by Lowell
Here are a few international, national and Virginia news headlines, political and otherwise, for Monday, March 24.
- Why solar and batteries are the new “baseload”, and now the engine room of the energy transition (“One of the world’s biggest investors in renewable energy infrastructure says the falling cost of solar and batteries is pushing the green energy transition to a ‘tipping point’, and will underpin the future of energy hungry smelters and refiners and the development of massive new green metals industries.”)
- Trump’s expansionism threatens the rules-based order in place since second world war (“UN charter says members ‘shall refrain from the threat or use of force’ against a country’s territory or independence”)
- Trump turbulence leads allies to rethink reliance on U.S. weapons
- Ukraine and Russia Had Cease-Fires Before. The Killing Didn’t Stop.
- Trump envoy dismisses Starmer plan for Ukraine
- US-Russia officials holding Ukraine talks in Saudi, as Russian drone attacks continue
- Ukraine war briefing: US seeking Black Sea ceasefire in talks with Russia in Saudi Arabia
(“Wide gulf remains between US and Russian expectations for a ceasefire; US envoy dismisses UK PM’s Ukraine plans as ‘a posture and a pose’. What we know on day 1,125”) - U.S.’s Russia Envoy Echoes Kremlin’s Views on Ukraine Ahead of Peace Talks (This is waaayyy beyond appalling.)
- For Russia, Trump Has a Lot to Offer, Even Without a Ukraine Deal (“Moscow sees economic and geopolitical benefits in humoring President Trump’s push for a cease-fire in Ukraine. But the Kremlin’s war aims haven’t shifted.”)
- India-China relations: Modi’s hope for a thaw amid uncertain geopolitics
- Israel kills Hamas official being treated at Gaza hospital
- Sudan’s Military Sweeps Across Capital, Hoping to Turn the War (“A New York Times reporter and photographer were the first Western journalists to visit central Khartoum since the civil war broke out two years ago.”)
- Erdogan Bets World Will Turn a Blind Eye to Turmoil in Turkey
- Fierce protests in Turkey after Erdogan rival jailed
- Greenland Officials Express Fury Over Trump’s Plan to Send Delegation
- Second lady Usha Vance to visit Greenland as Trump continues threats (Usha Vance is a collaborator. Disgraceful.)
- Danish police fly extra forces to Greenland ahead of second lady Usha Vance’s visit
- Greenland’s prime minister slams ‘highly aggressive’ visit by US officials, including second lady Usha Vance
- In Canada, I saw how Trump is ripping North America apart – and how hard its bond will be to repair
- Trump vs. Canada: Prime Minister Carney calls snap election to take on president
- Paris votes on making 500 streets car-free, in test for green city policies
- South Korea court reinstates PM as acting leader (“South Korea remains on tenterhooks for another upcoming decision by the same court – on the impeachment of President Yoon. Lawmakers voted to impeach Yoon on 14 December, but it is ultimately up to the constitutional court to decide.”)
- Venezuela Accepts Flight Carrying Deportees From U.S. for First Time in Weeks
- Noem to visit El Salvador prison that took in hundreds of deported criminals: ‘Clear message’ (Evil.)
- Trump Wants to Force Immigrants to Share Their Social Media Handles When Applying for Citizenship
- IRS Prepares To Provide Addresses of Some Undocumented Taxpayers To Immigration Enforcement (“It is a complete betrayal of 30 years of the government telling immigrants to file their taxes”)
- Deportations Haven’t Surged Under Trump. But Here’s How They’ve Changed.
- Attorney General Pam Bondi says Supreme Court could get involved in Alien Enemies Act case
- White House Narrows April 2 Tariffs (“Tariffs on industrial sectors like cars and microchips are no longer expected to be announced on that date, though major trading partners will still be hit with so-called reciprocal tariffs”)
- ‘The goal is to disassemble public health’: experts warn against US turn to vaccine skepticism (“As measles sickens hundreds and health secretary RFK Jr spreads dubious information, experts sound the alarm”)
- The frog of democracy is nearly boiled. We can still jump out of the pot
- Refusing to Be Complicit (redux) (“In his first week, the newly inaugurated president proved (once again) that he rejects our laws, values and principles. It’s a mistake for Democrats to try and work with him.”)
