Tuesday News: “Xi’s talks with Putin provide ‘diplomatic cover’ for war”; “Climate Time Bomb Is Ticking” as Youngkin Moves in Wildly Wrong Direction; “Why Charging Trump Is Required by the Rule of Law”; “Black lung is on the rise in Appalachia” – Thanks to GOP

by Lowell

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

• World can still avoid worst of climate collapse with genuine change, IPCC says (“Positive framing of otherwise grim report a counterblast to those who dismiss hopes of limiting global heating to 1.5C”)
• Leading climate scientists send the grimmest of warnings
• UN climate scientists are running out of ways to warn us
• Scientists deliver ‘final warning’ on climate crisis: act now or it’s too late
• World is on brink of catastrophic warming, U.N. climate change report says
• World Has Less Than a Decade to Stop Catastrophic Warming, U.N. Panel Says
• World’s top climate scientists issue ‘survival guide for humanity,’ call for major course correction
• The U.N. Issues a Final Warning on the Climate—and a Plan (“The I.P.C.C. report contains no new data; nevertheless, it manages to alarm in new ways.”)
• New IPCC Report Shows the ‘Climate Time Bomb Is Ticking,’ Says UN Secretary General António Guterres
• A New Research Review Describes Plastics, ‘From Cradle to Grave,’ as a Toxics Crisis and Says the UN Must Act to Limit Production
• The case for slowing down AI
• China bills itself as a Ukraine peacemaker but US says Xi’s talks with Putin provide ‘diplomatic cover’ for war (The U.S. is correct.)
• Mr. Zelenskiy, It’s Xi Jinping On the Line (“When the Chinese leader calls the Ukrainian one after talking to Putin, the talking points must be ‘sovereignty’ and ‘territorial integrity.'”)
• Zelensky Has an Answer for DeSantis
• Xi and Putin Sidestep Talk of War During Summit (Utterly bizarre.)
• Putin and Xi prepare for second day of talks in Moscow as Japanese PM heads to Ukraine
• China Helps Refill Russian Drone Supplies as War in Ukraine Grinds On (Sanctions time?)
• Ben & Jerry’s Founder Is ‘Top Donor’ of Group Campaigning Against U.S. Military Support for Ukraine (Don’t buy Ben & Jerry’s products.)
• Japanese Prime Minister arrives in Kyiv
• Ukraine says Russian missiles destroyed in Crimea
• Ukraine’s Leadership Doubles Down on Bakhmut Defense as Russians Get Closer (“Ukrainian commanders say they are sapping Russian strength in the eastern city to give their planned offensive a better chance of success. Both sides are suffering heavy losses, but Ukraine says the ratio remains substantially in its favor.”)
• Who’s Behind the Judicial Overhaul Now Dividing Israel? Two New Yorkers.
• Scoop: Biden tells Bibi he’s never seen such anxiety over Israel’s political situation
• Saudi Arabia frees American imprisoned over critical tweets
• War Crimes, Crimes Against Humanity, and Ethnic Cleansing in Ethiopia
• ‘A financial banana republic’: UBS-Credit Suisse deal puts Switzerland’s reputation on the line
• UN says Australia must quit coal by 2030, reach net zero by 2040, no new coal or gas
• ‘Weakened’ Macron consults allies on next steps after tight no-confidence vote
• Before the U.S. rolled into Baghdad 20 years ago, Iraqis warned us what would happen
• The Senate eyes a formal end to the Iraq War, and a reassertion of Congress’ power
• “Complicit enablers”: 20 years later, the press corps has learned nothing
• Bush Doesn’t Second-Guess Himself on Iraq. Even if Everyone Else Does.
• Senators Warn the Next US Bank Run Could Be Rigged (“Kaine, who serves on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, is one in a bipartisan group of US senators who are demanding briefings from intelligence officials and tech experts. These lawmakers fear that US financial institutions could be vulnerable to social-media-induced bank runs and that malicious actors could use misinformation and bots to manipulate public opinion and create chaos in the financial system.”)
