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PBC News & Comment: Keystone XL Blocked by Court as Paradise Burns

As court blocks final approval of Keystone XL in lawsuit by climate activists, new wildfires spurred by warming hit California….–Paradise, CA—near Chico—lays in ruins after fast-moving wildfire consumed 70,000 acres in one day

WashPost science writer explains the conditions that spawned infernos

–in Keystone case, activist Frank Egger gets 80th birthday gift as federal judge in Montana blasts Trump’s methods in approving pipeline

–as NY Times reduces FL and GA election contests to “bickering” and ignores the purging of voters in Georgia, we get update from Greg Palast in Atlanta

–Broward County’s ugly history—from hanging chads to 2016 ballot destruction—is used by GOP to try to stop vote count while Scott and DeSantis are leading

–as millions protested in all 50 states, Dem leaders offer weak response to naming of political hatchet man Whitaker as Acting Attorney General

–in odd remark today, Trump says “I don’t know Matt Whitaker”

–Ben Wittes, who often speaks for St. James Comey, says it’s too late to stop Mueller, in The Atlantic

–FOIA king Jason Leopold reveals 2016 letter from Senate Dems to Obama (nice going!) but uses anonymous intel sources to guess at redactions (boo!)

–Trump acts on his campaign threat, orders changes to asylum rules as cable news dials back coverage of the invading caravan

–Trump’s feud with CNN’s Jim Acosta continues, as the Don threatens to ban other reporters who don’t respect his rude and insulting behavior

–US Navy accused of ignoring distress calls from Mediterranean migrants in June, and we’ve just learned of near-collision with Chinese ship in October

recommended weekend read: Michele Alexander, author of The New Jim Crow, raises important issues about trading cash bail for corporate monitoring of suspects