Tuesday News: “Trump sues BBC for $10 billion”; “Bondi Beach gunmen appear inspired by Islamic State”; “Rob Reiner Was a Mensch. In Death, He Showed Us Trump’s a Schmuck.”; “Trump blames Brown, not FBI, for delay in finding shooting suspect”

by Lowell

Here are a few international, national and Virginia news headlines, political and otherwise, for Tuesday, December 16.

• Glaciers to reach peak rate of extinction in the Alps in eight years
• This is another ‘ozone layer’ moment. Now, we must urgently target methane (“The oil and gas industry must be legally bound to cut methane emissions. With climate tipping points approaching, time is running out”)
• Europe to launch international commission for Ukraine war damages (“Leaders including Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelenskiy arrived in The Hague on Tuesday to launch an International Claims Commission to compensate Kyiv for hundreds of billions of dollars in damage from Russian attacks and alleged war crimes.”)
• U.K. Spy Chief Warns of Acute Russia Threat: The ‘Frontline is Everywhere’
• US promises Ukraine ‘Article 5-like’ security, but it’s a limited time offer
• Ukraine and U.S. divided over territory after intense negotiations
• Peace plans ready to be presented to Russia in days, says Zelenskyy (“US says talks with Ukraine in Berlin have resolved 90% of difficult issues – but no sign Putin willing to compromise”)
• After a Generation of Peace, Europe Tells Its People to Prepare for War (“As Trump tries to negotiate Ukraine peace deal, European leaders sound alarm that Russia could target their countries next”)
• Meta tolerates rampant ad fraud from China to safeguard billions in revenue
• How a Brazilian meat tycoon accused of bribery and deforestation became a key player in regional diplomacy (“Joesley Batista is credited as a major force behind the reconciliation between Trump and Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva”)
• ‘No water, no life’: Iraq’s Tigris River in danger of disappearing
• BBC says it will defend Trump defamation lawsuit over Panorama speech edit
• Trump sues BBC for $10 billion, accusing it of defamation over editing of president’s Jan. 6 speech (100% insane.)
• ‘Outrageous’: JetBlue pilot describes near-collision with Air Force plane off Venezuela (“The airline pilot told air traffic control in Curaçao that the U.S. military plane was not identifying itself with a transponder.”)
• US military says strikes on 3 boats in the eastern Pacific Ocean kill 8 people
• Bondi gunmen travelled to Philippines ahead of attack, ‘motivated by Islamic State ideology’
• Bondi Beach gunmen appear inspired by Islamic State, authorities say (“Australian police are investigating the father and son’s trip to the Philippines last month, and whether they had links to terrorist groups.”)
• Couple in dashcam footage who were killed trying to fight off Bondi shooter identified as Boris and Sofia Gurman
• “Unfathomable.” Hanukkah Massacre Shatters Australia’s Long-Held Pride on Guns and Safety. (“Anguish, outrage, and a national reckoning over antisemitism and gun control.”)
• Kushner’s Firm Pulls Out of Trump-Branded Hotel Deal in Serbia
• Some Republican lawmakers call for mass expulsion of American Muslims (Fascists.)
• ‘The More I’m Around Young People, the More Panicked I Am’ (“Anti-Jewish prejudice isn’t a partisan divide—it’s a generational one.”)
• U.S. Jewish groups urge heightened security at public events after Hanukkah attack in Australia
• The EPA Is the Latest Organization to Be Corrupted by the MAHA Horde
• Delayed US employment reports expected to show softening labor market
• Long-awaited jobs report to give snapshot of labor market strength
• Poll: Majority plan to spend less on holiday gifts this year amid broader economic concerns (“That includes two-thirds of those with household incomes under $50,000, according to the latest NBC News Decision Desk Poll.”)
• Trump Admin Intensifies Military Probe Against Democratic Sen. Mark Kelly, Launches Command Investigation
• Pentagon says it’s “escalating” Kelly review to “official” investigation (Sen. Mark Kelly stated official U.S. military policy and THE LAW, which is that servicemembers must only follow *legal* orders. Kelly did absolutely NOTHING WRONG.)
• Pentagon plan calls for major power shifts within U.S. military (“Senior Pentagon officials are preparing a plan to downgrade several of the U.S. military’s major headquarters and shift the balance of power among its top generals, people familiar with the matter said.” Why?)
• Here’s the Climate Message That Can Help Democrats Win Big in 2026 (“Rising home insurance costs are making life unaffordable for both homeowners and renters. Robust climate policy and public disaster insurance could save many households’ finances.”)
• White House weighs risks of a health care fight as ACA subsidies set to expire
• Senators talk last-minute Obamacare extension
• House GOP moderates signal they’ll fall in line with Johnson’s health plan (Flat-out, WILD lie by Politico to claim that there are “House GOP moderates.” THERE ARE NOT.)
• The Year in Trump Cashing In (“In 2025, the President’s family has been making bank in myriad ways, many of which involve crypto and foreign money.”)
• Trump picks fight with MAGA allies in issuing AI executive order
• Republicans Are Mad About Trump’s Awful Rob Reiner Post. Something Is Changing Here. (“The president’s grip on his party will survive yet another heartless social media post, but we’re experiencing a shift.”)