- Law Firms Scramble to Avoid Being Trump’s Next Target (Pitiful.)
- Brad Karp’s Email To Paul Weiss About Its Deal With The Trump Administration
- Pam Bondi warns Jasmine Crockett to ‘tread very carefully’ in what she says about Elon Musk
- Ed Martin Is Trampling the Rule of Law. And He Won’t Shut Up About It. (“Trump’s loyal prosecutor is weaponizing the DOJ—one typo at a time.”)
- Trump moves closer to court crisis
- Trump’s assault on elites encompasses almost every aspect of American life
- Trump’s defiance of court orders is ‘testing the fences’ of the rule of law (“Administration’s ‘unprecedented degree of resistance’ to judiciary undercuts its authority and weakens democracy”)
- 2 months into Trump’s second administration, the news industry faces challenges from all directions
- Universities Sprint from ‘We Will Not Cower’ to Appeasing Trump (“With much of their funding at stake, schools are quietly hiring lobbyists and reaching out to politicians amid Washington’s quest to rein in academia”)
- Concerns about espionage rise as Trump and Musk fire thousands of federal workers
- From “Mar-a-Lago face” to uncanny AI art: MAGA loves ugly in submission to Trump (“One of the swiftest ways to ‘trigger’ the liberals is looking awful”)
- Pelosi Privately Urged Hakeem Jeffries to ‘Use Your Power’ (“With many in the party viewing Chuck Schumer as having caved to Trump, it may create an opportunity for the House minority leader to step up”)
- Schumer says he won’t step down as Senate Democratic leader despite government funding uproar
- AOC tries to broaden her appeal within a Democratic base spoiling for a fight
- Congress Is Searching for Trillions of Dollars in Cuts. Will the Oil Industry’s Tax Breaks Skate By?
- Four hurdles facing Republicans as they shift focus to a bill to pass Trump’s agenda (“Medicaid cuts, a potential $4.6 trillion asterisk, a House-Senate divide and a major debt ceiling question loom over House Speaker Johnson’s push to pass the massive bill by Easter.”)
- House vs. Senate tensions jam up the Trump agenda (“To show quick progress, lawmakers will have to make a host of difficult decisions in the coming weeks.”)
- Tesla Is Burning: All the Terrible News for Elon Musk’s EV Company
- Mia Love, First Black Republican Woman Elected to Congress, Dies at 49
- Former Rep. Barbara Comstock (R-VA10) Joins Amicus Brief Calling Trump’s Invocation of Alien Enemies Act “unprecedented and dangerous…will endanger the liberties of every person in the US” (Others signing include Michael Hayden, George Conway, Bill Kristol, Ty Cobb, etc.)
- Youngkin greeted by protestors at recreation of Patrick Henry’s famous speech
- Video: Youngkin Loudly Booed at “No Kings in America” Protest “after leaving St. John’s Church [in Richmond] for the 250th anniversary of Patrick Henry’s Give Me Liberty or Give Me Death speech” (Bonus: “Senator Ghazala Hashmi giving a fiery speech in the bed ofa pickup truck with an upsidedown USA flag”)
- Va. Democrats criticize Trump’s order to close education department as governor touts readiness (Right, and the job of the media should be to clearly inform its readers, including RIGHT IN THE HEADLINE, which one is true – in this case, the Democrats, not pathological liar Youngkin.)
- Trump is forcing Northern Virginia to reinvent its economy. Here’s what that means for the rest of the state.
- Youngkin can strengthen Virginia’s energy grid by signing virtual power plant legislation
- Legal battles continue for Mountain Valley Pipeline foes
- Youngkin wants controversial U-Va. board member to resign, people familiar say (“Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R) is seeking the removal of Bert Ellis, who has so far refused to step down.”)
- Former US Attorney Jessica Aber had ‘medical issue’ prior to unexpected death: source
- CWG Live updates: Morning showers, then decreasing clouds; cooler midweek
********************************************************
Sign up for the Blue Virginia weekly newsletter
