by Lowell
Here are a few international, national and Virginia news headlines, political and otherwise, for Thursday, March 26.
- US has caused $10tn worth of climate damage since 1990, research finds (“US, top carbon emitter in history, has ‘a lot of responsibility’ for causing ‘substantial’ harm globally, scientist says”)
- Trump’s war may hasten the end of oil and gas dependence
- ‘A toxic punch’: fears Russia’s war is pushing the Black Sea and its dolphins past tipping point (“As species vanish and the unique ecosystem radically changes, Ukrainian scientists can only wait until it is safe to properly assess the damage” HORRIBLE.)
- Pentagon considers diverting Ukraine military aid to the Mideast (WILDLY unacceptable!)
- Trump Draws Bipartisan Backlash for Easing Oil Sanctions on Russia and Iran
- Exclusive: US links security guarantees to Ukraine giving up Donbas, Zelenskiy says (F*** that!)
- Ukraine’s unique role in the Iran war
- Trump’s ‘absurdly incoherent’ Iran pleas leave allies befuddled (“European countries have ruled out helping secure the Strait of Hormuz until the conflict is over — but also haven’t received any specific requests for assistance from the U.S.”)
- Trump Tells Aides He Wants Speedy End to Iran War (“President has said he wants to wrap up the conflict in the coming weeks”)
- Pentagon prepares for massive “final blow” of Iran war (“The Pentagon is developing military options for a ‘final blow’ in Iran that could include the use of ground forces and a massive bombing campaign, according to two U.S. officials and two sources with knowledge.”)
- Iran Is Applying the Lessons of Russia’s Drone Warfare Against America (“Technologies that the U.S. is only beginning to adopt could dominate the battlefield if Trump orders a ground operation”)
- Israel says it has killed Iran’s navy chief overseeing Strait of Hormuz blockade
- Gulf countries want Trump to end the war in Iran — but not yet, officials say (“The Saudis and Emiratis fear any deal that leaves the region less stable, and they have indicated support for an escalated campaign to force concessions from Tehran.”)
- The U.S. and Iran Are Fighting a Massively Asymmetrical War (“The Strait of Hormuz presents a classic war theater for an insurgency to bog down superior forces.”)
- Obstacles to ending war come into focus as US and Iran outline starkly different demands
- Gulf states’ scepticism over alleged US-Iran talks signals a distrust of Trump (Nobody in their right mind would EVER trust Trump – on ANYTHING!)
- Gulf states say they’re ready for ‘self defense’ as stance shifts on Iran war
- WHO warns of health crisis ‘unfolding in real time’ across Middle East
- Middle East crisis live: Trump criticises Nato allies as US and Iran issue conflicting statements on ceasefire talks (Screw Trump.)
- Trump’s Threats to Europe Put Its Leaders in a Double Bind Over Iran (“European politicians risk angering voters if they join the war. Yet they could also face domestic upheaval if they take no action to reopen shipping routes.”)
- Top Republican attacks Pentagon for not providing details on Iran (“The House Armed Services Committee chair said the department owes lawmakers more information about the administration’s plans for U.S. troops in the Middle East.”)
- As Trump’s Iran War Stretches To A Month, Rubio And Vance Remain Curiously Quiet
- ‘Freaked people out’: Iran war could crimp Gulf allies’ US investments
- Trump confirms May meeting with Xi Jinping as Iran war forces postponement
- Trump’s Ambivalence on Taiwan Opens a Historic Opportunity for China (“Deterring an attack on the island has been a bedrock American policy for 75 years. Xi Jinping sees a chance to change that.”)
- Strike on alleged drug vessel kills four in the Caribbean, US military says (Key word: “alleged”)
- TSA staffing shortage and upcoming World Cup will create ‘perfect storm’, warns acting head
- DOJ says it erroneously relied on ICE memo to justify immigration courthouse arrests (“The Justice Department said the memo ‘does not and has never applied to civil immigration enforcement actions in or near’ immigration courts.”)
- Trump’s move to send ICE to airports fails to break impasse or end long lines
- ICE at the airport is just the beginning (“The expansion of enforcement inside U.S. travel hubs is less about immigration than about normalizing surveillance”)
- For 2nd Time, an Appeals Court Backs the Trump Administration’s Detention Policy
- How Trump is complicating TSA funding (“What Trump wants from a DHS funding measure, briefly explained.”)