• US Studies Ways to Guarantee All Bank Deposits If Crisis Expands
• Deadly fungal infection spreading at an alarming rate, CDC says
• ‘Normalize’ doomsday? Dems lambaste GOP’s latest debt-limit gambit
• FIVE-ALARM FIRE: The House Freedom Caucus’ Extreme Budget Proposal Endangers Public Safety
• Biden issues first veto after Congress passes measure to block new investment rule (Good.)
• Why Charging Trump Is Required by the Rule of Law
• This Is Not Great News for Donald Trump (“Despite what some Republicans are saying, getting indicted is generally a poor political strategy.”)
• America has ignored GOP crimes for long enough — it’s time to put Trump in prison
• Kevin McCarthy’s desperate plea to MAGA reveals a glaring GOP failure
• Trump indictment could land soon, sending law enforcement scrambling
• Trump legal woes force another moment of choosing for GOP
• Experts: Trump is trying to “foment civil unrest” — and Republicans are adding “fuel to the fire” (“Everyone from Kevin McCarthy to Rick Scott to Ron DeSantis has attempted to paint the Stormy Daniels hush money probe as a politically motivated witch hunt.”)
• Mike Pence Is Still Afraid of Trump (Pence has always been and continues to be PATHETIC.)
• Judge Howell delivers another blow to Trump and his lawyer (“An opinion far more ominous than a New York indictment.”)
• Kevin McCarthy’s desperate plea to MAGA reveals a glaring GOP failure (“GOP voters have been primed, by Republicans themselves, for Trump’s calls for protest against an indictment.”)
• GOP two-step: Republicans’ call for “calmness” betrayed by their not-so-subtle nod to MAGA violence (“By covering for Trump’s crimes, Mike Pence and Kevin McCarthy are validating Trump’s incitement” 100%)
• With possible indictment looming, Trump dominates House Republican retreat
• Stop Overthinking It: An Indictment Would Be Bad For Trump
• By-the-book DA confronts unpredictable opponent in Trump Progressive policies pushed
• Dismal Crowd At NYC Trump Rally Despite Ex-Prez’s Call For Action As Arrest Looms
• Trump seeks to stave off another indictment — this time in Georgia (Trump should go to prison for the rest of his life over this one alone.)
• Trump’s Lawyers Seem Pretty Panicked He’s Going to be Indicted in Georgia Too (Slam-dunk case.)
• The Far-Right Is Scared Trump’s Call to Protest Is a Trap
• Trumpageddon: It’s time to take Trump’s threats of “retribution” seriously (“Trump has been channeling Hitler and Mussolini with threats of ‘retribution’ and revenge for his followers”)
• Donald Trump bizarrely claimed that his phone got hacked by the ‘radical left’ when he dialed into an evening prayer session with Roger Stone and Michael Flynn (“Shortly after Trump joined the call, host Jackson Lahmeyer, who describes himself as a pastor and entrepreneur, asked him what specific prayer request Trump had for the pastors on the call. At that point, Trump’s audio disconnected. The guests sat in awkward silence for a couple of minutes before Trump managed to reconnect to the call.”)
• Six Oath Keepers convicted in connection with January 6 US Capitol riot (It wasn’t a “riot,” it was a violent insurrection, but…sure, CNN.)
• Right-wing media supporters of Trump and DeSantis begin a surrogates’ war
• Stormy Daniels may soon seal Trump’s fate. How did a porn star become one of the most powerful people in politics? (“Stormy Daniels was dancing her way through a ‘Make America Horny Again’ tour when news emerged that she had received hush money payments from Donald Trump.”)
