by Lowell
Here are a few international, national and Virginia news headlines, political and otherwise, for Thursday, June 12.
- ‘We’ve Treated it as a Global Waste Dump’: Costa Rica’s President Calls for Action on the Ocean (“Costa Rica has protected 30 percent of its marine territory, and the small Central American country wants more care for the ocean, including a moratorium on deep sea mining.” Absolutely!)
- Scientists mapped what happens if a crucial system of ocean currents collapses. The weather impact would be extreme
- “The technology is there:” Batteries are reinventing the grid and leading way to 100 pct renewables
- Oil and Gas Lobby Behind ‘Concerted’ Attempt to Weaken EU Methane Policy, Research Finds (Evil.)
- Where Russia Is Advancing in Ukraine and What It Hopes to Gain (“Moscow’s offensive isn’t just about territorial gains: It is designed to make Western leaders think a Kremlin victory is inevitable”)
- Chinese fighter jet in near miss with Japan military plane as Pacific tensions rise (“J-15 jet took off from Chinese aircraft carrier and reportedly came within 45 metres of Japanese patrol plane”)
- New China Trade ‘Deal’ Takes U.S. Back to Where It Started
- Trump Has No China Trade Strategy (“Washington and Beijing stage a tactical retreat that shows China’s leverage.”)
- Why Trump Is Losing His Trade War (“He picked a stupid fight with the whole world. The bad results are all on him.”)
- Trump Says Again He’ll Set Unilateral Tariffs in Two Weeks
- London-bound Air India flight with more than 240 aboard crashes after takeoff from Ahmedabad, India
- Israel Appears Ready to Attack Iran, Officials in U.S. and Europe Say
- Exclusive: US slams UN conference on Israel-Palestinian issue, warns of consequences
- U.S. evacuating personnel from the Middle East amid growing tensions with Iran (BTW, pretty much the only good thing about Axios is that they have Barak Ravid reporting on the Middle East. The guy’s excellent.)
- Israeli forces kill at least 60 Palestinians seeking food in Gaza, health officials say (Totally unacceptable and appalling.)
- Netanyahu survives attempt to dissolve parliament
- UN nuclear watchdog board censures Iran, which retaliates by announcing a new enrichment site
- UN nuclear watchdog says Iran in breach of obligations, Iran announces counter-measures
- Where are the people the Trump administration has deported? (“The Trump administration’s aggressive immigration deportation efforts often have been carried out illegally. What has happened to the people at the center of the cases?”)
- Kosovo will accept up to 50 deported migrants from America.
- Suggesting More Troops in More Cities, Trump Bends Military’s Role
- National Guard troops have temporarily detained civilians in LA protests, commander says
- Dozens Of Journalists Targeted, Shot, Detained While Covering LA Protests, Press Org Says
- This Is What Trump Does When His Revolution Sputters (“His military deployment in Los Angeles follows a long, disturbing tradition.”)
- Guard Soldiers Deployed in Trump’s LA Crackdown Aren’t Getting Paid Yet
- Hegseth says troops in LA are lawful. He just can’t explain why.
- Los Angeles Isn’t Burning to the Ground. That’s Just What Trump Wants You to Think.
- Despite administration rhetoric, ICE heavily targets non-criminals (“Before Trump took office, about 1 in 16 ICE detainees had no criminal charges or convictions. Now 1 in 4 don’t.” That’s f’ing stupid.)
- Judge Opens Door to Releasing Mahmoud Khalil as Soon as This Week (“Mr. Khalil, a legal permanent resident, has been held in Louisiana for more than three months. The judge suggested he could be released as early as Friday unless the government successfully appeals.”)
- Mainstream media ignore Trump’s planned Office of Remigration, a term for ethnic cleansing (The “mainstream media” is mostly a bad joke.)
- Trump’s EPA announces major rollbacks to power plant pollution limits (“More than 200 health experts say regulatory proposals will lead to biggest increase in pollution in decades” Horrific. Did anyone actually vote for this???)
- Trump’s team takes aim at a major climate rule (“The pro-pollution presidency rolls on.”)
- Editorial: As predicted, HHS Secretary Kennedy is undermining public health (“Robert Kennedy’s time as Health and Human Services secretary has already severely undermined confidence in public health measures such as vaccines.” DISASTER.)
