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by Lowell
Here are a few international, national and Virginia news headlines, political and otherwise (economic, environmental, etc.) for Saturday, July 11.
INTERNATIONAL
- Pacific gray whales facing ‘catastrophic’ die-off as climate crisis hits food supply (“Trump administration urged to relist a species in ‘very, very serious trouble’ under Endangered Species Act”)
- Nature’s Ingenious Survival Strategies Are No Match for Human Destruction (“Mining threatens to wipe out deep sea creatures, an adorable desert frog, and more.” Gotta love humanity, huh?)
- The Case of the (France-Sized) Missing Antarctic Ice (“‘It’s just a question of whether we’re fast enough to stretch out that loss to several thousand years versus dumb enough to keep warming the planet and seeing it collapse very quickly in a century or two,’ says a research scientist of what’s happening in Antarctica.”)
- The War in Ukraine Is Shifting Against Putin but He Isn’t Giving In (“For years, Russia has bet on outlasting Ukraine in a war of attrition. Now, it’s finding out that time isn’t necessarily on its side.”)
- Ukraine war briefing: Zelenskyy creates ‘long-range impact’ command to strike Russian energy sector (“New initiative to focus ‘100%’ on damaging Moscow’s ability to wage war; strikes on Kyiv injure six. What we know on day 1,599”)
- Russia sanctions legislation gets green light from White House, lawmakers say (“Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) told reporters in Kyiv, where he’s visiting, that the lawmakers have been working closely with the administration on a version of the legislation that would be ‘acceptable’ to the White House and that was ‘written in a way they could support.'”)
- CNN Exclusive: New satellite imagery reveals Iran may be rebuilding suspected nuclear facilities
- Trump Administration Increasingly Pessimistic of Clinching Iran Nuclear Deal (“One senior U.S. official said Iran should vow to reopen the Strait of Hormuz by Saturday or will face consequences”)
- Trump Lays Out His Own Assassination Revenge Fantasy (“The president explained the “instructions” to be acted upon should he fall victim to an Iranian plot.”)
- Trump ‘left instructions’ to bomb Iran ‘at levels that they’ve never seen’ if he’s assassinated
- U.S. gives Iran Saturday deadline to publicly renounce Hormuz attacks
- US demands Iran publicly state that Strait of Hormuz is open and Tehran won’t attack ships anymore
- Trump threatens to ‘decimate’ Iran if it tries to kill him, as Treasury sanctions alleged Iranian financier
- Rahm Emanuel attacks Trump’s negotiations with Iran (“The former Obama chief of staff and anticipated 2028 presidential candidate explained how he’d free up the strait, as the U.S. and Iran head toward war again.”)
- Europe considering proposals to allow navigational fees in strait of Hormuz (“Plans specify tolls must not be compulsory, as US officials urge Iran to make public statement that strait is open and that shipping can safely pass”)
- Israel Struck an Iranian Steel Facility. Was It a Valid Military Target?
- An American Politician is Blocked by Israeli Settlers in the West Bank (“Representative Ro Khanna was barred from leaving for 90 minutes. Where past U.S. leaders toured the region to show support for Israel, today’s Democratic presidential aspirants are going to bolster their credentials as critics.” Ro Khanna is a joke, but having said that, these Israeli settlers are heinous.)
- Spain battles to contain one of its deadliest wildfires as at least 12 killed
- The photo that shows who’s really on top in Le Pen’s party
- Venezuela quake death toll passes 4,000 as scale of recovery effort looms large (“Nearly 17,000 injured and thousands more are listed as missing amid calls by UN and president Delcy Rodríguez for financial help”)
- How Marco Rubio Is Running Venezuela From Afar (Marco Rubio is a heinous individual.)
- New US-Canada bridge to open after delay (“The opening of the Gordie Howe Bridge connecting Detroit to Windsor, Canada, was caught up in a larger trade disagreement between the two countries.”)
NATIONAL
- Witnesses to fatal Houston ICE shooting challenge agency’s account, lawyer says
- Lawsuit Accuses ICE and Private Prison Contractors of Abusing a Disabled Detainee (Some day, there needs to be accountability for all these crimes.)
