by Lowell
Here are a few international, national and Virginia news headlines, political and otherwise (economic, environmental, etc.) for Wednesday, July 22. Today’s biggest developments include the climate crisis (always at the top of these news highlights because it’s existential and should be a massive story every single day), Trump’s threats to escalate his dead-end war-of-choice with Iran and his pledge to help Saudi Arabia enrich uranium, also a Ukrainian military shakeup; national news (ICE, explosive diarrhea, primaries, etc.); and Virginia political/other news.
INTERNATIONAL NEWS (Climate, Russia/Ukraine, Iran, UK, tariffs, etc.)
- World’s largest meat company faces legal challenge over green credentials of $6bn global expansion (Meat production is a disaster; nobody who cares about animals, the environment or human rights should consume ANYTHING from this industry.)
- Millions face long-term coastal flooding risk in UK without climate action, scientists warn (“A ‘reasonable worst-case scenario’ suggests need for large-scale movement of populations away from reshaped coast”)
- The world is on fire, and who does Trump blame? The Canadians (“The US president has been complaining about Canada’s ‘filthy, polluted and unhealthy air’. Maybe he should put all that energy into tackling the climate crisis”)
- Cornyn threatens to block Trump’s ambassadors over AIDS prevention funding (“The Texas Republican, who has been at loggerheads with the White House, could hold up Kari Lake and Doug Mastriano’s nominations.”)
- Trump, Netanyahu and Putin Have All Blundered Into Dead-End Wars (“Donald Trump, Benjamin Netanyahu and Vladimir Putin are drastically different men, but they do have one important thing in common: Each thinks he is the smartest person in any room he enters.” Trump is an imbecile, of course.)
- The new commander-in-chief of Ukraine’s armed forces forged his reputation fighting Russia in 2014 (“Maj. Gen. Mykhailo Drapatyi was named to the post Tuesday after President Volodymyr Zelenskyy fired Gen. Oleksandr Syrskyi following days of mass protests in Kyiv and other cities. Demonstrators demanded his removal and the reinstatement of former Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov, who was seen as a driver of military modernization. Protesters said Syrskyi embodied the army’s old, Soviet-style command culture.”)
- Ukraine overhauls its military top brass for the fight against Russia
- A Mandate for Change and a Monumental Test for Ukraine’s New Military Chief
- Firing of Ukraine’s Top General Signals the End of an Era (“Gen. Oleksandr Syrskyi, who commanded crucial battles, oversaw an expansion of drone warfare against Russia, but many Ukrainians want even more.”)
- Hormuz vessel crossings fall further as security concerns linger
- With His Latest Threats, Trump Signals to Iran That He Is Willing to Escalate
- Hegseth tells Senate war on Iran has so far cost $37.5bn at hearing to request more funds (“Defense secretary has asked Senate appropriations committee for nearly $88bn more to continue effort” The war is illegal, so…nope.)
- Trump vows U.S. will soon bomb Iran’s Pickaxe Mountain
- Iran warns Trump’s threat to attack underground nuclear site would expand regional war
- ‘It’s truly hell here’: airstrikes, repression and water shortages become ‘new normal’ for Iranians (“Iranians describe how daily life is becoming ever harder as conflict continues and human rights crisis worsens”)
- Latest combat deaths show risk has shifted to troops far from Iran’s borders
- War by Any Other Name (“No classified briefings, no press conferences, no acknowledgment that the conflict with Iran is back on”)
- U.S. identifies third service member believed to have been killed in Iranian attack (“The U.S. military said that Angel S. Rampersad, 28, of New York, is believed to have been killed in an Iranian attack Friday at a base in Jordan.”)
- US Widens Strikes on Iran as Both Sides Downplay Diplomacy
- Iran Shows Its Ballistic Missiles Are Still a Force to Reckon With
- Opposition parties shut down Indian parliament in solidarity with ‘cockroach’ protests (“Proceedings suspended as politicians call for Modi government to address police violence and education scandals”)
- Trump Approves Nuclear Deal With Saudi Arabia in Big Win for Kingdom (“The landmark deal could mean large profits for American companies but also is likely to raise concerns about nuclear proliferation in the Middle East.”)
