Tuesday News: “Mariupol Mayor: Russian Siege Has Killed More Than 10,000 Civilians”; “If Democrats get some easy midterm wins, they can thank Trump”; Tim Kaine, “The Man Who Would Almost be Vice President, Twice”; “Elaine Luria tests positive for COVID-19”

by Lowell

Here are a few international, national and Virginia news headlines, political and otherwise, for Tuesday, April 12.

• Solar, Wind Surge in 2021 ‘Another Testament of Renewable Energy’s Resilience’
• Solar Overtakes Wind Energy For First Time In Global Rush For Renewables
• Southern Africa storms fuelled by climate change – study
• Scientists Risk Arrest to Demand Climate Action News and Research
• The war on climate change requires national sacrifices
• Giant undersea cables set to give the UK and Germany their first direct energy link
• The next leap in coronavirus vaccine development could be a nasal spray
• Shanghai eases 2-week shutdown, letting some residents out
• What It Will Mean as Europe Frees Itself From Russian Energy
• Trade and Peace: The Great Illusion
• Russian war worsens fertilizer crunch, risking food supplies
• Mayor: More than 10,000 civilians dead in Ukraine port city
• Russians readying for new offensive in eastern Ukraine, U.S. official warns
• Ukraine War: Russia warns Sweden and Finland against Nato membership
• Sweden and Finland make moves to join Nato
• Ukraine conflict: ‘Russian soldiers raped me and killed my husband’
• Hubris and isolation led Vladimir Putin to misjudge Ukraine (And evil.)
• Putin ‘purges’ 150 FSB agents in response to Russia’s botched war with Ukraine
• Russia Airs Its Ultimate ‘Revenge Plan’ for America
• Ukraine Live Updates: Russia Prepares for Stepped-Up Assault on the East
• Russia Unleashes New Attacks Overnight on Ukraine’s Eastern Region
• New phase of Ukraine war brings no obvious route to end fighting (“Analysis: west faces dilemma as Moscow and Kyiv prepare for trial of strength in Donbas”)
• UN: Nearly Two-Thirds Of Ukraine’s Children Have Fled Homes In Past 6 Weeks
• Russia ‘using weapons smuggled by Iran from Iraq against Ukraine’
• Last marines defending Mariupol ‘running out of ammunition’ (“The 36th brigade say they face ‘death for some of us, and captivity for the rest’ as Russian offensive continues”)
• Fears Grow That Russia Will Escalate Attacks
• Prominent Russian opposition activist detained in Moscow (“Vladimir Kara-Murza is a critic of the invasion of Ukraine and described the Kremlin as a ‘regime of murderer”)
• U.S. and India to Keep ‘Close Consultation’ on Ukraine, Biden Says
• Ukraine Update: Putin ‘Confident,’ Zelenskiy Wants Oil Sanctions
• Pressure builds on Donbas as new Russian assault looms
• Ukraine: Russian offensive in Donbas has started (“Zelensky warns of mass casualties in Mariupol as video shows Russian troops pouring into the country”)
• “All options are on the table” for the West’s response if Russia uses chemical weapons
• Ukraine checking reports of Russian use of chemical weapons
• Ukraine War: US ‘deeply concerned’ at report of Mariupol chemical attack
• Europe Moves to Arm Ukraine as Sanctions Fail to Sway Putin
• Vladimir Kara-Murza: “Every independent television network in Russia has been shut down..this war of censorship is complete”
• Russian journalist who protested Ukraine war on TV hired by German outlet
• ‘It’s not the end’: The children who survived Bucha’s horror
• The Other Threat to Democracy in Europe (Orban is a huge problem.)
• France Is Still Standing After the First Round of Presidential Elections
• In the battle against Putinism, France is the new front
• Sri Lanka unilaterally suspends external debt payments, says needs money for essentials
• China Sets Aside Push to Spread Wealth in Pivotal Year for Xi
• Report: Saudi Arabia Concluded Jared Kushner’s Investment Firm Was a Joke, Gave Him $2 Billion Anyway
• The Unbelievable Stupidity of Ending Global Covid Aid
• Why the Past 10 Years of American Life Have Been Uniquely Stupid (“It’s not just a phase.”)
• White House says it expects inflation to be ‘extraordinarily elevated’ in new report
• March’s runaway energy prices and higher food costs could mean hottest consumer inflation since 1981
• Biden finalizes restrictions on ‘ghost guns,’ names new ATF nominee
• The Biden administration is regulating ‘ghost guns.’ Here’s what the rule does
• Biden’s small steps on guns are both welcome and dispiriting (“The characterization of, and the reaction to his announcements sums up much of what’s maddening about the politics of guns in America.”)
• In an exception to the Clean Air Act, Biden will allow E15 gas to be sold this summer
• Poll: Americans overwhelmingly support 6 Biden proposals to fight climate change
• The White House Just Launched a Huge Conservation Initiative (“The Biden administration has launched a $1 billion program to advance its goal of conserving 30% of the nation’s lands and waters by 2030.” Excellent, let’s shoot for 50% – “half earth,” as the great biologist EO Wilson talked about.)
• Liz Cheney is the most skillful advocate for democracy (“Cheney focuses on three key points.”)