• Rob Reiner Was a Mensch. In Death, He Showed Us Trump’s a Schmuck. (“The president’s remarks about the murder of the filmmaker and his wife cast Trump as petty and callous.”)
• Trump attack on Rob Reiner tests the limits, even for his MAGA base
• “Very bad for our country”: Trump doubles down on Rob Reiner attacks
• Republicans rebuff Trump’s post on Rob Reiner (As far as I can tell, not a single elected Virginia Republican rebuffed Trump’s post on Rob Reiner.)
• BREAKING: Trump Dances on Rob Reiner’s Grave (“Even for President Donald Trump, this is sickening.”)
• Trump takes inexplicable victory lap with murders of Rob Reiner, Michele Reiner (It’s 100% explicable, actually: 1) for Trump, EVERYTHING is always about himself; 2) if someone was “good” to him, then the person was great, but if the person was “bad” to him, then Trump’s happy they died, that bad things happened to them, whatever.)
• MAGA Turns on Trump Over Deranged Rob Reiner Post
• MAGA breaks with Trump on mocking Rob Reiner’s killing
• Trump’s Post Attacking Rob Reiner After Stabbing Death Draws Immediate Outrage
• Rob Reiner Took Son Nick to Conan O’Brien’s Party to ‘Keep an Eye on Him’ Day Before Alleged Murder (“Sources tell Rolling Stone that Nick exhibited “antisocial behavior” at Conan O’Brien’s Christmas party”)
• Rob Reiner once made a film with his son Nick, now suspected of killing parents
• What Rob Reiner believed
• Trump officials have posted inaccurate info in wake of recent tragedies (“Senior administration officials released confusing, incorrect or misleading information after the Brown University shooting, Charlie Kirk’s assassination and the National Guard members shooting.” EVERY SINGLE TIME.)
• Trump blames Brown, not FBI, for delay in finding shooting suspect
• Eager for Center Stage, Patel Casts Aside Caution in Statements as F.B.I. Leader
• Why Erika Kirk Is Having a Private Summit With Conspiracy Peddler Candace Owens (“In the last few weeks, Owens has intensified her outlandish speculation over Charlie Kirk’s killing, with theories involving everything from an ‘underground that has emerged at schools’ to the French Foreign Legion.” This is MAGA – absolutely bats*** crazy.)
• She was MAGA’s favorite conspiracist. Then she dug into Charlie Kirk’s killing. (“The right-wing firebrand rose to prominence as a pro-Trump conspiracy theorist. Her latest claims have infuriated some of her former allies.”)
• Trump administration says White House ballroom construction is a matter of national security (Hahahahahahahahahaha.)
• New York Young Republican Club gala draws white nationalist, far-right Germans as elected officials skip out (Hitler Youth, essentially.)
• Will Doug Jones pull off another Alabama miracle in 2026?
• Robert Samuelson, Award-Winning Economics Columnist, Dies at 79 (“He was a familiar byline in Newsweek and The Washington Post for decades, explaining the intricacies of economic policy in reader-friendly vernacular.”)
• Video: Kaine Statement Ahead of Unveiling of Barbara Rose Johns Statue in U.S. Capitol
• Video: Rep. James Walkinshaw (D-VA11) Says “Donald Trump could release the [Epstein] files today. The deadline’s Friday. He could release them today, Monday…” (On the Brown University shooting, Rep. Walkinshaw says “It’s still unfolding. But broadly, I’m deeply concerned that they’ve taken resources and investigators away from gun trafficking…to focus on rounding people up in Home Depot parking lots”)
• ODU report: Virginia needs to create two private sector jobs for every federal government job it loses
• Virginia Dept. of Ed projects K-12 schools will need $1.2 billion over next two years
• Virginia regulators weigh expanded use of data centers’ polluting generators (HELL NO.)
• What will Virginia’s Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin do next? He’s not ready to tell (Hopefully go the f*** away.)
• Editorial: Virginia earns high marks for child rearing, and must work to keep them
• HD11 Democratic Candidate So Lim Outlines Her “Opportunity Agenda,” Says She “Gets It Because She’s Lived It” (The HD11 “firehouse primary” is being held tomorrow from 7 am to 7 pm)
• Gretchen Bulova Running In 11th District Delegate Race: Democratic Primary
• So Lim Running In 11th District Delegate Race: Democratic Primary (“So Lim is one of the five Democrats running in Tuesday’s unassembled caucus to determine who will be on the Jan. 13 ballot.”)
• Vanessa Cárdenas Running In 11th District Delegate Race: Democratic Primary
• Douglas Shuster Running In 11th District Delegate Race: Democratic Primary
• Brown University shooting: Midlothian High School graduate ID’d as victim
• Most well water in Virginia likely has PFAS, researchers find
• Virginia voters nominate candidates in Fairfax, Prince William ahead of January special election
• Loudoun residents take fight against high-voltage power lines for Data Center Alley to SCC
• Merch commemorating drunk Virginia raccoon raises over $250,000 for animal shelter (“Staff at the Ashland animal shelter sold merch of raccoon they cared for after he was found passed out in a liquor store”)
• Chesapeake School Board will prohibit teachers from using preferred pronouns
• Here’s how much Norfolk’s temporary casino made during its first month (“The Interim Gaming Hall at the planned Norfolk casino site earned more than $1.4 million in revenue during its first month of operation.”)
• Developer of Varina data center project continues backing plan
• CWG Live: Sunny and not as cold today, much warmer midweek