by Lowell
Here are a few international, national and Virginia news headlines, political and otherwise, for Saturday, March 16.
- Scientists divided over whether record heat is acceleration of climate crisis (“Some believe global anomalies are in line with predictions but others are more concerned by speed of change”)
- Ukraine strikes Russian city and refinery on day two of presidential vote
- Russians cast ballots on Day 2 of an election preordained to extend Putin’s rule (This “election” is a complete joke.)
- In Occupied Ukraine, Casting a Vote for Vladimir Putin as Armed Soldiers Watch (“Russia is holding a presidential vote in parts of the country to try to legitimize its rule there, expose dissenters and present a veneer of democracy.” Evil.)
- How the House could save Ukraine, with or without Speaker Johnson’s help
- In Belgorod, Russian city hit hardest by war, Putin is still running strong (“Anti-Kremlin militias attacked ahead of Russia’s presidential election aiming to show that Vladimir Putin can’t protect his country, but residents said the strategy was backfiring.”)
- Ukraine war briefing: another Russian oil refinery burns after drone strikes
- Has Putin’s Invasion of Ukraine Improved His Standing in Russia? (“As Russians go to the polls, the economy is booming and the public feels hopeful about the future. But the politics of Putinism still depend on the absence of any means to challenge it.”)
- The Earthquake That Could Shatter Netanyahu’s Coalition (“Israel’s ultra-Orthodox don’t serve in its armed forces. That’s getting harder than ever to justify.”)
- Biden says Schumer made ‘good speech’ in breaking with Benjamin Netanyahu (“President also condemns US surge in Islamophobia in comments that could portend broader shift in sentiment towards Gaza war”)
- Schumer’s Israel rebuke leaves AIPAC in a delicate position (“Democrats are under pressure from their base to push back on Israel, and it’s making things uncomfortable between AIPAC and some longtime allies in the party.”)
- Netanyahu approves Rafah attack plans as aid ship reaches Gaza (“Israeli PM’s decision may be intended to put negotiating pressure on Hamas, observers say, after his cabinet discussed truce proposal”)
- A Watershed Moment for the Politics of Israel, Courtesy of Chuck Schumer
- ‘Practically Fasting for Months’: Gazans Struggle to Celebrate Ramadan
- Aid reaches shore in Gaza after first sea delivery (“The first shipment of food aid is unloaded, but how it will be distributed in Gaza remains unclear.”)
- Brazil military leaders told police Bolsonaro plotted to remain in power despite election defeat (Bolsonaro should be in prison for the rest of his life, as should Trump.)
- US Probing Indian Billionaire Gautam Adani and His Group Over Potential Bribery
- Inside Haiti: A lucky few escape, while millions face gang rule, hunger and chaos (“All roads leading out of Haiti’s capital city are blocked, and nothing is coming in – as grocery stores run out of food and gas stations out of fuel”)
- Tensions and desperation are growing on the border between Haiti and the Dominican Republic
- This Was the Hottest Winter on Record—but What Does That Mean? (“The country saw rain in many regions instead of snow, southern tornadoes, a midwest heat patch, and ice receding from lakes and ponds.”)
- The 6% commission on buying or selling a home is gone after Realtors association agrees to seismic settlement (“In a sweeping move expected to dramatically reduce the cost of buying and selling a home, the National Association of Realtors announced Friday a settlement with groups of homesellers, agreeing to end landmark antitrust lawsuits by paying $418 million in damages and eliminating rules on commissions…By some estimates, real estate commissions are expected to fall 25% to 50%, according to TD Cowen Insights. This will open up opportunities for alternative models of selling real estate that already exist but don’t have much market share, including flat-fee and discount brokerages.”)
- The Supreme Court’s puzzling decision to allow the government to ban drag shows, explained (“This is a serious blow to the First Amendment and a victory for a notoriously anti-LGBTQ judge.”)
- Supreme Court denies ‘thousands’ of inmates a chance at shorter sentences
- Supreme Court declines to take up Texas university’s drag show ban
- Trump’s Awful Week – Calling for Cuts to Social Security and Medicare, Praising Hitler, Purging the RNC, Gaffes, etc.
- Mike Pence Says He Won’t Endorse Donald Trump For President
- Pence says he ‘cannot in good conscience’ endorse Trump
- Mike Pence ran with Donald Trump in 2016 and 2020. In 2024, he won’t even endorse him
- Trump hush money trial delayed until at least April, judge rules
- Donald Trump wanted trial delays, and he’s getting them. Hush-money case is latest to be put off (The justice system has disastrously failed with regard to Trump.)
