Friday News: “Gas crisis makes transition to renewables even more urgent”; “Russian strikes hit western Ukraine as offensive widens”; “U.S. Senate Passes $1.5 Trillion Funding Bill with Ukraine Aid”; “The GOP’s Four Biggest Lies About Joe Biden and Fossil Fuels”

by Lowell

Here are a few national and Virginia news headlines, political and otherwise, for Friday, March 11.

• Climate change: Can the Russian energy crisis help to curb global heating?
• As War Rages, a Struggle to Balance Energy Crunch and Climate Crisis (“Rising oil prices and increased demand for expanded production come at a time when scientists say nations must sharply cut the use of fossil fuels”)
• Global carbon emissions from energy spiked to record highs last year (They need to be going in the completely opposite direction, and fast. Not good at all…)
• Green groups say gas crisis makes transition to renewables even more urgent (Exactly – get off of oil ASAP!)
• Vaccines and Omicron mean Covid now less deadly than flu in England
• Two grueling years later, world takes cautious steps forward
• Oil price shock jolts global recovery as economic impact of Russia’s invasion spreads
• E.U. leaders meet at Versailles to discuss Russia’s war in Ukraine, economic fallout
• Russia widens attacks as new cities targeted
• US, allies to revoke ‘most favored nation’ status for Russia
• Russian strikes hit western Ukraine as offensive widens
• Russians keep pressure on Mariupol; massive convoy breaks up
• Economic Blacklist of Russia Marks New Blow for Globalization
• Russian Forces Intensify Strikes on Cities in Western Ukraine (“Ground forces appear to reposition, fueling concerns they could be preparing for a renewed push on Kyiv”)
• Satellites show Russia convoy regrouping near Kyiv (“Images of the convoy’s redeployment appear to signal a renewed push towards the Ukrainian capital.”)
• Russian forces widen attacks on Ukraine to include more cities
• As West tries to force Russia from Ukraine, endgame elusive
• Russia, Where All the News Is Fake (“The country has become a dystopian paragon of corrupted information.”)
• Growing Fears of a Wider War Between Russia and the West (“U.S. officials warn that tensions over Ukraine could trigger a once unthinkable conflict, pitting Russia against nato.”)
• EU leaders back Ukraine but balk at fast-track membership
• A Waiter. A Cab Driver. An Engineer: The U.S. Fighters Bound for Ukraine
• UK minister warns Russia against using chemical weapons in Ukraine (“Chris Philp says Moscow would face ‘dramatic increased response’ if it launches chemical attack”)
• Striking hospitals is vile. For Russia, it’s standard operating procedure.
• Ukraine’s Zelenskiy calls Russia ‘terrorist state’ over aid shelling as forces close in on Kyiv
• After more than two weeks of war, Russian military grinds forward at heavy cost
• Zelensky is going viral, but Putin is winning the information war that counts (“Putin appears to be winning the information war where it counts: at home, and in China.”)
• Xi Jinping is Vladimir Putin’s co-conspirator in Ukraine
• Russia plans to seize assets of western companies that pull out
• Nuclear war? Russia’s Lavrov says: I don’t believe so
• How Vladimir Putin Lost Interest in the Present (“His seclusion and inaccessibility, his deep belief that Russian domination over Ukraine must be restored and his decision to surround himself with ideologues and sycophants have all helped to bring Europe to its most dangerous moment since World War II.”)
• Exclusive: Facebook temporarily allows posts on Ukraine war calling for violence against invading Russians or Putin’s death
• Deutsche Bank defends decision not to exit Russia: It’s not ‘practical’ right now
• Prince William says conflict in Europe is ‘alien,’ drawing swift rebuke after misleading media reports (“Britain’s Prince William drew sharp criticism after he said Wednesday that it was “alien” to see war in Europe. Part of the backlash came from a string of media reports implying that he was saying that such conflicts were more common in Africa and Asia, though video of his comments didn’t show the comparison.”)
