Thursday News: “Trump betrays Ukraine while the coup continues”; “Trump’s blatant violations of law are precipitating a constitutional crisis”; “Musk calls for US government to ‘delete entire agencies’”; “Judge allows Trump to implement ‘Fork in the Road’”

by Lowell

Here are a few international, national and Virginia news headlines, political and otherwise, for Thursday, February 13. Robert Hubbell’s headline pretty much sums up the bad news today – Trump betrays Ukraine while the coup continues. Also, with the egregiously horrible Tulsi Gabbard confirmed yesterday as Director of National Intelligence, it’s hard to imagine any country willing to share intelligence information with us. And that, of course, will make things a LOT worse for the United States, including our national security, vulnerability to terrorist attacks, you name it. Disastrous.

• World’s largely unprotected peatlands are ticking ‘carbon bomb’, warns study (At the moment, if you do an objective analysis, things are NOT looking good for humanity, or for the rest of earth’s species…)
• New German Government Report Highlights Growing Climate Security Risks (“Climate-driven extreme weather disasters and resource conflicts can intensify social and political rifts both domestically and internationally, threatening global stability.” No climate science denier should ever be elected to ANYTHING, yet America just elected Trump as president and a party of climate science deniers to control Congress. Insanity and idiocy beyond belief.)
• Climate change is turning Valentine’s Day bitter for chocolate lovers (“Money can’t buy you love — or as much cocoa as it used to, with adverse weather denting West African crops and chocolatiers adding more fillers like nuts.”)
• Surface ocean losing resilience to thermal stress (“Satellite observations suggest a slowdown in the decay of sea surface temperature anomalies over the past four decades, coinciding with an increase in the duration of marine heatwaves. This change is probably linked to factors such as stronger upper-ocean stratification, a deepening mixed layer and weakening oceanic forcing.”)
• ‘The rules of the game have changed’: Europe fears an unreliable US ally (Worse than “unreliable,” actually.)
• Putin Scores a Big Victory, and Not on the Battlefield
• Putin has waited for this moment for 3 years, as Zelensky is left in the cold
• The message on Ukraine that Europe didn’t want to hear (“US relations with Europe will never be the same after Trump’s call with Putin” Time for Europe to go it alone? Build their own massive militaries? So much for NATO? This is the dystopia under Putin puppet Trump…)
• Trump’s Ukraine Plans Mean a $3 Trillion Bill for European Allies
• NATO allies insist Ukraine and Europe must be in peace talks as Trump touts Putin meeting (Absolutely!)
• Trump betrays Ukraine while the coup continues
• The Day the Ukraine War Ended (“The conflict isn’t over, but its fate now appears clear.”)
• Trump upends US policy on Ukraine and says he and Putin have agreed to begin talks on ending the war (There is literally ZERO chance this will turn out well.)
• US defense chief suggests Ukraine should abandon hope of winning all territory back from Russia (At best, saying that is HORRIBLE in terms of negotiating tactics. Just pathetic and disgraceful.)
• Russia hammers Ukraine with huge drone attack hours after Putin-Trump call
• The art of the just Ukraine peace deal (“Trump will be measured by whether he achieves a deal that doesn’t benefit the aggressor.”)
• US should not have made concessions to Russia over Ukraine, German minister says
• Trump Writes a New Playbook for Gaza and Ukraine (“The president’s blueprints for the world’s intractable problems represent rejections of decades-old U.S. policy.”)
