Wednesday News: “Russian jets force down U.S. drone over Black Sea”; “This is ‘serious damage Ron DeSantis did to the United States’: Retired general”; “GOP embraces a ‘raging misogynist’ identity”; “Despite heated debate, little change in antisemitism protections”

by Lowell

Here are a few international, national and Virginia news headlines, political and otherwise, for Wednesday, March 15.

• A Rush to Mine the Deep Sea Is Underway. It Must Be Stopped.
• Column: East Asia set to win scramble for wind power dominance by 2030 (“China will remain the largest wind producer and top wind capacity developer, but South Korea, Japan and Taiwan will all post faster growth rates than China through 2030”)
• ECB likely to stick to big rate hike despite banking turmoil, source says
• Credit Suisse Default Swaps Signal Increasing Investor Concern
• Russia’s population crisis is making Putin more dangerous (“Vladimir Putin may be seeking military solutions to his country’s demographic decline.”)
• The 4-metre-wide board detailing the entire Russian military chain of command in Ukraine (“Chart used by Ukrainian prosecutors maps hundreds of Russian soldiers all the way up to Vladimir Putin” Prosecute all of these evil @#$!%s.)
• Ukraine’s allies are meeting today to discuss how to bolster dwindling ammunition supplies.
• ‘I Live in Hell’: The Psychic Wounds of Ukraine’s Soldiers (“Inside a psychiatric hospital in Kyiv, the growing mental trauma of the war is written on every soldier’s face.”)
• Russia’s allies are a motley—and shrinking—crew
• Exclusive: Russia’s secret document for destabilizing Moldova
• Three European Nations Push for Lower Price on Russian Oil Cap
• Russian downing of US drone marks escalation of confrontation near war zone
• U.S.-Russia Tensions Flare After Drone’s Collision With Warplane
• Russian jets force down U.S. drone over Black Sea, military says
• US drone crash: A moment fraught with danger
• Moscow defends U.S. drone crash; British and German fighter jets intercept Russian aircraft
• Israelis Are Now Openly Talking About the ‘Total Destruction’ of the Jewish State
• Israel’s Tech Resistance Took Their Money, and Put It Where?
• Putin and Netanyahu Show Why Bad Things Happen to Bad Leaders
• What the Saudi-Iran Deal Means for the Middle East (“Brokered by China, the agreement between the two regional rivals reflects shifting economic—and ideological—alignments.”)
• Pakistani police battle protesters in attempt to arrest opposition leader
• China’s Economy Rebounds, Spurred by Consumption (“Data suggest China’s expected recovery is broadly on track after the country’s zero-Covid exit, adding to signs of resilience in the global economy.”)
• Analysis: Syria rebuilding hopes dim as war enters year 13
• Fossil grid smashed by year of weather extremes, as renewables look smarter than ever
• Environmental groups sue Biden administration over Alaska oil project
• The 72-hour scramble to save the United States from a banking crisis (“The world saw one failing bank. President Biden’s aides saw a great unraveling.”)
• How Washington came to rescue US banks
• Top Senate Democrats press DOJ, SEC to investigate whether Silicon Valley Bank executives broke laws
• What the absurd “woke bank” SVB talking point says about the GOP’s inability to talk about policy
• The Fed Might ‘Fix’ the Economy by Breaking Banks (“Triggering a cascade of bank runs might be an effective way to cool off an economy.”)
• Did the Fed break Silicon Valley Bank?
• Solar companies offer reassurance after renewables financier Silicon Valley Bank collapses
• Silicon Valley Bank marketed itself as a climate tech-friendly bank. How will its collapse impact the industry?
• Republicans Blame the Silicon Valley Bank Collapse on ‘Woke’ Climate Financing. Economists Disagree (Republicans have gone nuts.)
• Executive Order on Reducing Gun Violence and Making Our Communities Safer
• Biden takes executive action on background checks for guns
• It’s Equal Pay Day. The gender pay gap has hardly budged in 20 years. What gives?
• Democrats, led by Warren and Porter, unveil bill to repeal Trump-era bank law
• Chuck Schumer gives campaign donations from Silicon Valley Bank’s ex-CEO, PAC to charity
• “I need a woman who looks like she got punched”: Republicans become more openly pro-abuse (“The GOP embraces a ‘raging misogynist’ identity, backing controlling husbands and the death penalty for abortion”)
• Biden seeks to make Freedom Caucus his foil — and the face of the GOP
• Chris Murphy: Republicans ‘don’t give a crap’ about children or gun violence (Correct.)
• What the Texas judge said in delaying notice of abortion-pill hearing (“U.S. Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk took highly unusual steps to avoid alerting people to the hearing scheduled for Wednesday”)
