Weekly News Roundup - 3/29/24
Holy Week for Christians; a social media ban for teens in FL; inflation continues to ease
Welcome to the 12th weekly news roundup of 2024. The archive for all weekly news roundups is here. If you notice stories or issues you’d like to see mentioned in these roundups, let me know. In 2024, the Border Stalkers Substack is featuring one news update a week, and one book a month, with weekly posts on each book. The book of the month schedule is here.
Big Stories this Week
Baltimore's Francis Scott Key Bridge collapsed Tuesday after a cargo ship collided with a piling after losing power
Congress funded the government for six months, as hardline House Republicans threatened to get rid of another Speaker
A terrorist attack in Russia killed 140 people and injured another few hundred. Four men, Tajik nationals, are arrested and charged. An affiliate of the Islamic State claims responsibility. The U.S. had warned Russia earlier this month of intelligence indicating extremist plans to attack civilians in Moscow.
Christians observed Holy Week, a commemoration of Christ's passion: his death and resurrection.
Week in Review
Friday, March 22
The House passes a $1.2 trillion government funding bill, over the objections of hardliner Republicans. House Speaker Mike Johnson, a Republican from Louisiana, comes under harsh attack from right-wing GOP members of the House.
China and Russia vote down a U.S.-backed resolution at the United Nations calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza.
Donald Trump's social media company merges with a cash-rich shell company, pumping a few hundred million dollars into his Truth Social entity and increasing his personal wealth by roughly $3 billion. The merger comes days before half a billion dollars is due to avoid seizure of his assets in New York, in a case where he was found guilty of fraud. But there are questions about whether this deal helps him with that deadline.
At least 140 people are killed in Moscow as gunmen open fire in a Russian concert hall. The attack comes days after Russian dictator Vladimir Putin holds sham elections to install himself in power for another six-year term, his fifth. The U.S. government is quick to publicly state that its intelligence indicates the attack was carried out by Islamic State extremists, even as Putin tries to pin blame on Ukraine. The U.S., in fact, publicly warned in early March that it had intelligence indicating that "extremists have imminent plans to target large gatherings in Moscow, to include concerts."
Kate Middleton, the Princess of Wales, announces she has cancer and is undergoing chemotherapy.
Saturday, March 23
Two Penn State wrestlers, Carter Starocci and Aaron Brooks, both win their fourth national championship in a row. They become only the sixth and seventh wrestlers to ever do so, joining an elite club that includes their coach, Cael Sanderson, who won 159 matches in college 20 years and never lost. Penn State crowns four national champs in all and also wins its 11th title in 13 years, which The Athletic calls "one of the most dominant runs in any sport at any level." Iowa, under Dan Gable, won 15 titles in 21 years in the 80's and 90's.
The Senate passes a House-approved $1.2 trillion spending package that pushes the next threat of a government shutdown to the fall, and President Biden signs it into law. The Dispatch has all the detail anyone could want on the history of the spending fights in recent months.
Sunday, March 24
Christians observe Palm Sunday, the beginning of Holy Week. It commemorates Christ's triumphal entry into Jerusalem a few days before his trial and execution.
Jews observe the holiday of Purim, celebrating the deliverance of their people from the King of Persia, with the help of Queen Esther.
The men's NCAA basketball tournament Sweet 16 is set, after four days of games that were, according to John Feinstein, "mostly a bore — and evidence that the last thing the event needs is expansion."
Monday, March 25
Florida approves a social media ban for anyone under 14 years old. Gov. Ron DeSantis signs a bill requiring 15- and 16-year olds to obtain parental permission to use social media as well. DeSantis earlier this year rejected a bill that would have banned social media for anyone under 16.
A New York appeals court rules that Donald Trump can post a $175 million bond payment in a fraud trial rather than the full $454 million imposed by a New York judge. The decision allows Trump to avoid the seizure of his bank accounts and some of New York properties by the state of New York, at least temporarily.
Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu cancels a delegation trip to the U.S. after the U.S. abstains from a vote at the U.N. Security Council calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza.
