Friday News: “US-Iran nuclear talks end without a deal as threat of war grows”; “Timeline: Burmese refugee’s arrest to death”; “Anthropic says it ‘cannot in good conscience’ allow Pentagon to remove AI checks”; “Panic” at CNN; “Trump might regret Clintons’ Epstein testimony”

by Lowell

Here are a few international, national and Virginia news headlines, political and otherwise, for Friday, February 27.

• Satellites Reveal New Climate Threat to Emperor Penguins (“Ice loss in the Antarctic Ocean may be killing the sea birds during their molting season.”)
• Southern Right Whales Are Having Fewer Calves; Scientists Say a Warming Ocean Is to Blame (“After decades of recovery from commercial whaling, climate change is now threatening the whales’ future.” UGH!)
• US Government Is Accelerating Coral Reef Collapse, Scientists Warn (“US Government Is Accelerating Coral Reef Collapse, Scientists Warn” EVIL.)
• Trump’s Foreign Policy: Resurrecting Empire
  
• In Trump’s Case for War With Iran, a Series of False or Unproven Claims
• US-Iran nuclear talks end without a deal as threat of war grows (“Mediators say more talks to be held next week but no clear evidence two sides any closer on uranium enrichment”)
• Bombing Iran May Blow Up Trump’s Middle East Plans
• Vance: ‘No chance’ U.S. will be in drawn-out war in Middle East (Vance, of course, is a pathological liar, bootlicker, etc., and everything he says should be considered with that in mind.)
• In Iran Talks, U.S. Brings Tough Demands, Growing Military Presence (“Talks wrap up with no deal yet and Washington and Tehran far apart on key issues”)
• Top U.S. commander in the Middle East briefs Trump on Iran options
• With Possible Iran Strike Looming, U.S. Says Staff Can Leave Israel, Urging Speed
• Americans’ sympathies in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict have shifted dramatically, new poll shows
• America’s slipping sympathy for Israel (“For the first time in 25 years of Gallup polling, more Americans say they sympathize with Palestinians than with Israelis — a striking shift in U.S. public opinion.”)
• A new poll shows just how quickly Israel has lost America’s sympathy (It’s very hard to support a country led by far-right lunatics, fanatics, etc.)
• Keir Starmer suffers a blow as the Green Party snatches a Parliament seat from Labour
• Starmer says Labour’s by-election loss ‘very disappointing’ as Green Party leader hails ‘seismic’ win
• Pakistan strikes Afghanistan as defence minister declares ‘open war’ on Taliban (“Bombings by Pakistan are the most significant development in tensions between the two neighbours – though the physical impact remains unclear.”)
• Exclusive: US aims to bring in 4,500 white South Africans per month as refugees, document says (There is ZERO good reason for this, and a lot of really bad reasons – starting with virulent racism, white supremacy, etc. by Trump et al.)
• Why Trump means the Cuban Revolution faces its biggest threat yet
• Cuba vows to fight ‘terrorist aggression’ after attack from US-registered boat (“Cuban president says country will ‘defend itself with determination’ after deadly coastal assault by exiles”)
• The Trump administration is detaining and questioning refugees already admitted to the US
• ‘ICE will comply’: Top Minnesota judge threatens criminal contempt for continued defiance (“The Court is not aware of another occasion in the history of the United States in which a federal court has had to threaten contempt — again and again and again — to force the United States government…”)
• Timeline: Burmese refugee’s arrest to death (“Dramatic police body camera video captured encounter that lead to Nurul Amin Shah Alam’s arrest. Other video footage shows Border Patrol agents dropping him off after hours at a coffee shop far from his home.” Arrest these f***ers for murder.)
• Border Patrol’s Shameful Lies About Leaving Blind Man to Die Exposed
• 911 calls capture kids burning with fever, struggling to breathe at ICE detention center (Beyond outrageous.)
• DHS admits it deported more than 80 DACA recipients
• Denver authorizes police to protect anti-ICE protesters (Good; every jurisdiction should do the same!)
• The First Couple of a Dysfunctional DHS (“A forthcoming book reveals new details about Kristi Noem and Corey Lewandowski.”)