• In a high-stakes hearing, a judge will consider whether to order an abortion pill off the market
• Donald Trump just called for another coup and hardly anyone even noticed
• He Helps Trump Navigate Legal Peril While Under Scrutiny Himself (“Boris Epshteyn is the latest aide to take on the role of slashing defender of the former president, even as the Justice Department seeks information about him in the Jan. 6 and documents inquiries.”)
• FBI says it has no records related to Trump’s claim he ‘sent’ agents to stop voter fraud in Florida during 2018 election
• This is ‘serious damage Ron DeSantis did to the United States’: Retired general
• Ron DeSantis Doesn’t Get the Fuss Over Ukraine
• DeSantis, Backing Away From Ukraine, Angers G.O.P. Hawks (“The Florida governor, who joined Donald Trump in declaring that defending Ukraine from Russia was not a vital interest, drew swift condemnations from establishment Republicans.”)
• Is Ron DeSantis Flaming Out Already?
• Ron DeSantis Wants to Make It a Felony to Have an Undocumented Person in Your Home or Car (DeSantis is a fascist.)
• DeSantis administration revokes Hyatt Regency Miami alcohol license after it hosted ‘A Drag Queen Christmas’
• Gov. Ron DeSantis’ takeover of New College of Florida puts $29 million in donations at risk
• Norfolk Southern CEO Makes Obligatory Congressional Appearance But Doesn’t Commit to Rail Safety Changes
• Rupert Murdoch allowed Fox to promote a legal theory used to justify overturning the 2020 election that he privately called “ridiculous” (Murdoch is evil.)
• The GOP Is Still Obsessed With Hunter Biden (“After halting a probe into Donald Trump’s taxes, the House Oversight Committee is going full steam ahead on its investigation into the Biden family, having just gained access to suspicious-activity banking reports related to the family.”)
• Ex-intelligence officials challenge the Hunter Biden witch hunt
• North Carolina’s high court seems inclined to toss past redistricting rulings (Appalling.)
• Will George Santos Get a Second Term? (“He thinks so. The congressman has filed paperwork to formally declare his 2024 candidacy.”)
• After facing backlash, Mississippi sheriff now says he hasn’t ruled out foul play in Rasheem Carter’s death
• Meta to Lay Off Another 10,000 Workers
• Michigan Senate approves repeal of right-to-work law
• “Potent” atmospheric river hits California with flooding as thousands evacuate
• Uniquely Evil Minnesota Republican Votes Against Free School Lunches Because “Hunger Is a Relative Term”
• Senate Dems confident they can repeal Iraq war authorizations — despite absences (“Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.), who sponsored the measure along with Sen. Todd Young (R-Ind.), was still confident Tuesday that the measure would pass.”)
• Kaine sponsors bill to ban gun marketing to kids, including scaled down AR-15
• A Step-by-Step Guide to Maintaining – or Even Expanding – the Democratic Majority in the VA State Senate This November
• Redistricting might prevent some state lawmakers from participating in budget special session (“It seems like it’s a very strong constitutional command that if you’re not living in that district, you’re not representing it and probably should not be participating”)
• What this year’s big electric utility bill does
• EPA proposes new PFAS limits for drinking water. Here’s how it could impact Virginia
• State Corporation Commission, with 1 judge and 2 vacancies, falls prey to power politics
• PolitiFact VA: Despite heated debate, little change in antisemitism protections
• Moving companies say Virginia’s net out-migration has stopped. But other data says it’s accelerating.
• Column: Virginia must roll back synthetic cannabinoids
• Video: Public Speakers Rip Isle of Wight County School Board Right-Wing Majority’s “Manifesto”/”Political Agenda” on Systemic Racism, “Teaching About Controversial Issues” (“Just because you say it doesn’t make it a fact”)
• Hemp farmers dismayed by proposed regulations
• Editorial: Amazon hits “pause” (“Amazon’s decision to pause construction on its Northern Virginia headquarters is a setback for the commonwealth, but not a disaster.”)
• An ER Nurse Looks Back on Three Years of Hell
• Sheriff’s office personnel in Va. charged in man’s death, prosecutor says
• Williams: The Hanover School Board is reneging on Gandy school name
• Jody Pyles announces Republican challenge to Del. Jason Ballard
• Justice Dept can seize funds from white supremacist convicted in deadly Charlottesville car attack
• A contentious component removed from Roanoke County school library policy
• Damaged pipe released 2.5 million gallons of wastewater into branch of Elizabeth River, HRSD says
• Tyson still eligible for state incentives for Pittsylvania chicken plant despite Glen Allen closure
• D.C.-area forecast: Sunny, slightly warmer but still windy today; really nice tomorrow