by Lowell
Here are a few international, national and Virginia news headlines, political and otherwise, for Monday, February 24. Check out Jane Fonda’s SAG Awards speech, in which she said – among other things – ““Make no mistake, empathy is not weak or woke…And, by the way, woke just means you give a damn about other people.”
- More than half of countries are ignoring biodiversity pledges – analysis (“Many of the nations gathering in Rome for Cop16 have offered no plans to honour their agreement to protect 30% of land and sea for nature” Pathetic.)
- The Trump administration is putting USAID staffers on leave worldwide and firing at least 1,600 (Utter insanity and cruelty. WHY???)
- In first month back in office, Trump upends century-old approach to the world (“The president appears to be turning back the clock to a time in world history when countries with the biggest militaries constructed empires, demanded tribute from weaker nations and expanded their territories through coercion.”)
- Trump ‘surrendering to the Russians’ on Ukraine, top Democrat says (“Senator Jack Reed hits out at Trump’s verbal attacks on Ukrainian president and increased alignment with Russia”)
- Foreign leaders visit Ukraine to show their support on war’s 3rd anniversary (“Some of Ukraine’s most important backers, including European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, were among the visitors greeted at the train station by Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha and the president’s chief of staff, Andrii Yermak.”)
- Three Years Into War in Ukraine, Trump Ushers in New World for Putin (Another vague, anodyne, weak headline by the NY Times.)
- Mapped: Control in Ukraine three years on from Russia’s invasion
- How a U.S. President Pivoted Toward Russia
- World leaders reiterate support on third anniversary of war as Zelenskyy hails ‘absolute heroism of Ukrainians’ (“Ukraine president hails ‘three years of resistance’ as world leaders commemorate anniversary in Kyiv”)
- Putin plays the long game. He has punished Ukraine – and he won’t stop there (“Like a judo master, the Russian aggressor wears down his opponents until they break. Then he comes back for more”)
- EU spends more on Russian oil and gas than financial aid to Ukraine – report (“Europe estimated to have bought €22bn of fossil fuels from Russia in 2024 but gave €19bn to support Kyiv”)
- Obama’s UN Ambassador Susan Rice Claims Trump ‘Throwing Ukraine Under The Bus’ Will Embolden China to Invade Taiwan
- Ahead of UN showdown on Ukraine, US urges countries to vote no on rival European bid for action
- Trump Wants to End the War Fast. Russia Has Its Own Timetable.
- What’s next after Merz’s conservatives win German election
- Germany elections live: AfD’s Weidel says she received congratulations from Elon Musk after significant far-right gains
- Elon Musk’s Bid to Propel Germany’s Far-Right Party to Victory Has Failed (“The AfD party scored historic numbers, but won’t be a part of government.”)
- German Conservatives Face Narrow Path to Power After Victory
- New German leader signals seismic shift in transatlantic relations
- Voters flock to political extremes in Germany as the centrist parties stumble (“Both the far-right Alternative fuer Deutschland and the far-left Die Linke saw significant gains and were the most popular parties among young people.” Those are both HORRIBLE parties!)
- Eighty Percent of Germans Voted Against the Far Right. Can That Happen Here? (That’s what should have happened in the US in 2024 – 80% should have voted against Trump/MAGA/far-right Republicans.)
- Germany’s Merz vows ‘independence’ from Trump’s America, warning NATO may soon be dead (Time for Germany to build its own powerful military – including a nuclear deterrent?)
- French, UK leaders rush to Washington at a historic turning point for the West (“The leaders of Europe’s two nuclear powers are rushing to the White House to try to reclaim a central role for themselves and for Ukraine after they were cut out of US-Russia talks on ending the war.”)
- Pope is awake, resting on 10th day of hospitalization after early stages of kidney problem detected
- The White House Is Gaslighting Americans About Donald Trump’s Tariffs (“The Administration insists that its aggressive trade policies won’t hurt U.S. consumers, but data from Trump’s first term suggest otherwise.”)
- How the Trump and DOGE terminations — perhaps the biggest job cuts in history — may affect the economy
- UPDATE: NIH reimposes “DEI” funding freeze despite court order (So the Trump administration is now in contempt of court? What are the courts going to DO about this??? Republicans in Congress, hello???)
- DOGE is the Theranos of Cost-Cutting
- Federal workers confront mass confusion as Musk’s deadline to list accomplishments looms
- Key Federal Agencies Refuse To Comply With Musk’s Latest Demand In His Cost-cutting Crusade
- Musk’s Demand That Federal Workers Justify Their Jobs Is ‘Plainly Unlawful,’ Union Says
- Some Agencies Urge Staff Not to Comply With Elon Musk’s Performance Email
- Email starts power clash between Musk and agency leaders — even the Trump loyalists
- What Elon Musk’s war on federal workers owes to Gamergate (“The long-ago troll tantrum from video gamers upset by women kicked off the culture wars for the stupid era”)
- Key federal agencies refuse to comply with Musk’s latest demand in his cost-cutting crusade
- Government agencies give conflicting guidance on Musk email
- Judicial Branch Instructs Employees To Ignore Mass DOGE Email
- ‘Dark MAGA’ spreads as conservatives embrace Musk’s influence on Trump
- Murkowski knocks Musk over ‘absurd weekend email’ (Also, Susan Collins is “concerned” – LOL!)
