurdish fighters fended off armed factions, partnered with the U.S. to rout the Islamic State and carved out a largely autonomous region in Syria’s oil-rich east. But the gains of the non-Arab Kurds are now at risk.”)
- Syria rebel leader vows to shut down notorious Assad prisons (“Abu Mohammed al-Jolani also said he would dissolve the former regime’s security forces, in a statement seen by Reuters.”)
- Assad exhibited little of the tackiness of Iraq’s Saddam. But his rule was just as brutal
- Iran must live with ‘new realities’, says Revolutionary Guards head, as Syria’s rebel leader vows retribution
- Trump crypto venture partners with platform linked to Middle East militants
- Moment of relief as Romania and Bulgaria join EU border-free zone
- Ontario premier threatens to cut off energy supply to US
- Colleges Warn International Students to Return Ahead of Trump Term
- The New Ambassador to the Land of Plato and Socrates will be … Kimberly Guilfoyle (“Picking ambassadors has a long and proud history of being a vehicle for patronage and favor granting. But seriously?”)
‘Mother of all battles’: terror for Mexicans as war rages inside Sinaloa cartel- ‘This was not normal’: US scientists grapple with a year of record heat
- Why do people think Republicans are better for the economy? (“Since World War II, the economy has, on average, fared better when Democrats are in the White House.”)
- Annual inflation rate accelerates to 2.7% in November, as expected
- Inflation Ticks Up, but Details Are Encouraging for the Fed
- Biden commuting nearly 1,500 sentences, pardoning 39 in ‘largest single-day grant of clemency’
- Wray Continues Pattern Of Honoring Institutions Even As Trump Burns Them Down (“The FBI director said he stepped down to preserve the FBI, while his Trump-appointed replacement has already created an enemies list.”)
- FBI Director Christopher Wray to resign before Trump takes office
- The Situation: Chris Wray Rolls Out the Red Carpet for Kash Patel (“Wray faced no good option here. He chose the worst.”)
- A Scandalous Resignation (“FBI Director Christopher Wray, like so many Republicans who couldn’t stomach Trump’s demands, decided to go gentle into that good night.”)
- Christopher Wray’s Neville Chamberlain moment
- https://www.publicnotice.co/p/chris-wray-resignation-obeying-in-advance?utm_source=post-email-title&publication_id=501423&post_id=152996952&utm_campaign=email-post-title&isFreemail=true&token=eyJ1c2VyX2lkIjo3MDY5NTMsInBvc3RfaWQiOjE1Mjk5Njk1MiwiaWF0IjoxNzM0MDAyMzQwLCJleHAiOjE3MzY1OTQzNDAsImlzcyI6InB1Yi01MDE0MjMiLCJzdWIiOiJwb3N0LXJlYWN0aW9uIn0.avjSUXVBQkel0UMdQ490arqy_mHvqrswdg13-cOSGJk&r=f5hl&triedRedirect=true&utm_medium=email
- Trump Calls Resignation of FBI Director A ‘Great Day For America’
- If Chris Wray is stepping down, can anyone stand up to Donald Trump?
- Trump plans to scrap policy restricting ICE arrests at churches, schools, hospitals
- Trump Reportedly Plans to Let ICE Agents Arrest Immigrants at Schools, Hospitals, Weddings, and Funerals
- Biden Administration Cracks Down on Bank Overdraft Fees
- House approves mammoth annual defense policy bill
- That Biden Stimulus Joke Was Inadvertently Quite Revealing
- Mitch McConnell Says Trump Win Puts Americans In A ‘Very Dangerous World’ (Perhaps McConnell should have thought of that before he voted to ACQUIT Trump!)
- Decivilization May Already Be Under Way (“The brazen murder of a CEO in Midtown Manhattan—and the cheering reaction to his execution—amounts to a blinking-and-blaring warning signal for a society that has become already too inured to bloodshed.”)
- The Sense of a Killing (“What does it mean for Americans to welcome the murder of Brian Thompson?” Nothing good!)
- Health Insurance Workers Fearful Amid Public Anger After Slaying of Executive (“Employees at UnitedHealthcare and other companies described being anxious after an outpouring of online vitriol.”)
- How two New York tragedies exposed the failure of politics in a fraught American moment (“Two New York tragedies gripping America show how politics is failing to address some of the most fundamental economic and societal problems and reflect the nation’s mood ahead of Donald Trump’s second presidency.”)
- GOP senators fear House chaos could derail Trump’s agenda
- Is this publisher/DJ the most powerful man in Trump’s transition? (“As incoming director of the White House’s Presidential Personnel Office, Sergio Gor is managing the appointment of some 4,000 Trump loyalists into the federal government.”)