- RFK Jr. includes vaccine misinformation spreaders among newly announced ACIP members
- Kennedy’s new CDC panel includes members who have criticized vaccines and spread misinformation
- CDC backtracks on layoffs, rehires more than 400 people
- The enormous stakes in a new Supreme Court case about Trump’s mass firings (“Trump v. AFGE asks if the Republican justices’ new approach to separation of powers applies to Trump.”)
- Majority Of Voters Oppose GOP Budget Bill, With Just 67% Of Republicans In Support,
- House GOP to Senate: “Touch very lightly” on Trump budget bill
- The White House Wants the Megabill by July 4. For Real
- Head of FEMA’s storm response center leaving agency amid leadership exodus
- Bragg Soldiers Who Cheered Trump’s Political Attacks While in Uniform Were Checked for Allegiance, Appearance
- GOP Senators Freak Out When Asked About Trump’s Military Parade Costing $45 Million (“Some ducked into elevators. Some stared into space. ‘I answered the question I wanted to answer!’ Sen. Todd Young (R-Ind.) snapped.”)
- Hegseth resists when pushed to explain Trump’s Air Force One deal
- Report: Dozens of Republicans Are Skipping Dear Leader’s Military Parade, RSVP’ing “So Sad to Miss!” (But hey, insurrectionist/extremist John McGuire will be there!)
- Military parade, big protests will fuel clashing visions of America (The WaPo “both sidesing” it, of course – “clashing visions,” “conflict” etc. Just pathetic.)
- The Trump-Musk feud that wasn’t: Media distracted by another MAGA spectacle (“Trump and Musk successfully drive focus away from the GOP’s “big beautiful bill” and war on democracy”)
- Trump’s Washington Is a Technofascist Fantasy—With or Without Musk (“Trump and the Silicon Valley right realized they both had a common adversary: democracy.”)
- Musk Called Trump Privately Before Posting Message of ‘Regret’
- Democratic strategist David Plouffe to become Coinbase’s newest adviser (Plouffe has badly lost his way.)
- David Hogg to depart as DNC vice chair after months of turmoil (This was never going to work…the DNC has to stay neutral and Hogg didn’t want to do that, so why even want to be on the DNC?)
- David Hogg won’t run for DNC post again after party orders redo of vice chair elections (“The Democratic National Committee determined it failed to follow internal rules in February. Separately, Hogg’s plans to back primaries against incumbent Democrats stirred controversy.”)
- Leavitt Storms Out of Press Briefing Over Free Speech Grilling (Worst White House Press Secretary ever…and that’s saying something, because Trump had some really bad ones in the first term as well.)
- Fulbright board resigns over alleged Trump administration interference
- Naval Academy history chair resigns over ordered removal of symposium paper
- Brian Wilson, Beach Boys visionary leader and summer’s poet laureate, dies at 82
- This Platform Was Supposed to Replace Twitter. It’s Not Going So Well.
- Is Terry Moran Next in the TV News–to–Substack Pipeline?
- Mamdani surges in new poll, leading Cuomo for first time in New York mayor’s race (“The survey, conducted by Public Policy Polling for Democrat Justin Brannan’s city comptroller campaign, found Mamdani beating Cuomo 35 percent to 31 percent — a difference that is narrowly within the 4.1 percent margin of error.” It would be hilarious if Cuomo ended up losing. The guy’s a total scumbag, though, and richly DESERVES to lose.)