• China’s coal power habit undercuts ‘unprecedented pace’ of clean energy
• Modi brings a tariff ‘gift’ to Trump talks
• Western allies and Arab countries gather in Paris to discuss Syria’s future amid US aid freeze
• Trump admin welcomes reform of Palestinian prisoner payments dubbed “pay for slay”
• ‘No to ethnic cleansing’: over 350 rabbis sign US ad assailing Trump’s Gaza plan (“Jewish creatives and activists also sign New York Times ad after US president’s proposal to ‘take over Gaza’”)
• Hamas says it will free 3 more hostages as planned, paving the way to resolve ceasefire dispute
• 20 injured as car driven into pedestrians in Munich ahead of conference attended by Vance, Rubio
• Some Migrants Sent by Trump to Guantánamo Are Being Held by Military Guards
• US eggs prices hit a record high of $4.95 and are likely to keep climbing
• What Trump’s Offshore Wind Energy Freeze Could Cost States
• Why the COVID Deniers Won (“Lessons from the pandemic and its aftermath”)
• If Trump Triggers a Constitutional Crisis, No Part of Society Can Remain Silent
• Trump’s blatant violations of law are precipitating a constitutional crisis (“Legal experts warn the administration’s illegitimate power grab upends democratic checks for a slide in to dictatorship”)
• Elon Musk Threatens to Double Down and ‘Delete Entire Agencies’ (“Musk also gave a bizarre aside Thursday, claiming that DEI-friendly artificial intelligence could start murdering men.” He’s completely unhinged.)
• Elon Musk calls for US government to ‘delete entire agencies’ (Musk is an unelected oligarch and an unmitigated disaster.)
• “Largest data breach in US history”: Three more lawsuits try to stop DOGE
• BREAKING: NIH admits funding freeze is illegal, will resume issuing grants
• Judge allows Trump to implement ‘Fork in the Road’ deadline for federal workers
• Trump closes down federal worker buyout offer after judge lifts hold
• 75,000 workers accept Trump’s buyout program
• White House says it’s the judges — not Trump — causing a ‘constitutional crisis’ (This is stenography by AP – they should write “White House FALSELY says”)
• Judge removes key legal hurdle for Trump’s plan to trim federal workforce with deferred resignations (The word “trim” in this AP headline is also absurd stenography.)
• Mass firings have begun at federal agencies
• Trump’s FBI Poised to Focus Counterterror Strategy on “Things Like BLM and Antifa” (“According to current and former sources in the bureau and other national security offices, the shift will jeopardize years of progress combating violent white nationalism.”)
• How Mitch McConnell Blew America’s Best Chance to Stop Trump (McConnell is truly one of the worst people in American history.)
• Trump and Musk Hunt for Corruption, Very Selectively
• Trump names oil and gas advocate to lead agency that manages federal lands (More massive corruption. We now live in kleptocracy and kakistocracy.)
• With a Veteran Oil and Gas Lobbyist Nominated To Lead the BLM, Westerners Worry About Wildlife and Renewable Energy
• House GOP budget resolution hangs in the balance as hardliners hold out support
• House GOP releases budget calling for trillions in cuts to taxes and spending
• Republicans Love Trump’s Spending Cuts. Just Not in Their States.
• Top Democrats reopen 2017 playbook on Trump tax cuts
• Three Big Lessons for the Democrats in 2025 (“Economics, culture, and media. Economics, culture, and media. Economics, culture, and media. Got it?”)
• Democrats push for tougher resistance to Trump as anger mounts
• Musk took all their power, so Republicans remake Congress into a ministry of disinformation (“Do taxpayers need to pay 218 full-time GOP representatives whose only job is making up hysterical lies?”)
• Trump Removal of Whistleblower Agency Head Blocked by Judge
• Chair of Board That Protects Rights of Federal Workers Sues Trump for Illegally Firing Her
• Musk’s ‘efficiency’ agency site adds data from controversial rightwing thinktank (“Website of ‘Doge’ includes information published by thinktank CEI, which claims to fight ‘climate alarmism’”)
• ‘Deregulation by Firings’: Breaking Down the Cuts to Financial Oversight
• Sen. Elizabeth Warren’s Two-Word Plan to Save the CFPB From Elon Musk
• Bernie Sanders launches high-profile offensive against ‘the oligarchy’
• The GSA Plans to Sell Hundreds of Its Federal Government Buildings
• The Trump Administration Might Just Spend $400 Million on ‘Armored’ Teslas
• Trump administration set to purchase $400 million worth of armored Teslas (Musk is more than getting his money’s worth from his massive donations to the 2024 effort to elect Trump. Corruption run amok.)