• Schadenfreude at sea: The Internet is watching with glee as Russian oligarchs’ yachts are seized
• How Putin Plunged Russia Toward Totalitarianism (“While invading Ukraine, the dictator has imposed a new era of Soviet-style oppression at home. He’s been building to this moment for a decade.”)
• GOP Backing Ukraine Now — 2 Years After OK’ing An Extortion Scheme Against It (“Trump pushed a conspiracy theory spread by Russian intelligence and held up $391 million in military aid to Ukraine until its leader helped his reelection.”)fi
• Jailed Navalny calls for anti-war protests across Russia on Sunday
• Tech Walls Off Russia Like Never Before, Posing New Risks for U.S.
• Russian strikes hit western Ukraine as offensive widens
• Video analysis reveals Russian attack on Ukrainian nuclear plant veered near disaster
• Russia Has a Long, Cruel History of Attacking Hospitals. Maybe This Time Its Leaders Will Be Prosecuted.
• Russia widens aerial campaign as its forces edge closer to Kyiv
• Iran Nuclear Talks Halted in Vienna With Window Closing on Deal
• Iran nuclear talks close to collapse over Russian demands
• EU foreign policy chief says ‘pause’ needed in Iran talks
• China amplifies unsupported Russian claim of Ukraine biolabs (Appalling and wildly irresponsible.)
• North Korean missile launches were a ‘serious escalation,’ official says
• Janet Yellen Predicts Year Of ‘Uncomfortably High’ Inflation After Ukraine Invasion
• Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen says Americans will likely see another year of ‘very uncomfortably high’ inflation
• The Trailer: Democrats want the oil industry to drill more. What does that mean for climate campaigners?
• The GOP’s Four Biggest Lies About Joe Biden and Fossil Fuels
• America’s Right Has a Putin Problem
• Axios-Ipsos poll: Media habits defined the COVID culture war (“By the end of last month, just 16% of those who said they get most of their news from Fox or other conservative outlets still said they trust the CDC, compared to 77% of those who favor network news and major national newspapers and 87% of those who primarily watch CNN or MSNBC. People who primarily got their news from Fox or other conservative media outlets were also more likely to be unvaccinated, and to report that they had tested positive for COVID-19 at some point during the pandemic.” Fox is a menace.)
• Covid response may have to be scaled back amid congressional inaction, White House says
• Senate averts shutdown, passes $13.6B in Ukraine aid
• U.S. Senate Passes $1.5 Trillion Funding Bill with Ukraine Aid
• Without federal support, US would only reach 39% of carbon-free energy sector by 2035, said Wood Mackenzie
• The 2020 census had big undercounts of Black people, Latinos and Native Americans
• GOP nightmare: Biden’s handlings of war, Ukraine and democracy are popular
• How Ukraine and high gas prices could take us backward on climate change (“Florida Republicans are undermining solar power, and other red states could follow.” Republicans doing the *exact opposite* of what we need to be doing, what makes sense, etc.)
• The real reason the feds haven’t indicted Trump (“I’m going to say it out loud. If Trump were charged, it’s unlikely he would negotiate a plea deal. Instead, he would go to trial and make every step of the process a platform to cast himself as a victim of a vindictive Biden administration. He would use the renewed attention to spew lies about the legitimacy of the 2020 presidential election. And he would raise money, lots of money, to fund his anticipated 2024 presidential campaign. But most important, despite a mountain of evidence that would convict most people many times over, Trump would not be convicted. Criminal convictions require a unanimous verdict. On a 12-person jury, there are going to be Trump supporters.”)
• MAGA loyalists run into trouble
• Facing a tough election, House Democrats are conflicted about the way to win
• Biden warns Democrats it will be a ‘sad two years’ if Republicans take control of Congress (Worse than sad, actually.)
• Teachers are under fire in increasingly bizarre ways (“One Mississippi educator was fired for reading kids a silly book about butts.”)
• Mark Meadows shows the hypocrisy of Republicans on voter fraud (“By now, it should be obvious: ‘Election integrity’ is a hollow slogan for the GOP.” That was obvious a looong time ago.)
