Tuesday (9/1) News Roundup: “Nepal’s glacial collapse foreshadowed a future of climate disaster”; Trump’s Super-Sleazy Venezuela Deal

by Lowell

Here are a few international, national and Virginia news headlines, political and otherwise, for Tuesday, September 1.  Today’s biggest developments and headlines include the climate crisis (always at the top of these news highlights because it’s existential and should be a massive story every single day)…plus lots more…see below. Also, check out Jamelle Bouie’s latest video, “It looks like Democrats are getting serious about Supreme Court reform” (and it’s about f’ing time!).

INTERNATIONAL NEWS (Climate crisis/Nepal/fisheries/etc.; “US irks G20 ministers by bringing back Russia, barring journalists”; “Trump’s Venezuela oil deal is even sleazier than you think”; “Trump Is Growing Desperate on Iran”; Majority of Americans oppose Trump’s new Canada tariffs, renaming Lake Ontario, Reuters/Ipsos poll finds”; etc.)

• Nepal death toll crosses 1,000 as rescuers race to find workers trapped in mud-filled tunnels
• ‘The mountains are changing’: What the floods tell us about the future of India’s Himalayas (“As families await news of missing loved ones, the disaster is a stark reminder of how the climate crisis is creating a fast-growing threat.”)
• Nepal’s glacial collapse foreshadowed a future of climate disaster (“The deluge capped a summer of extreme climate events, from deadly heatwaves to wildfires. We must take action now”)
• Nepal-Tibet floods: warning signs visible before glacier collapse, report says, as death toll passes 1,000 (“Scientists say better early-warning system could have saved lives, as rescue efforts for the 4,500 still missing continue”)
• A Principal Saved 900 Children Before His School Was Washed Away in Nepal (“Rajendra Dawadi had less than 15 minutes to act on a warning of approaching floodwaters. His swift evacuation plan saved hundreds of lives.”)
• Large fisheries declines linked to compound and extreme climate events
• Cities sweltering and the smell of the middle ages: has the climate crisis killed Instagram’s Euro summer?
• From Bill Gates to Bernie Sanders, most agree the AI arms race is disastrous. Only Europe can make it stop (“An EU export ban on Dutch tech giant ASML’s machines could force the pause we all need”)
• Global bond yields soar to multi-decade highs as Middle East turmoil reignites inflation fears
• Global Bond Selloff Sends Yields to the Highest Level Since 2008 (“Rising oil prices fueled inflation concerns and investors ramped up expectations that the Fed will raise interest rates.”)
• Many of the tech billionaires who built our world have taken the wrong lessons from their favorite science fiction. (“Many of the tech billionaires who built our world have taken the wrong lessons from their favorite science fiction.”)
• Russian attack hits rail workers in new deadly strikes on Kyiv
• Trump welcomes Russia back to the G20. Europe isn’t having it. (It’s utterly inexcusable for Russia to be “welcomed back” to anything at this point.)
• US irks G20 ministers by bringing back Russia, barring journalists (“The U.S. move dismayed some finance leaders present, deflecting from its bid ​to focus talks on global economic growth.”)
• The Ukraine Drones That Are Carrying a Bigger Punch, Deeper Into Russia
• Lindsey Graham’s legacy bill is poised to get shuffled aside in the House (“Less than a month ago, a huge bipartisan Senate majority voted to honor the late Sen. Lindsey Graham and pass legislation he pushed aimed at sanctioning Russia’s trading partners.”)
• China and the U.S. Offer Competing Showcases of Global Power (“As Xi Jinping gathered with the leaders of Russia and Iran, Europe challenged the Trump administration at the G20, a split-screen view of a changing world.”)
• Summit With Russia, India and Iran Shows Leverage Wars Have Given Xi of China
• Tehran urges return to June deal, oil prices rise as Trump vows to hit Iran ‘hard’
• Trump weighing limited strikes against Iran to curb Hormuz attacks
• Trump’s Iran War Has Succeeded on No Stated Count and Failed on Many Unstated Ones
• Thai resort prepares to host USS Abraham Lincoln sailors after more than 270 days at sea (“Security stepped up in Pattaya before arrival of thousands of sailors and marines whose deployment was extended due to US war in Iran”)
• Trump Is Growing Desperate on Iran (“After threats of ‘financial violence’ failed, the White House is back to regular violence.”)
• Washington’s Deadly New Headache: an al Qaeda-Houthi Terrorist Alliance (“One man helped broker an arms trade between two militant groups that threatens another key oil-shipping route in the Middle East”)
• Mine Warfare With Iran Hampers U.S. Efforts to Win Control of Hormuz
• The Amazon’s Defenders Declare a State of Emergency (“As governments push oil and mining expansion, thousands of Indigenous leaders and activists gathered in Ecuador to chart another path.”)
• Trump suggests he is reviewing US support for UK over Falkland Islands (“Comments signal president prepared to use dispute to push UK to raise defence spending and Nato contributions”)
• Iceland’s close ties with EU mean no vote is not a Brexit-style rejection (“A yes to membership would have given Brussels a boost but Icelanders have not voted to isolate themselves”)
• ‘I’ve never been to Afghanistan’: Six million deportees forced to start over under the Taliban (“As of August, the number forced to return this year from Pakistan and Iran had reached another million.”)
• Trump’s Venezuela oil deal is even sleazier than you think (“President once said Venezuela’s oil was the dirtiest in the world. Now he’s trying to steal it”)
• How the Pentagon Is Getting Into the Venezuelan Oil Business Under Trump
• The secret history of Trump’s Venezuelan oil baron (“Betancourt’s life story has an oil-like boom-and-bust aura, replete with billion-dollar deals, international intrigue, a longstanding money-laundering probe and even a Spanish castle raided by authorities.”)
• Canada’s ruling Liberals sweep special elections in boost to Mark Carney (“Three projected victories are a message to US that Carney has support of the Canadian people, says one lawmaker”)
• Majority of Americans oppose Trump’s new Canada tariffs, renaming Lake Ontario, Reuters/Ipsos poll finds (“Only 20% support higher Canada tariffs while 57% oppose them, Reuters/Ipsos poll finds.”)