• Elon Musk’s X to pay about $10 million to settle Trump lawsuit over account suspension
• New Kennedy Center board elects Trump as chair. Rutter departs as president. (North Korea vibes.)
• New York Got $80 Million for Migrants. The White House Took It Back. (That’s unconstitutional/illegal, right?)
• Eric Adams Discussed Possible Republican Primary Run With G.O.P. Leader (By the way, if voters had done even a few minutes of Googling about Eric Adams prior to the Democratic primary, they would have known that he’s always been a slimeball. But apparently they did ZERO research, because – laziness, stupidity, etc.)
• White House says it has the right to punish AP reporters over Gulf naming dispute (No legitimate news organization should be using this ridiculous “Gulf of America” nonsense.)
• Video: Ahead of Confirmation Vote, Sen. Mark Warner Speaks on the Senate Floor to Oppose Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. and NIH Funding Cut (“This nominee does not have the right experience, credibility, or motivations to be running a government agency of this size or importance.”)
• Video: Sen. Tim Kaine Delivers Remarks Slamming Republican Budget Bill Teeing Up Tax Cuts for the Wealthy (“This is an effort to dramatically cut spending on programs that affect everyday Virginians and everyday Americans”)
• Sen. Tim Kaine opposes Trump’s proposal to dismantle U.S. Department of Education
• Liberal Vets Group Gives Spanberger Boost in Virginia Governor’s Race (“The $500,000 donation to the campaign of Abigail Spanberger, a former representative and C.I.A. officer, is the largest direct contribution in VoteVets’ 20-year history.”)
• Video: After Blasting Winsome Sears as a “Never Trumper,” etc. for Two Years, Trump’s Former VA Campaign Chair Throws His Support Strongly Behind Her (One week ago, Fredericks said Sears “tried to do a turnaround, nobody really believes her…not the strongest candidate that the Republicans could put up by any means.”)
• VA State Senator Lamont Bagby Announces Candidacy for Chairman of the Democratic Party of Virginia; Is Endorsed by Senators Tim Kaine, Mark Warner; Likely 2025 Democratic Gubernatorial Nominee Abigail Spanberger; etc.
• Bagby announces bid to lead Virginia Democrats
• Infrastructure, climate projects across Virginia in jeopardy as Trump targets federal funding
• NIH funding cut fight boils over in Virginia House
• New law to fight puppy mills likely on the way to Governor Youngkin’s desk
• Virginia AG’s office says it was struck by ‘sophisticated cyberattack’
• Miyares’ office hit by cyberattack, most systems down
• State lawmakers have days to resolve ‘MOMnibus’ (“The General Assembly is scheduled to adjourn sine die on Feb. 22.”)
• Trump cuts affect signature Youngkin lab school program in Virginia (“A Virginia Commonwealth University program that helps teach computer skills to high schoolers was targeted as wasteful or discriminatory by the Trump administration.” Let’s see Youngkin stand up to Trump for once. Nah!)
• Bills could change at-large representation in some local governments
• House subcommittee kills Fairfax County casino referendum
• House tables push to add Fairfax to eligible casinos list in Virginia
• Editorial: A small sales tax increase could bring big improvements to local roadways (“A 0.3% increase in the sales tax could bring needed relief to Hampton Roads motorists by improving primary and secondary roads throughout the region.”)
• Why didn’t state health officials use enforcement power at Richmond water plant? (“The VDH didn’t use its enforcement authority to compel Richmond to comply with the recommendations of an EPA report on Richmond’s water treatment plant issued in 2022.”)
• Richmond police officer tied to Marcus-David Peters shooting was decertified
• CWG Live updates: Rain departs this morning; breezy and clearing by midday (“Rains depart and sun returns with gusty winds. The first half of the weekend is soggy.”)