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by Lowell
Here are a few international, national and Virginia news headlines, political and otherwise (economic, environmental, etc.) for Tuesday, June 23. Also, check out Jamelle Bouie’s latest video, which is really spot-on IMHO, arguing that “the collapse of Keir Starmer’s government represents the failure of the same theory of politics that centrist Democrats hope to deploy in the United States “; that “What Starmer demonstrates is that this is fundamentally a defensive crouch that alienates your supporters without gaining ground from the other side”; and that “Moderate and centrist Democrats should treat his fall as a cautionary tale, and recalibrate their theory of how to win.”
INTERNATIONAL
- Europe heatwave live: ‘London is cooking,’ says UN chief as UK forecast to hit 38C; France has hottest night since records began (“António Guterres urges world to act on fossil fuels as continent braces for record-breaking heat; French PM to hold emergency meeting after heat deaths” STOP EMITTING FOSSIL FUELS ASAP!)
- Scientists alarmed after two wildfires hit Greenland within a week (“Researchers say it is ‘quite wild’ to see fires at such high northern latitudes happen so early in the year”)
- Forty drown in France as people seek relief from Europe’s heatwave
- ‘It’s Unnerving’: Markets Recoil in Global Sell-Off Driven by Tech Stocks
- Tech rout intensifies as selloff grips global stocks
- ‘Compound shock effect’: why the Middle East crisis and El Niño could spell disaster in south-east Asia
- As Vance Leads Iran Negotiations, Trump Creates Disruptions in His Path
- In Iran, Trump’s victory claims only deepened a self-made catastrophe (“What the US president succeeded in obliterating was any rationale he offered for going to war”)
- Will Surrendering to Iran Relieve Trump’s Gas Pains? (“Capitulation probably won’t pay off at the polls in November”)
- Iran Says $12 Billion to Be Unfrozen Ahead of Rubio’s Gulf Tour (If Obama or Biden had done this, Republicans would have gone NUTS!!!)
- U.S. issues sweeping Iran oil sanctions waivers, unlocking billions in revenue for Tehran
- Iran says no new commitments on nuclear sites after Vance says inspectors to be invited back
- Pentagon seeks $80 billion from Congress for Iran war
- Iranian president lands in Pakistan as US-Iran teams work to finalize a war-ending deal
- Israel fears Trump is strengthening Iran’s hand in Lebanon (If you ever trusted Trump, you are an IMBECILE!)
- FACT FOCUS: Netanyahu’s claims about Iran’s nuclear program run counter to public evidence
- Billionaire Gautam Adani Met Donald Trump Jr. in India While Facing US Bribery Charges
- Three in five gen Z Britons would like new vote to rejoin EU, poll finds
- Britain’s lost decade (They screwed themselves so badly with Brexit – 100% self inflicted. WHY???)
- Ten Years After Brexit, Every Grim Prediction Has More Than Come True (“As the sixth prime minister since the historic vote calls it quits, most Britons agree it’s been an epic disaster. But in the next election, things may get even worse.”)
- How Brexit broke British politics
- Andy Burnham prepares for a UK Labour leadership contest that may be a coronation
- Analysis: Questions multiply for the man tipped to replace Starmer as UK PM
- Andy Burnham prepares for power as emotional Keir Starmer bows out (“New Makerfield MP could get keys to No 10 unopposed after British prime minister’s resignation paves way for successor”)
- ‘A Terrible Inheritance’: Could Andy Burnham Succeed Where Starmer Failed?
- A Trump Ally’s Rise in Colombia Could Mean the End of Landmark Climate Policies (“Abelardo de la Espriella, the apparent winner of the presidential election, has vowed to expand oil, gas and mining production, alarming activists in the world’s deadliest country for environmental defenders.”)
- Trump anticipates better relationship with Colombia under new leader
- ‘I don’t know how to save my daughter from her husband’: the brutal reality of the Taliban’s new marriage law (The Taliban are the absolute worst of humanity.)
NATIONAL
- ‘Devastating’: lives of nurses and patients upended by Trump migrant crackdown
- Federal judge halts Trump administration effort to subpoena Walz in immigration enforcement probe
- ‘Blatantly unlawful’: Judge blocks DOJ subpoenas aimed at Tim Walz
- Judge blocks Trump admin’s database of Americans’ Social Security numbers and citizenship status
- Judge dismisses Trump administration lawsuit over LA sanctuary city policy (“City hails victory after US officials sued over ordinance that limits LA’s cooperation with immigration authorities”)
- Federal judge blocks bans on SNAP use for soda
- >The Secret Reason Bosses Want Everyone Back in the Office, Every Day of the Week (“The connection between narcissistic personality traits and wanting people in the office full time is not coincidental — it’s causal.”)