• Trump’s New Tariffs Are Also Illegal (“The 1974 Trade Act was designed to counter long-gone problems.”)
• Golden age? Americans doubt Trump’s claim of booming economy as midterms near, Reuters/Ipsos poll finds
• Trump-MAHA split complicates midterm agenda
• Trump’s surgeon general pick, Casey Means, still lacks votes for confirmation (She’s a wacko who deserves ZERO votes.)
• Shouldn’t the Surgeon General Have a Medical License? (“Trump nominated wellness influencer Casey Means, who can’t even answer simple questions about vaccines, as America’s top doctor.”)
• Trump’s Favorite Voter-ID Bill Would Probably Backfire (“Congressional Republicans are trying to pass a strict ‘election integrity’ law that seems almost custom-designed to disenfranchise their own supporters.”)
• Why top Senate Republicans are skeptical they can use a ‘talking filibuster’ to pass Trump’s SAVE America Act
• Trump, seeking executive power over elections, is urged to declare emergency (“Activists who say they are in coordination with the White House are circulating a draft executive order that would unlock extraordinary presidential power over voting.” Insane, illegal, unconstitutional, anti-democracy, authoritarian, etc.)
• DOJ sues 5 more states for access to voter rolls
• Justice Department Sues 5 States, Most Republican-Led, for Voter Data (“The Trump administration sued Utah, Oklahoma and West Virginia, as well as Kentucky and New Jersey, to obtain unredacted voter registration databases in pursuit of baseless claims of voter fraud.”)
• Anthropic CEO Amodei says Pentagon’s threats ‘do not change our position’ on AI
• Anthropic says Pentagon’s “final offer” is unacceptable
• Statement from Dario Amodei on our discussions with the Department of War (It’s the Department of Defense; stop calling it what Trump wants you to call it.)
• Anthropic says it ‘cannot in good conscience’ allow Pentagon to remove AI checks
• The hypothetical nuclear attack that escalated the Pentagon’s showdown with Anthropic (“Start-up Anthropic and the U.S. military are careening toward a clash over government use of artificial intelligence — and whether it should be allowed to kill”)
• Bill Clinton to testify before House committee investigating Epstein links
• Why the Clintons’ ordeal might end up backfiring on Trump
• Hillary Clinton slams Republicans after six-hour deposition on the Epstein files
• Hillary Clinton’s deposition to Congress was briefly derailed by an unauthorized leak from Rep. Lauren Boebert to Benny Johnson(Boebert is heinous.)
• ‘You’ll have to ask my husband:’ House Republicans say Hillary Clinton punted questions on Epstein
• In Tense Deposition, Hillary Clinton Denies Knowing Epstein or His Crimes
• Hillary Clinton derides her Epstein deposition as GOP ‘political theater’ (Correct.)
• Democrats demand fast turnaround of unedited transcript of Hillary Clinton’s deposition
• Epstein files contain explicit but unsubstantiated claim that Trump abused minor
• Why Trump Put a Clown in Charge of the FBI (“Patel’s ineptitude shows how a lack of standards for top law enforcement has consequences.”)
• CBS News and CNN staffers fear ‘disaster’ as Paramount wins Warner Bros battle
• For CNN, a Change in Ownership Means a Suddenly Uncertain Future
• With Paramount set to take over WBD, Trump just steered a major news outlet into the hands of a crony
• CNN Braces for Ellison’s Control (“With David Ellison poised to take control of Warner Bros. Discovery, a chill has settled over CNN as staffers fear for the future. ‘The panic at CNN right now is off the charts,’ an insider tells Status.”)
• Paramount Wins Bidding War for Warner Discovery After Netflix Drops Out (“Netflix said it wouldn’t match Paramount’s revised offer for the storied entertainment company” VERY bad news.)
• Why I Got Thrown Out of a Jasmine Crockett Rally (“The crowd was fired up. The candidate was on her game. And I was escorted out by armed guards.” WTF???)
• Trump’s takeover of the GOP upends Texas Senate race
• Is There Room in the GOP for John Cornyn? (“The four-term Texan is testing whether a traditional Republican still has a place in a party reshaped by Donald Trump.”)