- Senate locked in staring contest on DHS as insults fly
- Graham vows to plow ahead with reconciliation for defense, homeland funding (“There are early GOP doubts about passing another party-line bill.”)
- Missed paychecks and airport delays: Pressure mounts on Congress to end the funding shutdown
- Wormy Food, Intimidating Guards, Sick Kids: Inside ICE’s Only Family Detention Center (“First-person accounts paint a bleak picture of the Dilley Immigration Processing Center in Texas.” EVIL.)
- Trump says Justices Barrett, Gorsuch ‘sicken me’ after Supreme Court tariff ruling
- Prominent Climate Scientist Resigns From NASA, Citing Trump’s Attack on Science (“Kate Marvel, a well-known author, joins an estimated 95,000 people who have left federal science agencies since President Trump returned to the White House.” Ugh.)
- Trump’s attacks on offshore wind could hurt infrastructure spending across the economy
- With Their Voter Bill Stymied, G.O.P. Leaders Ponder a Plan B
- The Next Financial Shock to Come From Trump’s War With Iran (“America’s current credit rating masks a fatal contradiction, and a downgrade is the only honest assessment of an empire in decline.”)
- A Legal Decision That Could Change Social Media (“Jurors found Meta and Google liable for building apps that inflicted mental-health problems on a teenager, and similar lawsuits are on the horizon.”)
- Big Tech critics hail ‘Big Tobacco moment’ in landmark social media verdict
- Meta and YouTube designed addictive products that harmed young people, jury finds
- Big tech reckoning: Meta fined $375m in landmark case
- MAHA Surgeon General Pick Hits Republican Opposition in Senate (“Standstill leaves no obvious path for Casey Means to be confirmed to the role”)
- RFK Jr. Is Losing His Grip on the CDC (“The Trump administration seems to be putting MAHA on notice.”)
- Jack Smith memo includes ‘damning evidence’ about Trump’s handling of classified documents, top Democrat says (“The memo, obtained by NBC News, suggested Trump took classified documents accessible to just a handful of government officials and materials related to business interests.”)
- Why Am I Not Surprised by What’s in the New Records from the Trump Documents Case? (“Not like Pam Bondi is going to do anything about the latest evidence against the president anyway.”)
- It’s Not Trump. It’s America.
- More Voters Think War With Iran Will Make The World Less Safe, Quinnipiac University National Poll Finds; Healthcare Costs Top List Of Financial Concerns For Voters
- Trump Gets His Highest Disapproval Rating Ever in Fox News Poll (“A whopping 59% of respondents said they disapprove of Trump’s performance as president, with 47% saying they strongly disapprove. The 59% disapproval figure is the highest Trump has received in a Fox News poll. Only 41% of Americans said they approve”)
- Legacy outlets that bent the knee to Trump haven’t just lost credibility — they’re bleeding readers and viewers (“Trumpism is bad for business: CBS News ratings are in a tailspin six months into Bari Weiss’ tenure”)
- Postal Service to Impose Its First-Ever Fuel Surcharge on Packages (“The 8% fee, to cover rising fuel and transportation costs, will be applied to packages but not the mail, as the agency looks to stabilize its finances”)
- Trump housing official seeks new DOJ prosecution of Letitia James (“Federal Housing Finance Agency Director Bill Pulte made two criminal referrals that allege the New York attorney general committed insurance fraud.”)
- Where Are All the Campus Protests? (“Two years ago, students occupied buildings and colonized the quad. Now the same places are strangely silent.”)
- Inside the GOP struggle with bigotry among young activists (“Many Republicans dismiss such party members even as white supremacists like Nick Fuentes gain popularity, but there’s growing unease at their presence in the rank and file.”)
- DOJ to pay ex-Trump adviser Michael Flynn $1M to settle malicious prosecution suit: Sources (Outrageous, wildly unacceptable, f’ed up, etc.)
- Justice Department settles lawsuit from Trump ally Michael Flynn for $1.2 million, AP source says
- Post Mar-a-Lago flip, Florida and national Democrats dream big for midterms (“‘My message to Republicans is this: Your district is in danger,’ said Florida Democratic Party Chair Nikki Fried.”)