- Firings now underway at Office of Director of National Intelligence, source says
- Top intelligence agency begins mass firings under new Trump appointee, source says (“A separate source with knowledge of the matter told NBC News over the weekend that Pulte had ordered staff members to identify 400 employees to be fired from the National Counterterrorism Center, which is part of the U.S. intelligence community, in the coming weeks.” WTF??? This has got to be illegal, right?)
- The Supreme Court Quietly Embraced Clarence Thomas’ Theory of Race. It’s Already a Disaster. (Literally EVERYTHING about Clarence Thomas is a disaster.)
- Exclusive: Trump administration plans to use homeland security funds to pressure states into election changes (WILDLY unacceptable.)
- Trump Can’t Spin His Way Out of His Two Latest Crises (“He’s trying to defy the reality of a green Reflecting Pool and a lost war.”)
- Senate GOP headed for showdown with Trump over SAVE America Act, Iran deal
- Senate Republicans say it’s time to give Trump a reality check (“A Wednesday lunch could bring weeks of interbranch tensions to a head.”)
- Senate Republicans exclude Democrats’ food aid demand from farm bill
- Senate passes a bipartisan housing bill aimed at increasing supply and lowering prices
- House to accelerate housing bill consideration, final passage as soon as Tuesday
- Senate passes bill to lower housing costs and restrict Wall Street from buying homes (“The bipartisan legislation was crafted in both chambers and must now pass the House. It seeks to build more homes and prevent large investors from outbidding families.”)
- Dershowitz to testify on Epstein ties
- Nancy Guthrie ransom note, believed to be from abductor, said she died, sources say (“The first note demanded millions in bitcoin for Nancy Guthrie’s release. In the second note, sent a few days later, the apparent abductors revealed that Nancy Guthrie had died. The note indicated that they did not mean for her to die, according to sources who reviewed the notes.” Horrible, evil f’ers.)
- New Kennedy Center photos show first look at facade without Trump’s name (“The images were taken from inside the tarp-covered scaffolding that has blocked the public’s view for more than a week.”)
- Photos show Trump’s name removed from Kennedy Center facade
- First the Kennedy Center, Now the Smithsonian (“How long can the museum system’s leader, Lonnie Bunch, survive?”)
- UFC fighter’s Michelle Obama smear reveals much about MAGA bigotry (“There’s a reason she’s been a target for so long.”)
- A new ABC campaign urges viewers to push back against FCC pressure
- Trump Says He’s ‘Preparing Lawsuits Against ABC for False Reporting’ (“President Donald Trump said his administration is about to sue ABC over its reporting on the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool.”)
- A dead duck was seen in the Reflecting Pool. Then two more were found nearby. (“The two ducks that were recovered from Constitution Gardens will undergo necropsies to determine their cause of death.”)
- Dead Duck Count Mounts Around Trump’s Green Slime Lagoon (“Two dead ducks have been found in a pond at Constitution Gardens on the National Mall.”)
- Trump Rages over Reflecting Pool Fiasco—and Arrests over it Get Darker
- Newest Trump Excuse For Reflecting Pool Disaster Is By Far His Wildest Yet (“Is he claiming someone cut the paint off the bottom of the pool?”)
- It’s not easy being green: Trump’s botched reflecting pool becomes 2,028ft metaphor (“The symbolic power of a stagnant pond beneath Lincoln’s statue has proven irresistible for the president’s critics”)
- Trump on the Shabby Condition of the Reflecting Pool: Not My Fault (In fact, it’s overwhelmingly his fault.)
- Trump supporter’s company pledges $1 million to fix White House lawn after UFC event
- “I’m out”: Tucker Carlson says he’s done with the GOP (Whatever.)
- Elon Musk promises to sue lawmaker who suggested DOGE cuts led to the deaths of 4.5 million kids (“Democrat Ro Khanna cited a 2025 study that estimated more than 14 million people could die without USAID resources by 2030”)
- Zohran Mamdani’s influence over Democrats put to the test, and other things to watch in Tuesday’s elections
- The race splitting Zohran Mamdani’s coalition (“New York’s 7th District primary is pitting progressives against democratic socialists.”)
