Wednesday News: “FBI informant said Russian intelligence involved in Hunter Biden story”; “Yes, Trump wants Christian theocracy”; “Biden has canceled nearly $138 billion in student loan debt so far”; “Alabama ushers in the theocracy”

by Lowell

Here are a few international, national and Virginia news headlines, political and otherwise, for Wednesday, February 21.

• ‘Energy turmoil’ looms unless demand is checked, says Cop28 president
• Cerrado: Beef trade risks key Brazil ecosystem – campaigners (Eating beef is an environmental disaster.)
• Another Climate Impact Hits the Public’s Radar: A Wetter World Is Mudslide City
• Ukraine faces a valley of death. There’s a way Biden can help it get across.
• Ukraine’s Military Spy Chief Says Russia Will Struggle to Keep Up the Fight
• Ukraine outnumbered, outgunned, ground down by relentless Russia
• US to unveil major Russia sanctions in wake of Alexei Navalny death (“Joe Biden declines to give details but says sanctions will coincide with second anniversary of Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine”)
• How the Kremlin weaponized Russian history — and has used it to justify the war in Ukraine
• Russian Forces Press on With Attacks in Southern Ukraine (“Alongside successful attacks in the east, the assaults are designed to pressure Ukrainian troops across the front line, analysts say.”)
• Ex-FBI informant charged with lying about Bidens had Russian intelligence contacts, prosecutors say (So House Republicans are doing the bidding, effectively, of Russian intelligence. Cool, cool…)
• DOJ: FBI informant said Russian intelligence involved in Hunter Biden story
• Man accused of lying to FBI about Hunter Biden claimed he got fake information from Russian intelligence
• Indicted ex-FBI informant told investigators he got Hunter Biden dirt from Russian intelligence officials
• Trump Will Be Putin’s Puppet in a Second Term, Says John Bolton, a.k.a. Guy Who Had a Front-Row View the Last Time Around
• White House: Johnson not serious about backing allies after he claimed Biden called for cease-fire (Mike Johnson is a nutjob, extremist and a really, really bad joke.)
• Russia adds Lindsey Graham to list of ‘terrorists’ after he pushes consequences for Navalny’s death
• Russia accused of executing prisoners of war in Avdiivka
• Trump makes a false comparison between himself and Navalny (This really can’t be overstated: Trump is, as Ralph Northam correctly called him, a “narcissistic maniac”)
• Iran accuses Israel of sabotage attack that saw explosions strike natural gas pipeline
• U.S. Vetoes U.N. Resolution Demanding Immediate Gaza Cease-Fire
• At the UN, the US Vetoes a Ceasefire Resolution—and Proposes Another One
• The US is ready to call for a ceasefire in Gaza. Does it matter?
• Israel Is Building a Road Bisecting Gaza to Prepare for Next Phase of War
• ‘They Are Truly a People Without a Land or a Refuge’ (“Former U.S. Ambassador Ryan Crocker on why Arab states won’t accept Palestinians fleeing war.”)
• Biden issues new mandates to protect ports from hackers
• U.S. to Invest Billions to Replace China-Made Cranes at Nation’s Ports
• Biden to sign executive order on port cybersecurity targeting Chinese-made shipping cranes
• At least 60% of US population may face ‘forever chemicals’ in tap water, tests suggest
• Rooftop PV could serve 45% of US electricity demand, says Environment America (“Environment America says in a new report that rooftop solar could meet 45% of US electricity demand, despite currently only accounting for just 1.5% of electricity consumption.”)
• Biden has canceled nearly $138 billion in student loan debt so far
• Nearly 153,000 borrowers get student loans canceled under new Biden plan
• Biden administration cancels $1.2B in student loans with new repayment plan
• Biden administration to cancel another $1.2 billion of student loans
• Real estate surprise: Latinos, Asian Americans see biggest homeownership gains
• How the housing industry is working to stop energy efficient homes
• Exclusive: Black women face barriers on path to generational wealth, survey shows
• Alito renews criticism of Supreme Court’s same-sex marriage ruling in rejecting Missouri jury case (Alito really, REALLY wants to continue being a homophobic bigot indefinitely, and he’s REALLY bummed that society mostly doesn’t approve of that anymore.)
• Alito says he was right to fear that opponents of gay marriage would be treated as bigots (Tragic, huh? LOL)
• Supreme Court will hear challenge to EPA’s ‘good neighbor’ rule that limits pollution (“The justices will consider whether to hit pause on a federal rule designed to reduce air pollution that drifts across states and can cause health troubles.”)
• Scoop: GOP privately expects government shutdow (That will be 100% House Republicans’ fault.)
• Trump’s G.O.P. Is a Confederacy of Fakers
• Non-Crazy Republicans Hate Serving In Congress
• Team Biden-Harris Raises More Than $42M in January 2024, Historic $130M War Chest (Highest Total of Any Democratic Candidate in History)
• Biden instructed aides to dial up attacks on Trump’s wild comments
• Donald Trump says he doesn’t know if he could work with Mitch McConnell if re-elected
• Trump calls his civil fraud verdict a ‘form of Navalny’ (Trump is completely insane and should be covered accordingly by the media. Instead, they normalize him!!!)