- Saudis Reach Deal With U.S. That Could Let Them Enrich Nuclear Fuel (“U.S. lawmakers and Israeli officials have expressed opposition to such a plan, to be announced Wednesday, fearing that the kingdom could use a civilian nuclear project to develop nuclear weapons.” We’re at war with Iran to supposedly prevent it from getting nuclear weapons, but Trump wants to help Saudi Arabia get nuclear weapons?)
- NYC can’t arrest Netanyahu but the federal government should, Mamdani says (Trump’s certainly not going to arrest is BFF Bibi.)
- Can Benjamin Netanyahu Be Stopped? (“Israel’s scandal-ridden prime minister, who hopes to assemble another governing coalition this fall, has turned accusation into a form of enduring rule.”)
- María Corina Machado’s Opposition in Exile (“The Venezuelan politician hoped to become her country’s leader with help from the U.S. The Trump Administration had other priorities.”)
- Judge says Trump must hand over financial records to BBC (“Trump’s defamation suit against the network could put him in an uncomfortable spot.” Trump absolutely was NOT “defamed”)
- Canada cancels joint bridge-opening celebration with US amid trade tensions (“The ribbon-cutting celebration of the Gordie Howe International Bridge is no longer taking place after Trump announced a 50% tariff on Canadian goods”)
- Zohran Mamdani: ‘If You Aren’t Willing to Fight, You Will Never Win’ (“The New York City mayor talks about the future of the Democratic Party, what he’s learned over his first six months in office, dealing with President Trump, Taylor Swift’s wedding, and more”)
NATIONAL NEWS (ICE, Cyclosporiasis, energy efficiency, Maine, primaries, etc.)
- Passengers in Houston ICE shooting say agents rammed their van before firing (“The newly released, handwritten statements by two men who saw Lorenzo Salgado Araujo’s shooting say he never threatened ICE agents.”)
- Exclusive: The false claims, chaos and coverups behind the Trump administration’s killing of two American citizens
- The Secretary of Homeland (“How Markwayne Mullin went from Indian Country to Trump’s immigration enforcer” This guy’s horrible.)
- What ICE Should Have Known When It Hired David Brouillette (“The officer who killed a young father in Maine had been accused of abuse by two ex-wives. He was also eligible to skip weeks of training in Georgia.”)
- The Trump Administration Is Trying to Revive a “Zombie” Deportation Court
- ICE keeps accusing immigrants of ‘weaponizing’ vehicles. Most claims fall apart (“Nearly all car ‘assault’ cases promoted by DHS in press releases have been disproven or dropped, a Guardian analysis of court records reveals”)
- How the Threat of an ICE Detention Center Galvanized a Trump-Country Coal Town
- ICE officials warned of dangerous crowding. See how they kept packing people in. (“Dozens were held for days in small rooms last year with no beds, showers or full-time medical staff, records analyzed by The Post show.” Concentration camps!)
- Trump’s 100% Generic Drug Duty Threatens US Low-Cost Supply
- The Real Trump Scandal in the Explosive Diarrhea Outbreak Story
- U.S. measles cases surpass last year’s total: Tracker
- US civil rights agency moves to end demographic data collection after 60 years (F’ing crazy.)
- House Narrowly Passes Stopgap Spending Bill, but Shutdown Fight Looms (“Republicans managed to push through legislation to fund the government through Dec. 4. But with Democrats opposed, the stage is set for a broader battle.”)
- House passes stopgap funding bill, months before shutdown deadline (“The move is meant to pressure Senate Democrats to quickly back a plan to avert a funding lapse.”)
- Thune to put stopgap funding bill on Senate floor before August break (“Senate Republicans are negotiating a continuing resolution with Democrats and the White House.”)
- White House to Redirect Billions in Research Funds Toward AI, Away From Colleges (“The overhaul will reshape $200 billion in spending a year and favors individual scientists to outpace China” Illegal? Corrupt? Both?)
- Scoop: Trump’s top MAGA advisers gather to plot midterms
- Trump’s New Insult Won’t Save Republicans (You mean screaming “COMMUNISTS!” won’t work? LOL)
- Senate rabble-rousers are gaining power (“Hardline conservatives are gaining power in the Senate atop key committees.” Really REALLY bad!)
- Journalists Call On WHCA To “Forcefully Stand Up For Freedom Of The Press” In Front Of Donald Trump As He Attends Rescheduled Dinner (No actual journalist should attend this dinner.)