- Kaine warns against Trump’s military deployment, calls it a dangerous precedent for US
- Sen. Tim Kaine: ‘People don’t join the military to face off against their fellow Americans’ (“Democrat Senator Tim Kaine from Virginia joins Nicolle Wallace on Deadline White House to discuss Donald Trump’s intentional escalation of the situation in Los Angeles, by using the national guard and the military as a political weapon, just days ahead of his massive and unnecessary parade using members of the military set to take place in Washington D.C. “)
- Video: Sen. Mark Warner Decries Trump Politicizing the Military, Holding a Parade “that would be more appropriate for Moscow than Washington”; “Going over the governor” to Call in the National Guard and Marines… (On the car tax, Warner says he understands it;s “not a popular tax,” but also can’t “leave the localities holding the bag”)
- New report: 302,608 Virginians could lose health insurance
- New VA11 Democratic Poll, “From Super PAC Supporting James Walkinshaw,” Finds Walkinshaw Ahead 52%-11%-11% After “Balanced Positive Profiles” Read (State Sen. Stella Pekarsky and Del. Irene Shin are the strongest competitors for Walkinshaw in this poll)
- There Are Now Two Dems – Amanda Pohl and Lisa Vedernikova Khanna – Who Have Announced Campaigns to Take on the Abysmal Rep. Rob Wittman (R-VA01) (Wittman is on the DCCC’s list for Rs who need to be defeated in November 2026)
- Lisa Vedernikova Khanna enters race for Virginia’s 1st Congressional District
- Feds release delayed infrastructure grants, sending $8.6 million to Virginia
- Kilgore, Va. House GOP members slam Spanberger’s newly unveiled energy plan (This is so dumb; as if there was any chance that right wingers and fossil fuel industry tools would ever NOT slam a Democrat’s energy plan??? LOL! Also, the headline should note that the criticisms are almost completely full of crap, dishonest/disingenuous, etc, rather than just acting as a stenographer.)
- Strategy or slow start? Some in Va. GOP question Earle-Sears campaign. (“Much of the turmoil within the GOP has roots in a controversy over Reid, a hard-right Richmond talk-radio host who is openly gay and became the lieutenant governor nominee by default when the establishment favorite dropped out for health reasons.” Wow, they actually called Reid “hard-right” and not just a generic “talk-radio host” – will wonders never cease???)
- Winsome Earle-Sears Touts Her Business Background. The Reviews Weren’t Great. (“One user said Winsome Earle-Sears’ appliance plumbing and electric business was ‘the worst company I have ever dealt with.'” OF COURSE!)
- One gubernatorial hopeful is far outraising the other (Why not just make the headline “Spanberger Outraises Earle-Sears?”)
- Rural Virginia food bank in limbo as Trump tax bill’s cuts to SNAP move through Congress
- Democratic AG candidates support review of Virginians pardoned by Trump
- Virginia AG, top Democrat spar over fate of Youngkin university picks (“In opposing letters, Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares said recently rejected university board appointees should still serve, before Sen. Scott Surovell rebuffed him.”)
- Battle lines drawn in Shannon Taylor-Jay Jones Democratic Party AG primary race (“You have a right to know what Clean Virginia wants to do with its substantial backing of Jay Jones, and what Dominion Energy wants to do with the money it has thrown at Shannon Taylor.” I don’t agree with this, btw: “Jay Jones is the left-of-center candidate, and Shannon Taylor is the establishment Democrat candidate.” Also, it should be Democratic candidate, not “Democrat candidate”…)
- VA Senate Majority Leader Scott Surovell Argues, Correctly: “Today it’s California. Tomorrow it could be Virginia.” (Surovell vows: “Virginia will not stand by silently while our constitutional system is undermined”)
- Virginia campaign finance laws take first step beyond honor system (“The state Department of Elections will soon release a report on the first-ever outside audits of campaign finance disclosures. In this first round, seven candidates who ran for local office last fall were randomly selected for review.”)
- Miyares breaks with Trump over pardon of convicted ex-Culpeper sheriff (First and last time Miyares will ever break with Trump on anything? And this case is SO egregious!)
- Alex Bastani says Democrats are ‘trying to out-Republican Republicans’
- ICE agents detain people outside immigration court, strong-arm activists filming (“Video shows an ICE agent knocking the phone out of the hands of an activist filming the incident.” That’s 100% illegal and unacceptable.)
- Norfolk School Board fires superintendent in surprise 4-3 vote (“In the midst of a Norfolk City Council demand to close several schools, the Norfolk School Board voted 4-3 to remove Superintendent Sharon Byrdsong Wednesday evening.”)
- Henrico, Hanover come to the table to discuss water
- Tensions rise after Charlottesville misses deadline in ‘upzoning’ case
- Body found in retention pond confirmed to be missing Morehouse student (“There are still questions about what caused the crash as friends and family mourn Kyle Coleman”)
- CWG Live updates: First 90-degree high of the year today; storm threats this weekend
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