- New Yorkers vote as Democrats weigh competing visions in era of Trump
- Cafe Tells Congressman He’s Not Welcome Because of His Stance on Israel (Cafes are now going to start screening customers based on their policy views? Alrighty…)
- Abortion Rights Group Endorses Platner Over Collins in Maine (“Senator Susan Collins, a Republican, drew criticism from Planned Parenthood for voting to confirm Justice Brett Kavanaugh, who helped overturn Roe v. Wade.”)
- Democrats are struggling with a growing mess in Maine (“Maine State Auditor Matt Dunlap, a progressive, defeated centrist state Sen. Joe Baldacci in the Democratic primary for Maine’s 2nd Congressional District, election officials announced early Friday. Dunlap’s victory came despite the DCCC adding Baldacci to its coveted “Red to Blue” list and spending $7,500 on a joint ad buy with him.”)
- Greg Dolezal, GOP nominee for Georgia Lt. Gov., said he submitted fake mail ballot applications to test system (Should be disqualifying. Total nutjob.)
- Flu cases rise to 222 at Texas base in outbreak blamed on Hegseth scrapping of vaccine mandate
- Alan Greenspan, Fed Chairman Through Prosperity and Crisis, Dies at 100
- The most costly primaries you’ve never heard of are raging on D.C.’s doorstep
- On primary Election Day in Maryland, voters are deciding several highly competitive races
- Silverman, other liberal candidates projected to win in key D.C. Council races
VIRGINIA
- Four Ways Rep. Jen Kiggans (R-VA02) Puts Virginians’ Health Care in Jeopardy
- Republicans’ Deep Cuts to Medicaid Could Force Closures of Up To 13 Virginia Hospitals, Beginning Next Year (“Every Republican member of Virginia’s U.S. House delegation voted for this bill, which will badly harm their constituents”)
- Beth Macy will have make a go in the Sixth District without much help (Unfortunately, VA06 is deep-red…would have been competitive if the VA Supreme Court hadn’t f’ed us all over.)
- Legislators, advocates on Virginia’s new data center tax and regulation scheme: ‘A good first step’
- As VA General Assembly Considers Proposed Budget Compromise (Including $1.2B in New Revenues from Data Centers), Sen. Louise Lucas Declares, “We have heard the people and we are responding”
- State lawmakers send compromise budget to Spanberger
- Virginia budget with data center tax moves to Spanberger’s desk
- Virginia legislators advance $205 billion budget including new tax on data centers
- Budget proposal would redirect RGGI funds away from flood prevention
- 10 things in the budget that will matter long after this spending cycle is done (“From an inland port in Washington County to a new medical school in Fredericksburg, this budget sets some long-term projects into motion.”)
- General Assembly passes a budget, consumption tax for data centers included
- Poll: Virginia residents make it clear where they stand on data centers (“A new Public Policy Polling survey of Virginia residents, commissioned by the Virginia League of Conservation Voters, has it that 72 percent of us believe the data center industry needs more regulation and oversight.”)
- Virginia groups pushing for changes to laws governing utility mergers
- Virginia Press Conference on “next steps in implementing Virginia’s new [firearms] industry accountability law” (“The Office of the Attorney General is prepared to implement the new legislation, using its enforcement authority…”)
- Lawmakers weigh merging Northern Virginia transit agencies to cut costs (“Governor will review proposal before legislature returns on Monday”)
- Seabed mineral mining off Virginia’s coast considered by Trump administration
- After $450M project, Port of Virginia goes deep to raise the bar among East Coast container gateways (“Mid-Atlantic hub claims infrastructure ‘deep state’ status”)
- The Roanoke Valley was supposed to run out of water in 2060. Now that date has been pushed to about 2100. Here’s why it’s changed.
- Virginia teacher and mother who were attacked online win defamation suits (“Latin teacher Robert Rigby and stay-at-home mom Vanessa Hall are both active with the Fairfax County Public Schools Pride organization and advocate for LGBTQ+ rights. In January and February of 2025, they became the subject of posts from conservative X feed “The Virginia Project,” run by David Gordon.”)
- The Waynesboro School Board candidate with MAGA views on women, LGBTQ+ (Yuuuuuuck.)
- Lawmakers approve almost $700M for VCU to buy Altria building, build dental school
- 59 cats die in one of Roanoke region’s worst recent house fires involving animals
- DC-area forecast: Rainy at times today and much cooler. Sunny and nice Wednesday.
