Today's Liberal News

The Party of Putin has an awful lot to answer for, but don’t hold your breath

Few foreign world leaders—let alone any murderous dictators—have received more solicitous treatment from the Republican Party during the last five years than Vladimir Putin. Imagine if Democrats so warmly and fulsomely embraced someone who now threatens to rain destruction down on our country (Osama Bin Laden comes to mind). Or if they had gleefully sent delegations to kowtow to that person’s criminal syndicate, thugs, and cronies (on the 4th of July, no less).

From one alleged spy to another? Tulsi Gabbard received donations from an alleged Russian agent

Former Hawaii Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard, who ran in the 2020 presidential race as a Democrat, is apparently putting a bow on her total transmutation to a hardcore conservative—complete with a donation from an alleged Russian spy. Okay, that’s not totally fair; the donation to Gabbard happened when she was still a Dem. But …

Elena Branson, aka Elena Chernykh, 61, is a dual Russian-U.S. citizen.

Was Biden Right to Ban Russian Oil?

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. Every Friday, he publishes some thoughtful replies. Sign up for the newsletter here.Earlier this week I asked readers if Joe Biden made the right call when he banned energy imports from Russia, acknowledging that doing so would cause gas prices to rise even higher than they were before.

Nine Books to Read to Understand the War in Ukraine

Kyiv is burning. I am struggling to explain this to my young children; they know that I wrote a book about the 2013–14 Ukrainian revolution on the Maidan, Kyiv’s central square. They were too small then to understand that their parents’ friends and colleagues were being shot at by snipers. They do know, though, that I dedicated the book to them, “in hope of a better world to come.

‘I Imagined a Future That Was Neither Utopian nor Dystopian’

The union of the filmmaker Kogonada and the actor Colin Farrell might not have seemed obvious at first glance. Kogonada’s debut film, the excellent 2017 indie Columbus, is told with quiet remove—the camera is often placed quite a distance away from the lead actors (John Cho and Haley Lu Richardson).

The Pandemic After the Pandemic

The world was slow to recognize long COVID as one of the most serious consequences of the coronavirus. Six months into the pathogen’s tear across the globe, SARS-CoV-2 was still considered an acute airway infection that would spark a weeks-long illness at most; anyone who experienced symptoms for longer could be expected to be dismissed by droves of doctors.

The Friend Who Taught Her She Could Make It as a Single Mom

Each installment of “The Friendship Files” features a conversation between The Atlantic’s Julie Beck and two or more friends, exploring the history and significance of their relationship.This week she talks with two women who forged a friendship in crisis. When Sarah’s husband left her for another woman—while she was pregnant—she turned to her colleague Theresa, who was raising a daughter alone.

Ukrainian Resident of Besieged Mykolaiv Describes Lack of Food, Water As Russian Troops Attack City

We get an update from a Ukrainian volunteer on how the Russian invasion of Ukraine has besieged the strategic southern city of Mykolaiv, where Russian troops have targeted civilian areas for shelling. Many Ukrainians are asking European nations and the U.S. to establish a no-fly zone. We speak to Igor Yudenkov in Mykolaiv, a former IT professional who is now helping other residents find shelter, feeding pets left behind, and defending the city.

Defund Putin’s War Machine: Ukrainian Environmentalist Calls For Global Halt to Fossil Fuel Funding

We speak to Svitlana Romanko, a leading Ukrainian environmental lawyer, based in the western city of Ivano-Frankivsk, which was bombed Friday. She describes the situation there, and discusses her hopes that new sanctions to prevent American banks from investing in Russian fossil fuels signal a tipping point that will force the world to transition to clean energy.

Koscar nominations are still open for Category #1: Outstanding Snark/Satire

Koscar season has begun and lots of nominations came in on Tuesday for Category #1: Outstanding Snark/Satire. If you missed it, it’s not too late to add your selections to the list.

Here is a sampling of 20 of the classics that have been nominated already, written by blueness, Fishgrease, freewayblogger, HeyThereItsEric, Hunter, InteGritty, jazzmaniac, JeffLieber, karateexplosions, Major Kong, OllieGarkey, and ShowerCap.

This Week in Statehouse Action: Marching Orders edition

… get it? Because it’s March?

But also because the coordinated attacks by GOP state lawmakers on everything from gay and transgender kids and women who need abortion services to democracy itself are being carried out across the country with, if not military precision, military relentlessness.