- J. D. Vance Isn’t a Fool. Why Does He Act Like One? (“Every politician does some pandering, but few do it as clumsily, or with such evident disdain for their own supporters, as the vice president.”)
- Bill Gates foundation met with Jeffrey Epstein about 30 times, external review finds (Appalling.)
- US pauses $1 billion in Medicaid payments to California, Minnesota (Outrageous and illegal!)
- Mitch McConnell’s Aides Launch New Health Cover-Up
- A crucial governor’s primary just became Democrats’ biggest debacle (“How the Wisconsin governor’s race became a tire fire for Democrats.”)
- Trump’s Canada tariff leaves Maine Republicans scrambling for distance
- South Carolina Senate poll shows surprising frontrunner: Trey Gowdy (“Gowdy has said he’s not interested. But the poll suggests he would lead a crowded field, which includes the Trump-endorsed Darline Graham, for late Sen. Lindsey Graham’s seat.”)
- Rep. Cleo Fields announces he will not seek reelection (“Fields’ announcement comes after the Louisiana state legislature passed a new map to eliminate his district following the Supreme Court’s Louisiana v. Callais decision.”)
- Trump-backed Rep. Andy Biggs wins GOP primary for Arizona governor (Hopefully, that all but guarantees a Hobbs victory in November.)
- Arizona primary takeaways: Trump’s picks prevail and a House Democrat survives
- Global Warming Unmakes Winter in the US West (“A new climate attribution study shows that heating from greenhouse gases could drive extreme snow droughts in the region every third year by 2050.”)
- N.J. removes noncitizens from voter rolls after finding software glitch
VIRGINIA NEWS (Sen. Warner’s AI plan, Rep. Wittman’s stock trades, weather, etc.)
- Sen. Mark Warner Rolls Out “Framework for Responsible AI Development” (Includes “Data Center Tax Accountability and Disclosure Act,” “National Workforce Transition Fund,” etc.)
- At VA09 Democratic Forum, Oliver Keene Nails it: Rep. Morgan Griffith (R-VA09) “don’t give a shit”; Democrats “are the party of the people who give a shit” (The Democratic candidates – Joy Powers, Adam Murphy and Douglas Crockett – offer the chance for a MAJOR upgrade in representation!)
- Rep. James Walkinshaw (D-VA11) Keeps Working to Protect Federal Workers; the Real Answer Is To Kick MAGA Out of Power (Our first big chance comes this November, and we’d better not blow it!)
- Virginia finds ally in defense of new state law limiting ICE’s work with local police
- Congressional report says Virginians have paid $1.8 billion more for gas since Iran war started
- New projection: Virginia population is still growing, but at a sluggish pace (“Virginia currently has about 8.9 million people, and that population is projected to grow to 9.5 million by 2050. So that’s growth, but a sluggish pace compared to the Baby Boom that happened after World War II, which created an echo boom of millennials.”)
- UVA study shows how housing affordability policy, civic engagement and voter turnout connect (“‘Policies that relieve financial distress … may also change whether people feel able and willing to engage with democracy,’ study co-author W. Ben McCartney says.”)
- Suetterlein, McNamara want special session to extend time Virginia has to review Dominion-NextEra merger (I strongly agree – do it!)
- Lawmakers call for special session to debate Dominion-NextEra merger
- Editorial: Educators, data needed more weight in computer-use policies
- Report: Home sales prices in Virginia pushing toward half-million mark
- The past — and future — of Northern Virginia’s ‘Data Center Alley’
- What will be the impact of the Nash-Volosin dispute on Roanoke’s council race? Here are the numbers to consider.
- Upper half of Virginia Creeper Trail, destroyed by Hurricane Helene, set to reopen March 31
- Spanberger appoints Waynesboro High School senior to state advisory board
- Dominion’s ‘Golden to Mars’ project in Loudoun could reach Va. Supreme Court
- DC-area forecast: Humidity and a shower chance linger today. Nicer tomorrow into the weekend. (They really need to ditch junk words like “nicer” – among other things, they’re value-laden and not even particularly accurate; for instance, right now we’re in a bad drought in Virginia, so rain is VERY “nice” and lack of rain is NOT “nice,” yet these people keep telling us that LACK of rain is “nice” and rain is NOT “nice” – stupid.)