- Trump names Dan Bongino deputy FBI director
- Trump taps conservative podcaster Dan Bongino to be deputy FBI director (“Several in the intelligence community have expressed concern over Bongino’s lack of experience and support for conspiracy theories.”)
- Trump’s loyalty-first FBI
- Trump, Again, Chooses Loyalty Over Leadership
- Trump and Hegseth’s Pentagon purge undermines the armed forces (“How to damage military morale and recruiting? Trump and Hegseth seem to be trying to find out, alas.”)
- ‘Heinous actions’: opposition to Trump, slow to energize, shakes off its slumber
- Trump and Musk’s Lawless Power Grab Is Scrambling the Legal Resistance (“The administration’s assault on government regulations was expected. But how do you fight a budding dictator in court?”)
- Trump Wants to Be President for Life—and He’s Already Preparing for It (“No, he’s not ‘joking’ when he portrays himself as a king and muses about staying in office past 2028. Just look at everything he’s done this past month.”)
- Our System of Checks and Balances Is in the Process of Complete Collapse (“I have lived through the imperial presidency days, but this is something worse.”)
- America Has a Rogue President
- A World Without Accountability (“As the felonious Trump removes all guardrails, it’s our battle to save democracy”)
- Neo-Nazi group plots rebuild as Trump’s FBI chief takes helm, audio reveals (“Exclusive: Terrorist group the Base appears defiant as new administration aims to deprioritize threat from far right”)
- Why the Government Will Probably Shut Down in March
- How Trump’s government-cutting moves risk exposing the CIA’s secrets (Insanity.)
- Bomb threat sent to anti-Trump conference singles out officer who tangled with ex-Proud Boys leader (This is all on Trump, for pardoning the 1/6/21 insurrectionists – including violent ones!)
- Political conference in DC interrupted by death threats against speakers critical of Trump
- Enrique Tarrio follows and insults officers who defended US Capitol on January 6
- Former FDA chief ‘very concerned’ about Texas measles outbreak spreading
- UPDATE on town hall chaos: Woman who was dragged out speaks, police chief condemns security, name of security firm confirmed (Seems completely illegal/unacceptable.)
- Outside Tesla in the Philly suburbs, the green shoots of an American uprising
- Jane Fonda Delivers Rousing Speech at SAG Awards: ‘Empathy Is not Weak or Woke’ (“Woke just means you give a damn about other people”)
- Rep. Eugene Vindman (D-VA07) Argues “Nazism has full-on invaded the GOP,” While “Trump referred to himself as a KING” (Vindman vows to “do everything in my power to fight back against MAGA hatred and extremism”)
- The 10 most important things the General Assembly did (or didn’t do) this session (“Whatever the philosophical issues at stake, here’s the practical problem: The so-called ‘car tax,’ the tax on personal property, is a local tax, not a state tax. Any local government could do away with it right now. Why don’t they? They need the revenue and see few other ways to generate it. That’s why both Youngkin and former Gov. Jim Gilmore decades ago looked to state revenue as a way to fill that gap — but there’s reluctance, particularly among Democrats, to commit state funding to a never-ending subsidy of local governments to make up for any lost car tax revenues.”)
- Week Six: End of the 2025 VA General Assembly Session (and Back to a Special)! Also, Bizarre, Obnoxious Comments by GOP Senator Tammy Mulchi About Federal Workers…
- Former VA Lt. Gov. Bill Bolling (R), Who Voted for Trump, Now Says It “broke my heart” That a Top Student of His Asked Him, “Given everything that is happening in Washington right now, why would anyone want to go to work for the government?” (Dude, what did you THINK was going to happen if you helped elect Trump???)
- Virginia lawmakers push more for energy storage (“Supporters say energy storage facilities can help smooth out the highs and lows of electricity demand and could potentially reduce the need for new power plants.”)
- Will Youngkin add harsher penalties for dealers tied to fentanyl overdoses?
- State Democrats want to rethink odd year elections, but will Youngkin go along with the idea?
- Virginia’s newest delegate reflects on first legislative session
- Loudoun County Supervisors Hear Briefing on Ranked Choice Voting; Arlington County Extends Its Use for 2025 Elections (“It’s too bad we can’t do it for congressional [races]”)
- Man who killed Virginia Beach officers once spent time in federal prison for major drug crimes
- CWG Live updates: A touch of spring is in the air this week (“Highs reach the 50s and 60s most days this week.”)
********************************************************
Sign up for the Blue Virginia weekly newsletter