- Special election shocker has Florida Republicans nervous about redistricting (“There’s no way to get there without significantly weakening some districts”)
- Video: Sen. Mark Warner Sounds Alarm on Rising Energy Costs, Broader Economic Impacts of Trump’s “War of Choice” with Iran (“The International Energy Agency…has already called the effective closure of the Strait the worst global energy disruption in history”)
- Exclusive: Sen. Warner calls AI data center moratorium championed by AOC “idiocy” (“… adding that it would grant China an edge in the race to dominate artificial intelligence.”)
- Video: VA Gov. Abigail Spanberger Hits the Airwaves Urging Virginians to Vote YES on Redistricting Amendment (“It’s directly in response to…a president who says he’s, quote, ‘entitled’ to more Republican seats before this year’s midterms.”)
- Video: Del. Marcus Simon, Fmr. VA Redistricting Commission Member James Abrenio Say Victory for the “YES” Campaign on 4/21 Is NOT a Done Deal (Rs Are “Frustrated and Angry” About Gun Legislation, etc.; Dems can’t get complacent)
- Virginia Democratic veterans rally for ‘yes’ vote in redistricting referendum (“’If you look at our voter scores right now, the last cycle in 2025 at the same point of early voting, we were about 60-40 in voter profiles. Right now, it’s like 59-41,’ Scott said. ‘We’re good. I feel very good about this election.'”)
- Abigail Spanberger faces a national test with Virginia redistricting (“Democrats are starting to worry they could lose the April special election, with the GOP seeing strong early voting turnout.” Another misleading media story.)
- AG Jay Jones Joins Coalition of 24 States, DC, etc. in Challenging Trump EPA’s Unlawful Rollback of 2009 Greenhouse Gas Endangerment Finding (“While the Trump administration continues to try to convince us that up is down and down is up, we cannot allow them to dismiss decades of evidence gathered by the scientific community”)
- AG Jones joins multi-state lawsuit over EPA’s repeal of landmark car emissions determination
- Governor Abigail Spanberger Signs Executive Order to Rejoin ERIC and Strengthen Virginia’s Election Integrity (“Executive action reverses Virginia’s 2023 withdrawal from ERIC and reinstates a key tool for maintaining accurate voter registration records across the Commonwealth.”)
- Spanberger plans to rejoin ERIC
- Gov. Spanberger signs order to ensure fair, secure, and accurate Virginia elections (“Virginia is rejoining an interstate compact that helps election officials keep the voting rolls up to date and efficient.”)
- VA Gov. Abigail Spanberger Announces New Cabinet-Level Chief Energy Officer, Josephus Allmond (Allmond talks about VA Democratic “agenda that’s focused on clean, affordable, and reliable energy over the next four years”)
- Allmond joins Spanberger administration as first ever Chief Energy Officer in Virginia
- Virginia free clinics fear budget cuts following drop in federal support
- Virginians say Trump administration policies are making their lives more difficult (“‘A lot of middle-class people and lower-middle-class people are struggling so much that they are essentially in poverty,’ said Laura Buller, a dog groomer in Charlottesville.”)
- ‘My land is valuable’: Valley Link power transmission proposal meets a growing, organized resistance (“Opponents of the proposed 115-mile, 765-kilovolt transmission line say it would harm their property, their communities, the environment and their health. The project’s developers say it’s necessary to meet growing electricity demand and keep the grid reliable.”)
- After past vetoes, Democratic-controlled legislature sends Virginia Equal Pay Act to governor (“Bill aims to bar salary history questions, requires pay ranges in job postings and allows workers to sue employers as part of broader push to close the wage gap between genders.”)
- How Fairfax Co. supervisors feel about possible Tysons casino project
- Richmond Mayor Avula hosts format-breaking State of the City
- In State of the City address, Avula touts rezoning, vape shop closures, new ballpark
- Roanoke City Public Schools cuts 170 positions to address budget shortfall (“More than 100 of the cuts will come from existing vacancies, resignations and retirements. The rest – about 65 – will affect current employees, with about half that number losing their jobs and the other half being shifted into new roles.”)
- Package of YIMBY housing bills may widen options for redevelopment in Arlington
- Williams: Richmond, and the planet, lose an activist and a friend
- CWG Live: Brief surge of warmth today, then a sharp drop in temperatures Friday (“Showers are possible tonight, with periods of rain a good bet tomorrow.”)
