by Lowell
Here are a few international, national and Virginia news headlines, political and otherwise, for Sunday, February 22.
- New global data confirms renewables are booming – and not just in the big economies
- The Great Olympic lie: untold story of Winter Games’ huge environmental impact (“Rivers drained dry to create artificial snow, a forest cut down for the bobsleigh track – IOC’s claims to prioritise sustainability at Milano Cortina exposed” Disgraceful.)
- Pope Leo Will Spend July 4 Visiting Island Known For Migrant Crossings (“The decision also comes just days after Pope Leo declined an invitation to join Trump’s Board of Peace, a U.S.-led initiative launched by the president with the ostensible aim of rebuilding Gaza and solving other conflicts.”)
- Ukraine Has Passed a Point of No Return (“But with Russia’s attacks on Ukrainian energy infrastructure leaving people without light and heat for weeks on end, living a normal life has become untenable. It is probably fair to say that there isn’t a place or a person left in Ukraine who can forget about the war for even a few minutes.”)
- The U.S. Is Hunting the Shadow Fleet. This Is What It’s Up Against. (“Action to deter smuggling of illicit oil is accelerating, but even hulking tankers have many ways to hide”)
- Russia hits Ukraine energy infrastructure with major missile, drone strikes, Kyiv says (“The US has been trying to broker a peace deal between Russia and Ukraine, but progress has been halting.” Has the Trump administration really been trying to do that? Why is the media not being a LOT more skeptical and critical of that?)
- The strategy of Russia’s liberal elite is clear: make your peace with Putin. It’s how they survive (“As the fourth anniversary looms of Russia’s war on Ukraine, those close to the Kremlin prosper while others merely strive to escape the worst repression”)
- Xi Gains Leverage Before Trump Summit After Tariff Reversal
- Ruling against Trump’s tariffs creates new uncertainty in US trade relations with China
- Trump Looks Ahead to Summit With China’s Xi, but Tariffs and Taiwan Loom
- India delays Washington trade visit as U.S. tariff policy shifts, source tells CNBC
- What Would War With Iran Look Like? (“How the U.S. conducts any attack will depend on what goal Trump is trying to achieve.”)
- Lindsey Graham frets that Trump’s advisers oppose Iran strike
- Iran students stage first large anti-government protests since deadly crackdown (Brave!)
- Inside Iran’s Preparations for War and Plans for Survival (“Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has entrusted Ali Larijani, the top national security official, to ensure the Islamic Republic endures any military attacks.”)
- Exclusive: Iran and US views on sanctions relief differ, new talks planned
- Huckabee’s Israel land remarks condemned as ‘dangerous’ as controversy rumbles on (“Arab and Islamic governments issue joint statement denouncing the comments made on Tucker Carlson podcast”)
- US ambassador causes uproar by claiming Israel has a right to much of the Middle East (“Mike Huckabee’s comments, made in an interview with Tucker Carlson, drew immediate backlash.”)
- US ambassador causes uproar by claiming Israel has a right to much of the Middle East (Huckabee is a religious fundamentalist, fanatic and lunatic.)
- US ambassador’s Israel comments condemned by Arab and Muslim nations (As well they should be! Actually, Huckabee SHOULD be fired immediately, but of course that won’t happen because Trump probably agrees with his insanity.)
- Trump Says He Is Sending Hospital Ship to Greenland (Bizarre.)
- Greenland does not need US hospital boat sent by Trump, says Denmark (“Defence minister rebuffs US president’s claim that Arctic islanders are ‘not being taken care of’”)
- Despite a Supreme Court Rebuke (and Data), Trump Is Still Betting on Tariffs
- Trump raises tariffs to 15% on imports from all countries (“President announced increase from 10% using different authority from mechanism that supreme court struck down on Friday”)
- US businesses clamor for refunds after supreme court strikes down Trump’s tariffs
- Trump hikes ‘temporary’ global tariff rate to 15 percent, maximizing authority in wake of Supreme Court blow
- Trump’s Trade Gamble Will Continue, Despite Supreme Court Rebuke (He can’t stop – the guy’s obsessed with this idiocy – and he clearly won’t stop.)
- The Fix Is In: Lutnick Family Could Make Killing On Tariff Demise
- The Real Tariff Liberation Day Arrives at the Supreme Court (False; Trump just reimposed tariffs under a different authority, and he’s highly unlikely to refund the tax money he illegally took from the American people. So it’s still FUBAR.)
- The supreme court’s tariffs ruling puts Trump on notice with a bloody nose (“The conservative-heavy court had largely given Trump everything he desired – until now, when two of his three nominees turned their back on him”)
- https://newrepublic.com/article/206874/supreme-court-trump-tariff-defeat (“It may look like the justices made a clean break with the president, but the mess the conservative bloc made for itself raises some major questions.”)