NATIONAL NEWS (“The Supreme Court just gave Trump his illegal ballroom”; “Hegseth’s Pentagon Lurches off the Rails”; Trump wages war on truck drivers; “Trump Mocks Data-Center Opponents as Wanting to Stay ‘Backwards and Poor’”; etc.)

• Trump Administration Shuts Down Hundreds of Trucking Schools (Insane.)
• Trump Administration Steps Up Immigration Crackdown on Truck Drivers
• Exclusive: DHS plans to launch voter fraud investigation surge Tuesday (Total bullshit.)
• Trump says U.S. growth could hit 20%. It’s happened only once since WWII
• Federal judge delays a mifepristone lawsuit until after midterms
• New CDC director delays adding Pennsylvania deaths to measles data (Uhhhhh…why???)
• The Trump EPA Is a Toothless Friend of Polluting Industries, Analysis Shows (“The EPA’s retreat from its role guarding clean air and water will have lasting effects on public health, critics fear.”)
• Dozens of federal judges describe intensifying threats in new report (Proper English grammar would be: “In new report, dozens of federal judges describe…”)
• The Postal Service Could Be a Huge Problem in the Midterms (“Many ballots may be tossed due to USPS delays.”)
• Postal Service plans may keep voters from getting ballots, whistleblower says
• Trump officials cut political interference ban after unusual Census Bureau report
• The Supreme Court Brought This on Themselves (“With South Carolina Democrat Jim Clyburn now in favor of expanding the high court, Democrats seem to have accepted that changing the status quo is necessary.” Also, need to impeach several of these f***ers.)
• John Roberts often defers to Trump but not for the White House ballroom project (Roberts is a total disgrace.)
• The Supreme Court Keeps Finding Reasons to Give Trump What He Wants
• Supreme Court lets White House continue construction on Trump’s $400 million ballroom (This court is completely and irremediably f***ed up!)
• Breaking: Supreme Court’s GOP appointees, on a 5-4 vote, allow Trump’s ballroom construction to proceed
• Chief justice dissents on ballroom construction: ‘No victory for separation of powers’
• Supreme Court allows Trump’s ballroom construction, but Roberts says project is ‘likely unlawful’
• The Supreme Court just gave Trump his illegal ballroom (“And the justices didn’t even bother to explain why…”)
• Army Secretary Resigns After Months of Friction With Hegseth (“Army Secretary Dan Driscoll has submitted his resignation to President Trump following months of tension with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth over the direction of the service and the ouster of numerous senior Army officers.”)
• The Army secretary told Trump about problems in the Army and his friction with Hegseth, then resigned. (“The Army secretary told Trump about problems in the Army and his friction with Hegseth, then resigned.”)
• Hegseth’s Pentagon Lurches off the Rails (“The resignation of Army Secretary Dan Driscoll is the latest sign of severe dysfunction in the Defense Department.”)
• Army’s Top Civilian Leader Resigns as It Grapples With Two Wars
• Audit Revenue Has Plummeted Under Trump, Watchdog Finds
• Trump creates new headache for GOP with call for FCC to crack down on NBC, Welker
• Johnson’s unavoidable, uncomfortable September problem (“With the House back in session after a five-week break, Speaker Mike Johnson can no longer avoid an issue he’s skirted all summer: allegations of sexual misconduct in the GOP”)
• Vance offers olive branch to pro-Israel Republicans in closed-door speech (If you’re Jewish, you’re wildly violating your own professed Jewish values if you’re a Republican at this point.)
• Mike Johnson said he supports ‘great member’ Max Miller’s reelection bid (Mike Johnson is completely amoral…or maybe immoral, but either way, he’s heinous.)
• Trump calls for federal tax incentives to benefit TV and movie industry (Socialism? LOL)
• Trump approval dips to new low as Iran war weighs on support: Poll
• Trump Mocks Data-Center Opponents as Wanting to Stay ‘Backwards and Poor’
• Talarico Sounds Alarm as Texas Plans to Close Dozens of Polling Sites (“Democratic Senate candidate James Talarico is sounding the alarm over potential voter suppression as Texas moves to shutter dozens of polling stations”)
• Nessel urges Jewish Dems to place world’s needs above self interest
• Vance characterizes Democratic Senate hopeful Abdul El-Sayed as ‘evil’ (Vance is psychologically “projecting” yet again…)
• Embracing blatant Islamophobia, CBS News makes bizarre attempt to tie El-Sayed to 9/11 (“CBS News tried to scandalize Abdul El-Sayed’s argument about 9/11 and the pandemic. His banal comments aligned with other mainstream commentators — and Trump too.”)
• El-Sayed Is Facing His Jeremiah Wright Moment
• Can 80-year-old Democrat Ed Markey clinch another US Senate term? (“Age on the agenda in Massachusetts but octogenarian leftwinger leads younger rival Seth Moulton in primary poll”)
• AUDIO: Colorado GOP Gov. Nominee Tells Wild Exorcism Story About Fighting ‘Satan In Person’
• Kalshi bans ex-congressman George Santos from prediction platform for life (“Santos was accused of profiting from bets tied to his attendance at Trump’s State of the Union address”)
• Months before fatal Grand Canyon flood, park service warned of elevated risk (“The agency warned that a devastating 2025 wildfire had left parts of the North Rim vulnerable to flash flooding and debris flows.”)su

