by Lowell
Here are a few international, national and Virginia news headlines, political and otherwise, for Thursday, March 7.
- ‘Explosive growth’ in petrochemical production poses risks to human health
- February was warmest on record globally, say scientists (Totally f’ed up.)
- Banned Wildlife Products Are Rampant on Facebook Marketplace (Wildly unacceptable; Zuckerberg is a f’ing disgrace.)
- Global wind output primed for new peak as spring breezes blow
- U.S. Climate Envoy John Kerry is giving up the job title — but not the fight
- Ten EU countries commit to stop burning fossil fuels by 2035 (“A new analysis published today by civil society campaign Beyond Fossil Fuels finds that ten EU countries – Austria, Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Lithuania, Luxembourg, and the Netherlands – have committed to move their power systems away from fossil fuels by 2035 or sooner – the date determined by the International Energy Agency for European nations to align with the Paris Agreement’s 1.5°C target.”)
- Trump a worse appeaser than Neville Chamberlain, leading Democrat says (“Jim Himes says comparisons between Trump’s attitude to Putin and 1930s PM’s stance on Hitler ‘give Trump way too much credit’”)
- A Looming Disaster at the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant (“At the facility, occupied by Russia for the past two years, employees describe a regime of torture and abuse—and a growing threat of disaster.”)
- Ukraine’s New Phase of War With Russia Is to Dig, Dig, Dig
- ‘We know what’s coming’: East Ukraine braces for Russian advance
- China pledges to deepen Russia ties and criticises US ‘obsession’ with suppressing Beijing
- Scoop: Democrats say Rafah invasion “likely” violates U.S. military aid rules
- Sidelined over Gaza war, Mahmoud Abbas faces growing calls to quit (“Departure of longtime leader would pave way for new elections and much needed reform of Palestinian Authority”)
- Visual Evidence Shows Illegal Settler Construction in West Bank Surging (Not acceptable.)
- The White House tries to steer Israel back onto a two-way street
- Israeli Minister’s Meeting in London Sends a Message to Benjamin Netanyahu (“Discussions between the British foreign secretary, David Cameron, and a popular Israeli minister, Benny Gantz, stressed the frustration of Israel’s allies.”)
- Israeli tank in ‘likely scenario’ fired machine gun at reporters after deadly shelling, report finds
- In the ruins of Gaza, children are starving to death and there’s no cease-fire in sight (This is a totally unacceptable situation – thanks first and foremost to Hamas, but also to Israel’s far-right government.)
- Crew members killed for first time in Houthi attack on commercial ship near Yemen, US officials say
- China Intensifies Push to ‘Delete America’ From Its Technology
- Solar Installations Skyrocket in 2023 in Record-Setting First Full Year of Inflation Reduction Act (2023 marked “first time in 80 years that a renewable electricity source has accounted for over 50% of annual capacity additions.”)
- Big blue cities are embracing conservative anti-crime measures. Here’s why.
- With Colorado ruling, the court displays an ‘originalism of convenience’ (“Intellectual flexibility is something to applaud. Too bad it appears to be just another means to an end.”)
- US House Passes “major appropriations bill, halfway through FY24”; “Democrats provided the votes – from the minority – to prevent a shutdown, again”
- House passes $460 billion package of spending bills. Senate expected to act before shutdown deadline
- How a Republic Survives (“As fractured as our nation is now, it was worse in 1800. As deep as our nation’s trouble may be today, it was deeper in 1864. There is a way out of this.”)
- Democrats’ State of the Union guests put reproductive rights in spotlight
- Biden’s allies are begging him to fight harder. The State of the Union is his chance to do so.
- Dark Brandon in the House
- In State of the Union, Biden Will Cheer the Economy and Draw a Contrast With Trump
- “He Oughta Fight Back”: The Stakes of the State of the Union (“On top of touting his administration’s record and blasting Donald Trump, the president must demonstrate his own mental agility. ‘The expectations at this point,’ one strategist says, ‘are that this guy is drooling in his soup. And he’s not.'”)
- Billionaire, Corporate Tax Hikes Will Be Focus of Biden Speech
- Ahead of the State of the Union, Voters Support Biden’s Agenda and Accomplishments Despite Low Awareness
- Exclusive: Biden plans feisty economic reset
- Speaker Johnson urges GOP lawmakers to maintain decorum at State of the Union
- President Biden faces pivotal 2024 State of the Union, chance to reset race against Trump
- Scoop: Biden campaign’s plan of attack
- Trump RNC ‘purge’ has some committee members nervous
- How Trump’s Crushing Primary Triumph Masked Quiet Weaknesses
- Donald Trump’s Pants-Pissingly Terrifying Plans for a Second Term (“Mass deportations, large-scale detention camps, political prosecutions, and the end of abortion as we know it are just some of the things to expect.”)