- Mexican builder fatally shot by an ICE officer is mourned after making a life in the US
- DHS was granted $20M for body cameras. ICE agents in fatal Houston shooting had none
- ICE Killing in Houston Puts Focus on Surge in Immigration Arrests (“The shooting death of Lorenzo Salgado Araujo occurred as immigration enforcement has ramped up across the country, with thousands being arrested daily.”)
- ICE Brutality Clearly Has Not Stopped — Here’s Video of It Happening on 7/6 in Virginia (“Four Agents, Believed to be ICE, Repeatedly Punched and Kneed Victor Perez Martin in Suffolk”)
- Video shows agents punching, kneeing man during immigration arrest in Suffolk
- U.S. Employers Told to Dismiss Thousands of Immigrant Workers (“Shifting deadlines are confusing businesses as the end of Temporary Protected Status for Haitians and others looms, making them ineligible to live and work in the United States.”)
- The Trump administration is charging these Minneapolis protesters with conspiracy. Organizers won’t back down
- Investigators Find Corey Lewandowski May Have Been Involved in Improper DHS Contracts (“Markwayne Mullin, White House officials have been briefed on the inquiry”)
- Minn. school serving Somalis faces threats after Trump posts clip of students (“The president’s post clearly showed the kindergartners’ faces. Replies filled with anti-Muslim invectives, including one user who labeled the children ‘future terrorists.'” HEINOUS by Trump!)
- ‘Death sentence’: Trump’s EPA to open habitats of endangered species to logging and mining (“Habitat destruction strongest driver of species loss, with legislation keeping 99% of listed species from going extinct”)
- Trump, Ending Decades of Protection, Opens Wild Habitats to Drilling and Mining (“The rule change ends a safeguard that had been in place for 50 years and could hasten the demise of imperiled animals.” EVIL INCARNATE!)
- ‘He’s forcing higher bills’: Trump spends billions to kill clean energy and keep coal alive (Wildly corrupt, stupid, etc.)
- An election denier called for the president to fire the Election Assistance Commission. Soon after, Trump did.
- Trump fired the entire Election Administration Commission. Now what?
- Trump officials sought ways to sidestep election agency before firings, sources say
- How to protect yourself from the diarrhea-causing parasite wreaking havoc across the US (“Cyclosporiasis has sickened some 2,000 Americans so far this year.”)
- Bipartisan housing bill automatically becomes law after Trump refuses to sign it
- Sweeping housing affordability bill becomes law, despite Trump’s delay. Here’s what it actually means for the housing market
- The Timidity of America’s Top Generals (“Deference to civilian power is part of the job but can go too far.”)
- CIA Officers Can Sense the Threat Within (“A survey reveals concern among the rank and file that Trump-administration meddling is undermining intelligence work.”)
- How Samuel Alito Is Quietly Rewriting the Conservative Legal Rulebook (“The Supreme Court justice is equally embraced by establishment conservatism and the Trump movement. His approach to the law may outlast” Hey, maybe GMU – aka, Koch Brothers University – someday will name something after Alito, just like they did after Scalia! LOL)
- GOP senators dread pre-election shutdown fight
- Kash Patel called to White House on heels of continued questions over his behavior (“The embattled FBI director was set to travel to Chicago in the Bureau’s jet to see his girlfriend perform at a music festival when he was called in, sources tell MS NOW.” It’s astounding and disturbing that anyone would date Kash Patel. WTF???)
- At Trump DOJ’s demand, judge reluctantly drops Jan. 6 case against Proud Boys (“U.S. District Judge Timothy Kelly concluded that he had no power to second-guess prosecutors once they decided to vacate the convictions.”)
- Times Journalists Subpoenaed as Trump Escalates Pressure on Media (“The Justice Department is seeking to compel testimony from reporters who wrote about the new Air Force One. The Times called the move a ‘brazen act.'”)
- Mystery surrounds ‘Freedom Fuel’ gas stations touted by Trump (EVERYTHING with Trump is corrupt, so…)
- Populist politicians on the right and left take a page out of Donald Trump’s playbook
- Platner’s Rise and Fall Revives Old Questions About ‘Bernie Bros’ and Women (“The collapse of Graham Platner’s bid in Maine has renewed attention to a movement built by Senator Bernie Sanders that some say is too forgiving of male misconduct.” One of many reasons why I’m not a fan – at all – of Bernie Sanders.)