• Michael Flynn testifies in closed-door meeting with Jan. 6 committee
• These Two Lawyers Breathed Life Into Trump’s Big Lie, but Did They Even Believe It? (Why do they still have law licenses?)
• Ron DeSantis Is on Track to Creating the First-Ever State Election Fraud Police Force (Very dangerous, unAmerican, etc.)
• Disney’s ‘Don’t Say Gay’ Disaster Is Absolutely Infuriating
• Accused Russian Agent Gave to One Politician: Tulsi Gabbard (It’s amazing that any liberal, progressive, Democrat, etc. ever supported Gabbard.)
• A Fox News reporter’s schooling of Sean Hannity veers into dark territory
• Steve Bannon praises Tucker Carlson’s Russia coverage, asks when the world will have had enough of Zelensky (Disgusting.)
• US Rep. Madison Cawthorn calls Ukrainian president a ‘thug’ (Cawthorn shouldn’t be in Congress, shouldn’t have any access to secret information, etc.)
• Jussie Smollett sentenced to 150 days in jail, ordered to pay back Chicago $120K
• Republican AG Told ‘at Least the Guy Was a Democrat’ After He Killed a Man With His Car (Really, really evil.)
• MLB Owners, Players Agree to New Contract, Saving Season (“The deal ends a lockout that began in December, with opening day now set for April 7. The sides agreed to play a full 162-game schedule.”)
• MLB commissioner Rob Manfred, union chief Tony Clark hail new CBA as lockout ends
• Sen. Kiggans’s Obsession with The Big Lie; “Kiggans has sprinted to the far-right fringes” in Attempt to Win VA02 GOP Primary (Among other things, Kiggans “refused to say who won the 2020 presidential election,” refused to censure insurrectionist Amanda Chase)
• Joint Economic Committee Chairman Beyer on February CPI Data: “We’re experiencing record-breaking GDP growth and job creation, but Putin’s invasion of Ukraine is pushing up food and gas prices”
• The new seventh congressional district
• Rising gas prices pump up discord in Richmond as Democrats call for declaration of emergency
• Editorial: Virginia’s budget choices (“Virginia amassed a record budget surplus during the pandemic and should divide that windfall between tax relief and an investment in public services.” A large percent of it came from COVID-19 relief and isn’t sustainable, obviously.)
• *All 133* Virginia School Superintendents Slam Youngkin’s Assault on Diversity; Warn It Could “set public education in Virginia back many years”; Say “the tip line needs to be terminated”
• Leader Filler-Corn Calls on Governor Youngkin to Declare State of Emergency, Protect Virginians from Gas Price Gouging
• Va. superintendents push back on Youngkin administration’s ‘divisive content’ report
• Pope & Schapiro: Budget negotiations and lessons from the session
• In Response to VA GOP’s “scorched-earth tactics” on Northam’s Appointees, VA Senate Dems Reject Youngkin’s Appointments to Safety/Health Board, Parole Board (Youngkin and House Republicans working to “manipulate the system, bending it to policies based on culture wars and right-wing talking points.”)
• Virginia Senate nixes Youngkin parole board picks as payback for GOP’s ouster of Democratic appointees
• Virginia Senate blocks Youngkin’s picks for Parole Board (“The House needs to be taught a lesson”)
• A scaled back virtual meetings bill is likely moving forward in Richmond
• 10-Day New COVID-19 Cases Down 94% Compared to 1/19; Hospitalizations at Lowest Level Since Early August 2021
• Video: Delegate Guzman Honors Isabel Allende and Dolores Huerta, Calls Out Systemic Racism Against Latinx Community
• Editorial: State secrecy had tugs at threads of trust (“had tugs at?” huh?)
• Va. seeks records law change to require victim notification before releasing crime files
• About 300 Afghan evacuees arrive at Loudoun processing site that’s faced local opposition
• Loudoun Co. officials address concerns over safe haven center for Afghan evacuees
• D.C.-area forecast: Sunny and tranquil today. Rain changing to a wind-whipped snow Saturday.