- America has never had a presumptive nominee like Donald Trump (“His demonstrated record of contempt for democratic institutions means that the country’s political, legal and constitutional guardrails are facing a severe new test from a GOP candidate who could be a convicted felon by Election Day and who may see restored executive power as a tool to thwart federal prosecutions.”)
- With Trump as the presumptive nominee, MAGA media are framing the election as a referendum on mass deportations
- Republicans Are Lining Up To Wave White Flags, Swear Fealty To Trump
- In An Alternate Universe, Trump Is Disgraced And Gone Forever – But Not In Ours
- The battle is on for Nikki Haley’s supporters
- Nikki Haley’s Will-She-or-Won’t-She Trump Endorsement
- Nikki Haley never had a chance — as Republicans’ bonkers candidate for North Carolina governor shows
- Pro-Haley super PAC relaunches as ‘Haley Voters for Biden’
- McConnell endorses Trump for president. He once blamed Trump for ‘disgraceful’ Jan. 6, 2021, attack (McConnell is a f’ing disgrace.)
- It’s not money that Elon Musk is contributing to Donald Trump
- Dean Phillips suspends 2024 presidential campaign
- Maddow says MSNBC ‘irresponsible’ to broadcast Trump victory speech
- Mark Robinson’s Bizarre Ramble: ‘I Absolutely Want To Go Back To The America Where Women Couldn’t Vote’
- MAGA extremists are celebrating Mark Robinson’s antisemitism and extremism. Mainstream outlets are downplaying it. (“The North Carolina gubernatorial candidate has denied the Holocaust, called abortion murder, and made numerous other antisemitic and anti-LGBTQ remarks”)
- Mark Robinson, the North Carolina GOP nominee for governor, is off the rails even by MAGA standards (“Robinson has denied the Holocaust, opposed women’s suffrage, threatened to use his AR-15 against the government, and more.”)
- Warner compares inaction on Ukraine aid to Neville Chamberlain’s appeasement in WWII
- Video: Sen. Mark Warner on What President Biden Should Do in State of the Union Address; the Need to Stand by Ukraine; Hopes for a Ceasefire in Gaza; Economic “Good News”; etc.
- Rep. Jen Kiggans (R-VA02) “Bends the Knee” to Donald Trump, “who called fallen American heroes ‘losers’ and ‘suckers’” (“Kiggans continues to cave to Donald Trump as she falls in line with far-right extremists whose sole mission is to undermine our democracy”)
- Sen. Tim Kaine’s State of the Union guest: America’s first IVF baby
- Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin endorses Trump for president
- Va. lawmakers to remove arena from budget, blocking Youngkin’s best shot for it
- By the numbers: Documents reveal possible financial impact, risks of $2 billion arena project
- Top Virginia Senate negotiator vows to keep Alexandria arena out of the budget
- Commentary: Who loses in the Alexandria arena deal? Taxpayers
- Sam Shirazi: Virginia “Super Tuesday” Recap – Strengths, Warning Signs, etc.
- Listen: What the Super Tuesday results say about the Virginia electorate
- Bill intended to smooth the way for broadband expansion in Virginia heads to Youngkin
- Virginia lawmakers pass competing proposals to encourage small modular reactor development (Big mistake – the Senate needs to kill this!)
- Contraception coverage bills sent to Youngkin’s desk
- Video: Del. Jackie Glass (D-Norfolk) – “I want them to feel uncomfortable…I want them to know and feel like we all know, because there are women choking, holding water [for each other]” (“Just as black culture has ‘the talk’ and we have ‘the nod’, women in these cultures and these institutions have the brief stare, the fake smile…”)
- Lawmakers want Virginians to eat more blue catfish
- Wind turbine farm could be visible from shore, so Dominion will compensate Virginia Beach
- Judge sets aside verdict against former Loudoun schools chief
- What experts say is likely causing the mysterious whale deaths along our coast
- Deputy fired in 2022 for refusing to wear mask sues Hanover Sheriff
- Fairfax Connector agreement ends two-week bus strike
- D.C.-area forecast: Clearing and mild for next two days; more rain Saturday
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