- How Trump Got Michael Cohen’s Emails Over DA Objections (“The former president’s maneuver is fueling a crisis in the Manhattan DA’s hush-money case.”)
- Eight Possible Explanations — Many Bad, Some Good — for SDNY’s Delay in Turning Over Cohen Files
- “Absolutely shocking”: Experts worry “astonishing” delay could derail Trump’s NY trial entirely (“Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg’s push for a 30-day delay may end up scuttling the trial completely, law professor warns”)
- 5 sticking points in the fight to avert a shutdown
- Mike Johnson Suddenly Seems Ready to Stick a Shiv in MAGA (“Poor Mike Johnson is in quite a bind. The House speaker simply doesn’t have a governing majority: It is borderline impossible to pass anything with only Republican votes, because the hard-right MAGA bloc wants to thwart governing at all costs.”)
- Bernie Sanders Tells People to Suck It Up and Vote for Biden Because the Alternative Is Living in Hell (“If you believe Donald Trump’s first term was dangerous, I want you to think for a moment about what a second term would look like.”)
- Democrats should recognize their very real advantages (“Biden’s true advantages make it more likely he will reach, inspire and persuade more voters than Trump. That, after all, is what campaigns are all about.”)
- Lara Trump says she wants to hire QAnon conspiracy theorist Scott Presler to work for the RNC (The GOP is a *totally* normal political party!)
- Trump aide Peter Navarro asks Supreme Court to keep him out of prison
- Nathan Wade resigns as lead prosecutor in Trump Ga. case
- Nathan Wade resigns from Trump Georgia case following judge’s ruling
- Laura Ingraham Apologizes for Graphic of Wrong Black Lawyer
- Trump and Democrats Are Pulling for the Same Troubled Candidate in Ohio’s GOP Senate Primary (“Ahead of the state’s primary Tuesday, ‘America First’ candidate Bernie Moreno has received a groundswell of support from the former president and a Democratic Party-aligned PAC, with the latter considering him the weakest Republican in the race.”)
- Justice Ginsburg’s Family Decries Bestowing RBG Award on Elon Musk and Rupert Murdoch (Musk and Murdoch are both antithetical to everything Ruth Bader Ginsburg stood for.)
- It’s Not Just Sandy Hook. Aaron Rodgers Has Some Very Strange Thoughts About…Buildings. (The guy’s completely unhinged.)
- United Airlines Flight Arrives at Oregon Airport Missing an External Panel (“No one realized that the panel from the plane, a Boeing 737-800, was missing until it had landed safely, the airline said.”)
- Moms for Liberty to advise librarians on book removals in Florida (That’s completely insane.)
- SBF Considered ‘Coming Out as a Republican’ Amid FTX Collapse
- Mainstream G.O.P. Group to Target Bob Good As It Shifts Mission and Members
- Trump-Endorsing Rep. Jen Kiggans (R-VA02) Will Be “Special Guest” at Fundraiser for Insurrectionist John McGuire (Who Is Primarying Kiggans’ Republican Colleague, Bob Good) (Kiggans, who has lurched to the far right, is also tight with the odious Rep. Elise Stefanik, who’s auditioning to be Trump’s running mate)
- Senate intel chair to TikTok users: ‘We don’t want to take away the experience’ (“The chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee, U.S. Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., said that he’s encouraged by new efforts from U.S. investors to purchase social media platform TikTok.”)
- Virginia Lawmakers Try to Use Budget to Rejoin RGGI – But Success Is Questionable
- Glenn Youngkin’s Most Extreme, Bizarre Appointment Yet? Extremist Yesli Vega – Who Doubts Pregnancy After Rape – to the State Board of Health?!? (FAR from being a “moderate,” Youngkin just keeps going further and further off the MAGA deep end.)
- The session is over, but there are big disagreements on the state budget
- TikTok ban sails through Congress but stumbled in Richmond
- Wetlands (Such as Evans Spring in Roanoke) Prevent Flooding After Extreme Weather Events; Virginia Needs to Protect Them
- Virginia lawmakers send letter to USPS Inspector General regarding Richmond center’s mail issues
- EPA: Richmond medical sterilizers must slash emissions of harmful gas by 90%
- Williams: Petersburg’s schools need leadership, not a disappearing act
- Some Loudoun Co. parents concerned by earlier elementary school start times, board member says
- D.C.-area forecast: Still warm this weekend ahead of a cooler early week
