Today's Liberal News

Ukraine update: Russia’s dependence on massed artillery and brute force is its greatest weakness

On Wednesday, more explosions have been reported in the Russian-occupied city of Melitopol. This time, the site of the attack appears to be the Russian command center for the area. This follows attacks over the last two days that took out the Russian HQ that had been set up in Lysychansk, electrical infrastructure for Melitopol, the rail lines serving much of Crimea, two Russian air bases in Crimea, and a massive supply depot containing both ammo and vehicles.

Can GOP Voters Handle the Truth?

This is an edition of The Atlantic Daily, a newsletter that guides you through the biggest stories of the day, helps you discover new ideas, and recommends the best in culture. Sign up for it here.It’s rare to see a politician speak hard truths to surly—and even dangerous—fellow citizens, but that’s exactly what Liz Cheney did in her concession speech last night.But first, here are three new stories from The Atlantic.
Paul Manafort is back.

The Environmental Laws Hindering Clean Energy

This is an edition of Up for Debate, a newsletter by Conor Friedersdorf. On Wednesdays, he rounds up timely conversations and solicits reader responses to one thought-provoking question. Later, he publishes some thoughtful replies. Sign up for the newsletter here.Question of the WeekDysfunction is all around us, in public and private institutions, in large and small businesses, in systems and in personal relationships.

Liz Cheney Already Has a 2024 Strategy

The defiant speech from Representative Liz Cheney of Wyoming after her defeat in yesterday’s Republican primary could be reduced to a single message: This is round one.Cheney didn’t specify how, or where, she intends to continue her struggle against former President Donald Trump, after Harriet Hageman, the candidate Trump endorsed, routed her by more than two to one in the primary for Wyoming’s lone congressional seat.

The Court’s Liberals Still Have Power

To become law, a Supreme Court opinion needs the backing of five justices. That reality has forced progressive justices for almost 50 years to compromise with center-right justices, resulting in legal doctrine rife with contradictions and loopholes, which conservatives have ruthlessly exploited to pare back the rights of women, racial minorities, and the gay community. Progressive justices had to make these bargains in order to get the five votes needed to be in the majority.

John Nichols: “Standing Up to Donald Trump in the Republican Party … Leads to Your Defeat”

We look at the outcome of Tuesday’s primaries for opponents of former President Trump. In Wyoming, Liz Cheney, Trump’s chief House Republican foe, lost her primary to a Trump-backed challenger. In Alaska, Senator Lisa Murkowski, another Republican Trump critic, will move forward to the general election alongside a Trump challenger who also advanced under the state’s ranked-choice voting system.

Inflation Reduction Act “Biggest Step Forward” on Climate, Says Biden Amid Calls for Renewable Energy

President Biden signed the Inflation Reduction Act into law Tuesday, a sweeping $739 billion bill to address the climate crisis, reduce drug costs and establish a 15% minimum tax for large corporations. Biden has praised the IRA as one of the most significant measures in the history of the United States, though many climate groups and Indigenous land and water defenders have criticized the package for including major handouts to the fossil fuel industry and other corporate entities.

Medea Benjamin on U.S. Cuban Sanctions & Biden’s Embrace of Saudi Arabia Despite Horrid Rights Record

We speak with CodePink co-founder Medea Benjamin on the aftermath of the largest oil fire in Cuba’s history, the sentencing of Saudi women rights activist Salma al-Shehab and the ballooning of the Pentagon budget. Benjamin is calling on the Biden administration to remove Cuba off a state sponsor of terrorism list — which she says is holding up the transfer of humanitarian funds to the country’s people.

“Will We Become Our Enemy?”: After Salman Rushdie Assassination Attempt, See Rare Free Speech Address

Renowned Indian British novelist Salman Rushdie is in critical condition and faces a long road to recovery after he survived an assassination attempt Friday morning in western New York. Rushdie is one of the most highly acclaimed writers in the world today and has lived underground for many years after facing systematic threats of assassination for his writing.

Ukraine update: More explosions in Crimea as ‘secret weapon’ strikes again

On Tuesday, there were reports of at least two large explosions in occupied Crimea, well beyond the range of Ukrainian artillery or of any HIMARS ammunition known to be in Ukrainian hands. This time the primary target appears to have been a stockpile of ammunition and equipment near a railway, and if that description makes it seem less significant than previous strikes on warehouses and buildings, videos of the site indicate otherwise.

ICE prison in South Georgia should be shut down, not expanded

by Meredyth L. Yoon and Azadeh Shahshahani

This article was originally published at Prism.

Neal, a Jamaican citizen who owned and operated a yacht servicing company for 25 years in South Florida, has spent the last 17 months in a prison that’s been converted into a detention center for immigrants in Georgia.

Police arrest 70-year-old Asian American woman’s attackers. The youngest was 11

In an announcement Monday, police officials in San Francisco said they arrested four people in connection to the violent robbery of an elderly Asian American woman. While crimes against the Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) community, especially those targeting the elderly, have been on the rise, the age of the suspects in this case is shocking.

Police identified the arrested suspects as children and teens, with the youngest being only 11 years old.