• DeSantis breaks his silence on the ‘manufactured circus’ around expected Trump indictment: ‘I don’t know what goes into paying hush money to a porn star’
• DeSantis says he won’t get involved with Trump’s potential indictment ‘in any way’
• Fox News Producer’s Suit Says Network Set Her Up in Dominion Testimony
• Fox News producer files lawsuits against network, alleging she was coerced into providing misleading Dominion testimony
• Inside the 3 Months That Could Cost Fox $1.6 Billion
• Fox News Tries to Silence a Tucker Carlson Producer Threatening to Reveal Internal Convos
• ‘Ted Lasso’ visits White House, promotes mental health care
• Black lung is on the rise in Appalachia; deregulation of the coal mine industry is the main culprit (“A central reason why coal miners in Appalachia are exposed to double the levels of silica dust, and a central reason why researchers discovered a massive cluster of black lung cases in Appalachia, is because the last two Republican federal administrations have taken a deregulatory stance toward the coal industry.”)
• Iowa’s sharp right turn: From centrist state to ‘Florida of the North’ (Utter disaster.)
• Judge blocks California law requiring safety features for handguns (George W. Bush-appointed judge.)
• DC Mayor’s Former Chief of Staff Accused of Sexual Misconduct
• Montgomery County should adopt ranked-choice voting. So should everyplace else.
• Mike Pence To Visit Virginia Tuesday, Tout Far-Right Record
• Virginia senator defends rollback of U.S. banking rules, blames managers for bank failures (“Warner stands by position that 2018 regulation rollbacks weren’t solely to blame for Silicon Valley Bank failure”)
• Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-VA11) Named Most Effective Lawmaker of the 117th Congress (Also, check out the scores for the entire Virginia Congressional delegation)
• How Do State Senate, House of Delegates Members’ 2023 VAPLAN Scores Match Up To Their Districts’ Progressive “Leans?”
• Youngkin marks completion of Virginia’s first LDS temple (“Rich Meagher, associate professor of political science at Randolph-Macon College, said it’s not clear that Youngkin had a particular political goal in attending the event. But he said the governor allying himself to the group could be helpful if Youngkin decides to run for president.”)
• After 81 years, a Virginia military base sheds its Confederate name
• How redistricting has changed our politics: Who benefits most from compact districts? (“In Albemarle County, Democrats benefit from the new maps. In the Roanoke Valley, Republicans might.”)
• State Police vehicles across Virginia will now have red and blue lights, following safety study
• Wegmans, business groups ask Virginia Supreme Court to overturn Hanover ruling
• Flood-Prone Communities in Virginia May Lose a Lifeline if Governor Pulls State Out of Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (“Aside from capping power plant emissions, the RGGI program sustains a state fund that helps coastal towns cope with recurring storms and rising tides.”)
• Youngkin calls for reform to state’s ‘overwhelmed’ mental health system after Otieno’s death
• Video shows Va. deputies pile on top of Irvo Otieno before his death
• Youngkin calls for patience in Otieno murder case (This MAGA Republican now respects the judicial process, huh? OK…)
• Republican Jeanine Lawson announces bid for Prince William board chair (Lawson is a right-wing extremist by pretty much any metric.)
• State Sen. John Cosgrove is ninth senator to retire (This guy is a right wingnut who’s done a lot of damage. Unfortunately, his replacement might not be any better.)
• Interview with Albert Vega, Democrat Challenging Republican Pat Herrity
• Va. teacher shot by 6-year-old describes challenging recovery
• Virginia teacher shot by first grader describes grueling recovery: ‘Some days I can’t get out of bed’
• Virginia teacher allegedly shot by 6-year-old student tells NBC she ‘tries to stay positive’ in first interview since shooting (This headline should read, “In first interview since shooting, Virginia teacher…tells NBC…”)
• Carjacker Leaves Trail of Destruction, Injury in Northern Virginia
• Niche 2023 Best Cities To Live: Find Where Arlington County Ranks (“Arlington jumped from the fourth-best city to live in the 2022 ranking to No. 2 in 2023.”)
• D.C.-area forecast: Mostly sunny 60s spring into action today; 70s possible by Thursday