- Tariff Ruling Sends CEOs Back to Company War Rooms (“Executives are trying to figure out if importers can reclaim billions in paid levies—and whether it’s worth the political fight.”)
- DoJ cases against protesters keep collapsing as officers’ lies are exposed in court
- Homeland Security suspends TSA PreCheck and Global Entry airport security programs
- DHS suspends trusted-traveler programs TSA PreCheck and Global Entry as partial government shutdown drags on
- Measles Cases This Year Near 1,000. That We Know Of.
- Trump Betrayed the MAHA Movement This Week. So Did RFK Jr. (“The anti-chemical crusader celebrated as the president used his power to promote a chemical herbicide.”)
- Senate G.O.P. Faces Pressure to Force ‘Talking Filibuster’ for Voter ID Bill (“Some reluctant Republicans say an old-school filibuster showdown with Democrats could paralyze the Senate with no guarantee of success. But President Trump and their own colleagues are spoiling for the fight.”)
- “We” Haven’t Lost Our Sense of Shame. Only Republicans Have. (“Republicans once lectured the rest of about the absence of shame. In the Epstein era, they’re the shameless ones.” Side note: stop saying “we” when you mean “MAGA” or “Republicans” or whatever – it’s inaccurate and obnoxious.)
- JPMorgan Admits It Shut Trump’s Accounts After Jan. 6 Capitol Attack
- There’s Only One Way to Eradicate Trumpism for Good (“If accountability isn’t a central pillar of a post-Trump future, we will doom ourselves.” Agreed 100%.)
- How Justice Alito’s Retirement Might Upend the Midterms (“Republicans believe the Kavanaugh fight saved the GOP Senate in 2018. They’d love to see a repeat, but it could backfire this time.”)
- Only a fraction of House seats are competitive. Redistricting is driving that lower
- 60% disapprove of Trump ahead of State of the Union, Post-ABC poll finds
- Trump, 79, Delivers Deranged Threat to Netflix (“As Netflix fights for a blockbuster merger, Trump demands a boardroom purge.” Better idea – purge the government of MAGA.)
- DOJ Probes Netflix’s Power Over Filmmakers in Warner Deal Review (Government intimidation of a private company.)
- Trump Threatens Netflix With ‘Consequences’ Over Rice Board Seat
- CBS News is convulsing as Larry Ellison tries to please Trump
- Democrats Are Divorcing Bill Clinton (“The party stood behind the former president for decades, despite all of the drama. The left no longer feels obligated”)
- A border district in Texas is flashing warning signs for Republicans in the midterms (“If Republicans can’t win in a Texas district they drew to their advantage, it’s a safe bet the Democrats will win the House and change the trajectory of the Trump presidency.”)
- GOP frets over competitive Texas Senate primary as early voting starts
- Blizzard warnings send East Coast scrambling to prepare for heavy snow and strong winds
- Trump approves federal emergency declaration for Potomac River sewage spill
- The Town Hall: A Tale of Two Virginia Congressmen (“Tom Perriello: 100+ Hours of Town Halls” vs. ” John McGuire: Zero Town Halls”)
- Virginia Republicans playing the PR game with redistricting lawsuits
- Gov. Abigail Spanberger Signs New Congressional Maps, Putting Final Approval to Virginia Voters (“At a time when Donald Trump and MAGA legislatures across the country are trying to rig the midterms, Virginia is doing the opposite”)
- Spanberger signs bill that could give Democrats more seats in Congress
- Virginia Democrats are delivering on affordability (Senators Scott Surovell and Mamie Locke)
- Commentary: Virginia should take a stand against book banning
- After years of partisan clashes, K-12 education policy moves behind the scenes in Va. (Alternate, far-more-accurate headline, “After years of Republicans’ assault on public education, lies, demagoguery, etc…”)
- UVA Board of Visitors elects new leaders: Cleaning house from the MAGA era
- W&L to host climate scientist Michael Mann, who the MAGAs here helped run off
- A school suspended 323 students after ICE protest. They protested again. (“The Virginia school is one of many across the country that have seen students walk out in protest of actions taken amid the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown.” That was in Woodbridge, BTW.)
- BREAKING: Sandy Marks wins Democratic firehouse primary for City Council seat (Very well deserved; Marks was definitely the strongest candidate.)
- Richmond: Two dead, seven injured in early morning shooting in Shockoe Bottom
- Use of force by Roanoke police dropped by nearly half in 2025
- CWG Live: Rain could mix with snow today. Accumulating snow likely tonight. (“Snow and gusty winds could make for hazardous travel tonight.”)