- Trump picks hardline Republican Kari Lake to lead Voice of America
- Power, Intimidation and the Resurrection of Trump’s Support for Pete Hegseth
- It Sure Sounds Like Pete Hegseth Will Be Confirmed as Trump’s Defense Secretary (That will be disastrous.)
- Manchin and Sinema Screw Biden Yet Again, Give Trump Control of Labor Board
- Schumer torpedoed by Manchin and Sinema on crucial NLRB vote
- Manchin, Sinema block Democratic control of NLRB
- Manchin and Sinema’s final middle finger as they leave the Senate
- Time magazine to name Trump ‘Person of the Year’ (We’re living in a dark, alternate timeline…)
- CNN Poll: Most Americans approve how Trump is handling his return to the White House (Craziness.)
- Mark Zuckerberg’s Meta Donates $1 Million to Trump’s Inaugural Fund (Disgusting.)
- Warren on UnitedHealthcare CEO’s killing: ‘People can only be pushed so far’ (Dangerous rhetoric.)
- MSNBC ratings collapse postelection, Fox News surges as cable faces an uncertain future
- Republican lawmakers invite a Jan. 6 felon to Trump’s inauguration
- Matt Gaetz in talks to join Democratic megadonor’s law firm (We live in a crazy world.)
- Elon Musk’s Net Worth Tops $400 Billion, a Historic First
- North Carolina G.O.P. Brushes Aside Democratic Governor to Expand Power
- U.S. Rep. Nancy Mace Calls Police on Prominent Foster Youth Advocate; Eyewitnesses Dispute Her Assault Allegations
- The ultimate marker of Dems’ generational shift: AOC’s Oversight ascension (Not looking great for Rep. Gerry Connolly?)
- Scoop: Schumer open to including RFK Stadium bill in spending package
- Multi-state coalition including Virginia recommits to Chesapeake Bay cleanup — but with new path
- Video: Sen. Tim Kaine Speaks on US Senate Floor to Express Support for Birthright Citizenship (“Birthright citizenship means that you are a U.S. citizen if you are born in America. Your right to citizenship does not depend upon the status of your parents.”)
- Q&A: Virginia Sen. Tim Kaine sheds light on Capitol Hill’s last-minute fixes before looming December break
- Warner and Kaine announce $1.3 million to aid clean-up efforts from Hurricane Helene
- Virginia Congresswoman Abigail Spanberger sets sight on 2025 gubernatorial race
- Schapiro: Short-timer governors – long goodbyes
- Who depends most on the federal government? The rural counties who voted heaviest for Trump.
- Virginia K-12 enrollment plateaus at 1.3M, still down 3% since pandemic
- First Day of Early Voting for Key Virginia Special Elections (“The only way we can protect women’s health care, advance legislation that benefits working families, and strengthen our public schools is by maintaining our Democratic majority”)
- Early voting begins in two special elections for Virginia House, Senate (“Voters in Loudoun County are choosing two new members of the General Assembly in the Jan. 7 election”)
- Early voting kicks off in Virginia’s key special elections as reproductive rights take center stage
- Congressman-Elect John McGuire (R-VA05) FINALLY Announces His Resignation From VA State Senate, Declines to Endorse Successor (GOP Nominee to Be Selected in “Mass Meeting” on Friday, 12/13) (100% Trump loyalist McGuire will be succeeding Bob Good, who endorsed Ron DeSantis for president)
- Republicans to choose Senate District 10 nominee to succeed McGuire
- Lobbyist spending suggests action on skill games and casinos next month
- Workforce shortage slows rollout of Youngkin’s record mental health spending
- Youngkin says mental health investments have exceeded goals, pledges $70M in additional funding
- Rules for solar on Virginia prime agricultural, forest land being considered
- Virginia county votes to exert control over library that defended LGBTQ books (“Warren County, Va., supervisors voted early Wednesday to exert control over Samuels Public Library, which last year resisted efforts to remove LGBTQ-themed books” Crazy.)
- The town of Glen Lyn in Giles County has voted to disband
- Loudoun School Board member avoids prosecution over altercation
- Nikki Giovanni’s Legacy of Black Love
- Editorial: Virginia Tech’s iconic Nikki Giovanni gave voice to generations (“Nikki Giovanni — a poet, author, activist and longtime Virginia Tech professor — was an icon in life whose work with echo for generations.”)
- Chris Chittum talks zoning, the benefits of neighborhood centers and Roanoke’s growing interest in ‘urban living’ (“For more than 30 years, Chris Chittum helped guide Roanoke’s development. As he steps down from his city job, he reflects on just how much has changed.”)
- Sister Bernadette Kenny, founder of the Health Wagon and advocate for Central Appalachia, dies at 85
- Man shot by Arlington police in struggle at Rosslyn Metro station has died
- D.C.-area forecast: Shivery sunshine today and the chill lingers into the weekend