• US military used laser to take down Border Protection drone, lawmakers say
• FAA shuts down airspace in Texas near previous abrupt closure
• Unions privately urge Chuck Schumer and Democratic leaders to stay out of Maine’s Senate primary (“At least three pro-Graham Platner unions are pushing Democratic leaders to stop supporting Gov. Janet Mills in the competitive Senate race.”)
• Video: Sen. Mark Warner Says Trump Needs to Make the Case (but Has Not Done So) for War with Iran; “erratic would be a polite description of the president’s behavior on some of these foreign policy issues”
• All Six Democrats in Virginia’s U.S. House Delegation: “Trump is trying to tilt the House before voters ever cast a ballot. Virginia must respond.”
• Video: Rep. James Walkinshaw (D-VA11) Discusses Hillary Clinton Deposition; Says Chairman Comer Has Set a Precedent and That Trump Should Come and Testify Under Oath About Epstein
• Registrars forge ahead with early voting preparations as redistricting court cases loom (“The Supreme Court of Virginia has said that the April 21 referendum can move forward as it prepares to hear cases against the redistricting effort. But other court cases have popped up, creating uncertainty for the local offices that must administer the election.”)
• Tom Perriello: ‘What people remember is when we stand up for people’
• Abigail Spanberger’s leftist ‘coming out’ party (I’m including a link to this far-right Washington Times editorial just to point out that they are completely f’ing bonkers.)
• Draw the Line, Virginia: Say No to DHS Abuse and Those Who Condone It (“Virginia Republicans Funded Weaponization of Federal Power”)
• ‘That is not what happened’: Experts push back on DHS claims about Virginia’s ICE agreements
• Workers, Speaker Scott criticize plan to axe data center tax exemption as budgets advance (“The Senate proposal to end the sales and use tax exemption that’s saved data centers over $1 billion annually passes with bipartisan support”)
• Virginia Senate, House Dems Pass Affordable Virginia Budget – “Delivering for Working Families Through Healthcare, Jobs, Childcare, More”
• Army Corps plans to fast-track infrastructure priorities, including in Virginia (“Plan’s initiatives will overhaul regulatory process to eliminate delays in permitting projects, empower commanders to ‘take informed risks’ to advance key water resources programs and consolidate decision-making about some projects at the national level, not local districts.”)
• Virginia’s return to Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative picks up steam
• Va. lawmakers’ rejections leave vacancies on three higher ed governing boards (“General Assembly considers changes to nomination process for boards at universities and colleges”)
• Virginia General Assembly passes overtime pay for live-in nannies, housekeepers
• At General Assembly, defense of Confederate statues sparks outrage (Lee Ware and Tom Garrett are both nutjobs.)
• Organizers want university employees and home healthcare workers back in a collective bargaining bill
• Virginia legislators celebrate the first bicameral Iftar
• Winter ice put the freeze on fish, oyster harvesting and even the state marine commission
• New population estimates: 32 times more people have moved out of Fairfax County than out of all rural Virginia
• Augusta County moving to West Virginia? According to one dumb BOS member, sure (“Memo to Michael Shull: Route 250 is your way across the mountains, and there’s no doubt a wide availability of properties, probably at bargain-basement prices, considering the state of the West Virginia economy and all.”)
• Record number of bald eagles admitted to Virginia wildlife hospital, most with lead poisonin
• Editorial: Acquisition of Monroe estate would accentuate state park system
• Roanoke budget woes halt plans on high school overcrowding
• Video: A Day in the Life of Loudoun’s State Representatives
• Casino bill clears House committee with significant changes (“While the original bill required a majority of Fairfax County residents to support a casino via a public referendum, the substitute bill also requires a majority of voters in the magisterial district where the casino would be located to also support it. Even if the countywide referendum is passed, voters in the magisterial district could effectively veto it. If that happens, a casino could be proposed in another district, as long as the referendum is held before July 1, 2029.”)
• Judge set to rule Monday in Lynchburg redistricting case (“The city is seeking ‘judicial clarification’ of its legal duties surrounding the referendum, its filing said.”)
• CWG Live: Mild to warm with mainly bright skies the next few days (“Around 60 Saturday, but snow and a wintry mix remain in the forecast for Monday.”)