• Trump faces some half a billion dollars in legal penalties. How will he pay them?
• Donald Trump may not believe in God, but he still plans to turn America into a Christian theocracy
• Trump and allies plotting militarized mass deportations, detention camps (“The effort is one part of an emerging platform that experts, current and former government officials and others described as especially alarming, impractical and prone to significant legal and logistical hurdles.”)
• Donald Trump Can’t Run Away From Roe (“The guy most responsible for ending federal abortion rights now wants to make a “deal.””)
• Trump expands Republicans’ big tent of Christian nationalism (“Religion expert Paul Djupe explains Trump’s unification of the right is an existential threat to American democracy”)
• Letitia James says she’s prepared to seize Trump’s buildings if he can’t pay his $354M civil fraud fine
• “That makes him a mark”: Experts warn Trump could get desperate as his fraud appeal appears doomed
• Aileen Cannon Might Actually Get Herself Kicked Off the Trump Classified Docs Case
• Donald Trump’s Cash Crunch Just Got Much, Much Worse
• Haley vows not to drop out, calls Trump ‘meaner and more offensive by the day’
• Nikki Haley Is Throwing the MAGA Hordes a Well-Gnawed Bone (“And yet, they just don’t want her to be president.”)
• Trump spokesman says Haley will ‘kiss ass when she quits’
• Georgia Gov. Kemp reveals he was interviewed by special counsel in 2020 election interference case
• Williams: Liz Cheney’s message to The Richmond Forum: Stop Trump
• Alex Jones Estate Liquidation Gets Sandy Hook Families’ Vote
• Is the New York Times neutral on the future of democracy? (If you’re a news outlet and you’re neutral on whether or not the United States continues as a democracy with rule of law, etc, seriously…FUCK YOU.)
• Conservative group launches a quiet effort to drive Black voters away from Biden
• Swing state Republican parties are in chaos. That could matter in November.
• Fani Willis turns the tables on her attackers
• RFK Jr. Super-PAC Puts Promoters of Conspiracy Theories on the Payroll (“The list includes a 9/11 truther and election denialists.” Yep, that’s RFK Jr. for ya.)
• Alabama ushers in the theocracy (“The state supreme court’s ruling on frozen embryos is dangerous on two fronts.”)
• Alabama Supreme Court rules frozen embryos are ‘children’ under state law (The future that awaits us all – along with bans on contraception, etc. – if Republicans are put in charge of the country.)
• Conservatives Are Already Using Alabama’s “Frozen Embryos Are Children” Ruling to Go After Abortion (“As experts have warned, this is just the beginning.”)
• Shock, anger, confusion grip Alabama after court ruling on embryos
• Ron DeSantis ally Chris Rufo has close ties with ‘dissident right’ magazine (“Relationship with IM-1776 that praises dictators, racist ideologues and attacks liberal democracy is collaborative and supportive” Of COURSE he does!)
• Virginia: An emotional return to the Capitol for Wexton
• Video: VA State Senators Honor Their Former Colleague, Rep. Jennifer Wexton (D-VA10) For Her Kindness, Friendship, Dedication, Hard Work, etc. (Rep. Wexton is battling a very serious illness and has announced that she won’t be seeking reelection to Congress this year.)
• Unions oppose plan to move NBA, NHL teams to northern Virginia, another blow to Youngkin-backed deal
• Virginia labor unions come out against plan for new Caps, Wizards arena
• Commentary: Potomac Yard arena project is based on ‘sound’ financial assumptions
• Backers of rival cannabis bills inch closer to agreement (“Under the deal, medical marijuana companies would no longer get a head start over others.”)
• Confederate heritage groups may soon lose their tax exempt status in Virginia
• Youngkin reacts to proposed budgets from House of Delegates, Senatez
• Bill to shift grid upgrade costs for small Virginia solar projects fails
• Effort to depoliticize Virginia’s top elections job hits snag in state Senate
• Virginia’s Latino Caucus enters the budget fray
• Facing more delays, company now expects Mountain Valley Pipeline to be in service by June
• US Supreme Court Declines to Take Up Appeal to Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology (“TJ”) Admissions Policies (This battle has been going on for nearly four years now…and hopefully is over now?)
• Supreme Court won’t hear Thomas Jefferson admissions case
• The Supreme Court leaves in place the admissions plan at an elite Virginia public high school
• Here’s what the House and Senate budget proposals offer for Hampton Roads
• Va. lawmakers pass bill requiring hazing training in high schools
• Lynchburg Republicans reluctantly vote to hold a primary but vow fight against new state law
• Some counties in Southwest Virginia are seeing a big influx of newcomers. Others aren’t.
• Youngkin signals proposed arena could fund Portsmouth toll relief
• Fairfax County Executive Hill proposes 4-cent property tax hike in budget (“A lagging office market and demands for more school and transportation funding mean leaning more on residential property taxes for county revenue, Hill said.”)
• Hospital patient, IV in arm, seizes ambulance, Fairfax police say
• Roanoke City Council approves Evans Spring development plan on 4-3 vote
• D.C.-area forecast: Gradually warmer with showers late Thursday into Friday