VIRGINIA NEWS (Morgan Griffith terrified of debating Joy Powers; Kiggans/Luria rematch – go Luria!; Elizabeth Schultz is baaaack; etc.)

• Powers issues 9th District debate challenge, Rep. Griffith noncommittal
• AD FACT CHECK: Rep. Jen Kiggans (R-VA02) Falsely Claims She Is “Bringing Down Prices” As Virginians Pay More for Gas, Groceries, and Health Care
• Rep. Jen Kiggans (R-VA02) Defended Trump’s War Over Navy Service Members Who Fight For Our Country (“Kiggans dismissed early warnings about conditions aboard the USS Gerald R. Ford and chose to support unauthorized military action rather than demand accountability”)
• ‘Not making us any safer’: Hampton Roads Dem calls out opponent for Iran war support (“The Iran war and Trump administration cuts to veterans’ services are becoming a focus in a key congressional race this fall.”)
• Kiggans vs. Luria rematch for Virginia’s 2nd District heats up
• Virginia education board updates graduation requirements, expands course options for students
• Driving while streaming is now illegal in Virginia
• Virginia launches $4.8 million program to pay nursing students for clinical work
• Spanberger looks near and far as she appoints revenue team.
• Lawmakers ask Gov. Spanberger to call special session on Dominion-NextEra merger
• Virginia medical examiner changes prison deaths data policy after Radio IQ reporting
• Former Fairfax County School Board Member, Far-Right-Extremist Elizabeth Schultz, Is Now Running in Chesterfield County (To put it mildly, this person should NOT be on a School Board, or involved in public education, at any level – ever.)
• Inside Virginia’s city halls, concerns, confusion rise with Flock surveillance protests (“A VCIJ review of thousands of public records shows widespread misunderstanding and mistrust of Flock Safety – even inside city halls and police headquarters. “)
• The day Virginia took down Confederate statues, a Black church remembered a lynching victim (“Benjamin Thomas was denied his future at 16. Today, his name helps another Alexandria teenager build one, guest columnist Jeff Bennett writes.”)
• Naval Station Norfolk implements heightened security measures
• Richmond Confederate statue removed: A weight lifted
• Virginia DEQ response on Northrop Grumman pollution matter: Our hands are tied
• Fairfax County traffic fatalities double compared to 2025 (“So far this year, there have been 16 vehicle and 12 pedestrian fatalities, 28 in total. At the same time in 2025, there were 14 traffic fatalities.”)
• When is it time for the Roanoke Valley to panic about the water levels at Carvins Cove? Here’s what the data shows. (“The water levels now, while low, remain significantly higher than the two worst droughts in the past four decades. We also use less water now than we did then and have more water sources.”)
• Longtime controversy surrounding Danville’s animal shelter often comes back to its director (“Paulette Dean has been in charge of the Danville Area Humane Society for 34 years, more than half its lifespan.”)
• Martinsville sheriff and city native Steve Draper remembered for his outreach and long tenure (“Michael Law was sworn in as interim sheriff Monday after Draper’s death.”)
• DC-area forecast: Welcome to Sizzle-tember, with hot 90s and storm chances