Wednesday, March 25th

MLB Opening Day; U.S. struggles to get ahead of errors abroad and domestically.

The former Providence Journal Building on Westminster Street in Providence, 1906.

MLB Opening Day; U.S. struggles to get ahead of errors abroad and domestically.

Headlines

Trump claims the U.S. has achieved “regime change” in Iran; Iran names new Security Chief.

U.S. continues to strike Tehran, with at least a dozen people killed by U.S. strikes in southern Tehran overnight (Al Jazeera). Those ongoing strikes, and continued retaliation by Iran, have left analysts skeptical about President Trump’s claims that the goals of his operation were achieved.

Iran also denies reports that productive talks have taken place (WaPo). This as thousands of additional marines have been deployed to the region, with more being considered (Time). USS Ford is still in Crete, expected to be out of commission indefinitely due to mechanical and technological failures (Bloomberg).

Meanwhile, Iran has named a new Security Chief. Mohammad Bagher Zolghadr, a former Islamic Revolutionary Guard commander, is considered a hard-liner and loyalist. He has experience serving at high levels of government and was a soldier during the 1978 Islamic revolution. Iran is also said to be reviewing a many-point plan to end the war proposed by the U.S.; those points generally revolving around access to nuclear technologies (Guardian).

International consequences are leading other nations to get involved. Israel is attempting to seize land south of the Litani river from Lebanon. The Philippines declared a state of emergency over access to energy resources (AP). French president Macron urged Iran to enter negotiations with the U.S., Qatari emir Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani thanked Turkish president Erdoğan in a phone call for his attempts at deescalation. European Commission head Ursula von der Leyen called for both sides to attempt negotiations (Guardian). The International Energy Agency chief says the energy crisis is the worst in global history (Fortune).

Trump claimed that peace talks were being led by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, as well as advisors Kushner and Witkoff. That’s especially unusual given…

Marco Rubio testified in Miami on Tuesday over his ties to accused foreign agent, former U.S. Representative David Rivera.

Rivera stands accused of taking money from the Venezuelan government to get the first Trump Administration to ease its hostility towards the state. Rivera maintains his innocence by claiming that he didn’t need to register as a foreign agent because the money came from a domestically-registered subsidiary.

Rubio testified on Tuesday that during a meeting in 2017, Rivera showed him a bank account with millions of dollars that Rivera said Raul Gorrín (President of Globóvision) would use to support Venezuela’s opposition party. After his meeting with Rivera, Rubio went to the Senate floor to deliver a speech about Venezuela. In it, he used certain “code words” to reassure members of the regime who were watching that a transfer of power would be peaceful and not vengeful.Rubio characterized his relationship with Rivera as being unified in opposition to the Venezuelan communists.

The revelation that Rivera’s consulting firm was paid $50 million by Venezuela state oil companies undermines Rubio’s interpretation of their relationship. While Rubio maintains ignorance over the alleged scheme, he and Rivera were close colleagues and roommates at points over their respective careers in Florida and D.C. Rivera’s defense team, which has sought to tie Rubio to the alleged scheme, has also tried to call White House chief of staff Susie Wiles to testify. Wiles previously worked at the lobbying firm Ballard Partners when it represented Globóvision. (Politico)

Quick Hits

Russia begins a new offensive on Ukraine, attacking a crowded city center in broad daylight (Al Jazeera)
Police in India man gas stations amid fuel shortages (Al Jazeera)
NASA announces they will attempt to launch a mission to build a base on the moon and launch a nuclear-powered rocket to mars (Al Jazeera)
Republicans infighting over the SAVE America Act makes the bill seem unlikely to pass the Senate this week. The Senate is scheduled to go on break at the end of the week (AP)
A Democrat flipped a Florida State Assembly seat that contains Mar-a-Lago, winning 51% (+/-1%) of the vote in a Trump +11 district (CNBC)
Trump says Hegseth is against ending war (Guardian)
R.I. announces probe of prediction market sports gambling (ProJo)
Former U.S. attorney for R.I. has left the U.S. DoJ for a position as legal director at Mass Deportation Defense (GoLocal)

R.I. Stories

Home sales have dropped significantly in Rhode Island. Data released by the R.I. Association of Realtors reports a 13.6% drop in single-family home sales year-over-year. This slowing was accompanied by rising prices, which saw a 4.3% increase over the same time period. (WPRI)

Mayor Smiley says that the city will use $1 million from the sale of Asa Messer and the Humboldt fire station to fund the RENT fund his administration has proposed. He says his team will be looking for a nonprofit to administer the funds. Proponents of the rent control ordinance continue to emphasize that the Mayor’s proposal is insufficient on its own. (WPRI)

The U.S. government is accusing Bryant and Brown of receiving considerable sums of money from what it calls “countries of concern,” namely, China. In the joint State Department, Dept. of Ed. report, Bryant receives the second most money from "counterparties of concern” in the country. (GoLocal)

Parents at the Croft School are asking a judge to put the Providence school in receivership so they can raise money to keep it open past next week. Judge Stern says he will ask Mark Russo, receiver of Providence Place, to review. (Machado)

Multiple motor vehicle related injuries reported across the state. A motorist struck and killed a person on foot in Cranston. A car rolled over in East Providence on I-195. (WPRI)

R.I. Politics

Notable bills under consideration in committee Wednesday:

H7004 – Climate Superfund Act – establishes cost recovery mechanisms that place the burden for remediation on polluters with a fund managed by DEM.
H7334 – resolution establishing permanent committee on climate change.
H7570 – (LG req.) establishes the Rhode Island center for employee ownership to facilitate businesses in transitioning to an employee-owned business model.
S2736 – State of Rhode Island will enforce protections afforded under the Occupational Safety and Health Act if its scope or enforcement capacity is diminished.