• When does Biden plan on rallying the base? (“Democrats need to understand the stakes.”)
• If Democrats get some easy midterm wins, they can thank Trump (“Could Trump’s preference for crackpots hurt the GOP’s chances of retaking the Senate?”)
• House GOP sets its sights on Biden country
• “Really stupid or really corrupt”: State Department reveals Trump’s foreign gift records are missing
• Driven by New Donors, DGA Announces Record-Breaking Fundraising in First Quarter of 2022
• Where will abortion still be legal after Roe v. Wade is overruled? (“The Supreme Court is probably going to overrule Roe v. Wade this June. Here’s what happens next”)
• GOP readies strategy in case Roe v. Wade is overturned
• The Texas woman arrested for an abortion is a harbinger of what’s to come
• Former Trump lawyer, amid clash with Jan. 6 committee, pushing to decertify 2020 election (Lock. Him. Up.)
• The January 6 Committee Prepares to Go Public (“Democrat Elaine Luria on the ‘shocking’ details they’ve found so far”)
• Young White House aide was go-between from Giuliani to Trump during coup campaign (“Trump aide Garrett Ziegler was key conduit for Giuliani, Sidney Powell and Michael Flynn during post-election plot”)
• Ivanka Trump Provided “Helpful” Testimony to the 1/6 Committee Investigating Her Father
• Disney heir comes out as transgender, condemns Florida’s LGBTQ law
• With Florida’s “Don’t Say Gay” law, Republicans have weaponized their Fox News base against teachers
• Ex-Virginia police officer convicted of storming Capitol to disrupt Congress
• International trade halted at Texas border crossings as truckers protest Greg Abbott’s new inspections
• Tucker Carlson Brags to Megachurch That He Is Totally Unvaccinated
• Philly Reinstates Indoor Mask Mandate
• UPenn law professor tells Tucker Carlson that “Blacks” and other “non-Western” groups harbor “resentment and shame and envy” (Disgusting. Why does Penn Law employ this horrible human being?)
• Twitter Grapples With an Elon Musk Problem
• The Lerner family will explore selling the Washington Nationals
• Rachel Maddow’s MSNBC program will go weekly starting next month
• The Man Who Would Almost be Vice President, Twice (“Senator Tim Kaine, a Democrat from Virginia, tells Emma Barnett, of “Emma Barnett meets…” on Quicktake, what it was like almost becoming vice president twice and how he got right back to work. This was recorded March 30, 2022.”)
• Elaine Luria on the January 6 Committee’s Plans
• Editorial: Why did Cline and Good decline to support NATO? (“One wonders what parts of this resolution Cline and Good find objectionable.” Probably should go with “Occam’s Razor” on this one…what’s the simplest explanation for why Cline and Good voted against supporting NATO?)
• Elaine Luria tests positive for COVID-19 (“Luria is fully vaccinated and has received a booster as well, and said she is thankful for the protection she got from vaccination.”)
• Youngkin Signs 700 Bills, Vetoes 25 Bills, Amends More Than 100 Bills
• Youngkin wants penalties for people with more than 2 ounces of marijuana
• Va. Gov. Youngkin seeks new elections this year on Loudoun School Board (“Youngkin’s amendment to a bill creating staggered school board terms in Loudoun would force all nine board members there to stand for election in November. The amendment would need approval from a politically divided General Assembly later this month to take effect.”)
• Former DeVos aide appointed Virginia’s deputy secretary of education
• Youngkin Names Former Trump Administration Official Who Worked For Betsy DeVos, Was Research Fellow at Charles Koch Institute, as VA Deputy Secretary of Education (“Much of [McKenzie] Snow’s work in education policy has centered on school choice”)
• Commanders president says team doesn’t want bidding war over new stadium
• Virginia 10-Day New COVID-19 Cases Down 96% Compared to 1/19; Hospitalizations Down to 150 From ~4,000 in January
• Fairfax County LGBTQIA+ Group FCPS Pride and Others Demand That Youngkin Appointee Elizabeth Schultz Withdraw From Anti-LGBTQ and Racism-Tinged Fundraiser
• A new law changes the way Virginia counts absentee ballots
• Editorial: Virginia’s space economy
• Full Disclosure Briefing: could a privatized alcohol industry be on the horizon for Virginia?
• Jennifer Carroll Foy Receives Endorsements and Support from Local Leaders and Unions in Prince William and Fairfax
• Climate change, public safety top subjects in Richmond budget public hearing
• At University of Virginia, Mike Pence event reignites a debate over free speech (“Some students say his rhetoric is dangerous while others decry ‘cancel culture’ and censorship”)
• Chesterfield officials are still seeking approval from AG’s office for new redistricting map
• Hampton GOP official formally removed from city Electoral Board after racist Facebook post surfaced (“While David Dietrich resigned from the Hampton Electoral Board over the weekend, the order, signed Monday by Chief Judge Michael Gaten, formally relieves Dietrich of his ‘powers, rights, responsibilities and obligations’ as a board member.”)
• D.C.-area forecast: Early showers give way to warm 70s