Federal law enforcement raid the California and Florida homes of music producer Sean "Diddy" Combs, amid a sex trafficking investigation.
Tuesday, March 26
The Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore collapses after a tanker ship collides with one of its pilings. The loss of the bridge, which was built in 1977, cuts off a main thoroughfare around Baltimore and into the city's port, a major transportation hub for international shipping. The ship reported losing power before hitting the bridge. Six workers who were on the bridge when it collapsed are presumed dead.
The Supreme Court hears arguments on whether mifepristone, a drug used in medical abortions, can be restricted. A majority of the court's justices appear skeptical of attempts to restrict access to the drug, indicating they will rule against these restrictions when they release written opinions over the next few months.
The women's NCAA basketball tournament Sweet 16 is set, with all four #1 seeds advancing.
Wednesday, March 27
Amazon announces that it is tripling its investment in artificial intelligence, pumping an additional $2.75 billion (yes Billion with a B) into Anthropic, its AI partner. Amazon had already put $1.25 billion into the company six month prior.
Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu reverses himself and agrees to send top aides to Washington, D.C. to discuss a possible Israeli military operation in Rafah, a portion of Gaza.
A California judge rules that John Eastman, a high profile attorney who played a leading role in Donald Trump's attempt to overturn the 2020 election, should be disbarred and lose his law license.
Former Sen. Joe Lieberman, a Democrat from Connecticut, dies at 82 after suffering a fall.
Four people are killed and five are wounded in a stabbing in northern Illinois.
Thursday, March 28
Sam Bankman-Fried, the 32-year old "one-time poster child of the crypto industry," is sentenced to 25 years in prison for fraud and conspiracy.
President Biden holds a fundraiser in New York City with former Democratic presidents Barack Obama and Bill Clinton that raises $26 million.
Friday, March 29
Christians observe Good Friday, remembering the death of Christ, a prelude to the Easter celebration celebrating his resurrection.
An inflation report shows that price pressures are continuing to decrease. The Personal Consumption Expenditures index is a key measure tracked by the Federal Reserve.
Actor Louis Gossett Jr. dies at age 87. He was the first Black man to win a supporting actor Oscar.
Interesting Reads
Russia Is Back to the Stalinist Future: With a Soviet-style election, Vladimir Putin’s Russia has come full circle, by Adrian Karatnycky for Foreign Policy
Doctors visiting a Gaza hospital are stunned by the war’s toll on Palestinian children, by Wafaa Shurafa and Kareem Chehayeb for The Associated Press
Too Few Homes: America’s affordable housing crisis is likely to be solved in cities and states. Many are already doing so in bipartisan fashion, by Conor Dougherty for The New York Times
The First Big Election Wave is Coming South Africa, Mexico, India and the European Union all in a 12 day period, by Katie Harbath for Anchor Change
Shards of glass: Inside media's 12 splintering realities, by Jim Vandehei and Mike Allen for Axios
In the Markets, a Tug of War Between Big Tech and the Fed, by Jeff Sommer for The New York Times
Recruiting a dynasty: How Penn State and Cael Sanderson build 'the best room in the world' by Audrey Snyder for The Athletic
Desire, Dopamine, and the Internet, by L.M. Sacasas for @The Convivial Society
ESPN’s model is eroding. Past and present execs are split on how it can protect its dominance, by Alex Sherman for CNBC
First He Came for Cancel Culture. Now He Wants to Cancel Smartphones, by Emma Goldberg for The New York Times
Police had about 90 seconds to stop traffic before Baltimore bridge fell by Lea Skene for The Associated Press
Robotic police dog shot multiple times, credited with avoiding potential bloodshed, by The Associated Press
I am just finishing reading Testimony. Thanks for your willingness to share your lived experiences. Although you are closer to my kids age than mine and were raised in a very different environment than I was, much of what you say about the current state of the church in the US resonates deeply. The question is can the church be saved or is it time to start over (and if so, how). All I do know is that until the church actually honors and applies the two greatest commandments (love God and love your neighbor), the church is in trouble.