- Here are the races to watch as Democrats grow more bullish on retaking the Senate
- </Democrats Picked a Chairman From the Grassroots. Now, Some See a ‘10-Alarm Fire.’a> (I never understood what anyone saw in Ken Martin.)
- Platner proves Democrats need to rethink their image of a ‘man of the people’ (The entire Platner campaign was an embarrassement and a disgrace – plus highly revealing! – about a LOT of people, specifically those who ever bought into Platner’s utter bullshit.)
- Susan Collins May Be Chuckling, but She’s in Far Worse Trouble Now (“She was pretty clearly going to beat a man credibly accused of rape. But now? There’ll be a normal Democratic candidate in a heavily Democratic state.”)
- The Race to Replace Graham Platner Is Heating Up (How about nobody connected with Platner?)
- Three People to Blame for the Graham Platner Disaster
- Secretary of State’s Office confirms receipt of official withdrawal by US Senate candidate Graham Platner
- Graham Platner officially withdraws from Maine Senate race (The sociopath’s letter, of course, admits ZERO responsibility for his own behavior, just completely pathetic as always with this guy.)
- Admitted killer wins GOP governor’s nomination in Colorado
- ‘Bizarre behavior’: Trump’s DOJ threatens criminal charge for Utah’s top elections official (“The letter saying Lt. Gov. Deidre Henderson ‘could be subject to criminal liability’ comes as the Trump administration sues to obtain Utahns’ voter data.”)
- Mitch McConnell mystery deepens as health questions remain unanswered (Just a quick reminder that Mitch McConnell is one of the worst villains in American history, having done enormous – possibly fatal – damage to our country. Pure evil.)
- The White House is upgrading its front door to fortify the entrance
- What a subway ride with white supremacists taught me about America (“Surrounded by masked Patriot Front members on the DC Metro, I considered what it means to be an American”)
- White House considering plan to add permanent fencing on Pennsylvania Ave. to bolster security
- Nolan Wells’ loved ones speak out days after teen was found dead in Mississippi (“Wells was a good kid with a bright future and lots of friends. His parents told NBC News that many questions remain about his death during July Fourth weekend.”)
- Nolan Wells’ Family Demands ‘Thorough’ Investigation: Death ‘Does Not Make Sense’ (“Mississippi teen’s parents, lawyer Ben Crump, and Rev. Al Sharpton hold press conference days after Wells found dead: ‘Something does not smell right,’ Sharpton says”)
- Kristi Noem is DIVORCING cross-dressing husband Bryon: Distraught mother reveals every word of excruciating birthday party showdown after unbearable final blow
- The Politics Hour: Metro GM Randy Clarke talks ridership records, RFK stadium transit plans, and red line shutdowns (Also, Larry Sabato is on this show talking about Virginia’s key U.S. House races.)
VIRGINIA
- [UPDATED] Fmr. Rep. Elaine Luria (D-VA02) Raises Nearly $1.6M in Q2, Has More Than $3.5M Cash-on-Hand to Defeat Rep. Jen Kiggans (R-VA02) (Also: Rep. Eugene Vindman “Announces $2.3 Million Fundraising Haul in Q2, With Record-Breaking War Chest of $6.6 Million”)
- Local enforcers react to Virginia’s new legal marijuana market bill
- Prince William County Supervisor Kenny Boddye: “On Tuesday, I voted to say no to what could have become the largest data center complex in the world.” (“…growth being inevitable does not mean every proposal is inevitable.” )
- MVP defends safety of Elliston compressor station in letter to FERC
- Eight school-based health clinics close in Southwest Virginia as federal funding pressures mount (“Community health providers warn shrinking 340B savings and looming federal policy changes are forcing service cuts in underserved areas.”)
- Waynesboro: City Council to consider sales tax referendum, with money to go to schools
- Hollymead Elementary School principal resigns amid child sex crime scandal
- Man shot by Virginia Beach officer walked through traffic with 11-inch knife, police say
- DC-area forecast: Shower and storm chances increase later today, then drier before heat returns
