5 Things for Tuesday, March 28: Climate Change, Russia, Flint Water

CNN/Stylemagazine.com Newswire | 3/28/2017, 9:26 a.m.
Here's what you need to know to Get Up to Speed and Out the Door.
The state will cover the cost of replacing water lines -- the pipes that connect household plumbing to the main distribution pipe running beneath the street -- for at least 18,000 Flint households by 2020, according to the settlement, which resulted from a lawsuit over lead-tainted water in the city.

By Doug Criss

CNN

(CNN) -- Here's what you need to know to Get Up to Speed and Out the Door.

1. Climate change

Obamacare may end up surviving the Trump era, but Obama's plan to fight climate change may not. President Trump will sign an executive order today that does a 180 on America's approach to climate change. Trump's measure will emphasize jobs over climate and eliminate six Obama-era orders aimed at protecting the environment. The Clean Power Plant initiative will be reviewed and the moratorium on coal mining on federal lands will be rescinded. America may also end up getting out of the Paris Agreement on climate change.

2. Russia

So much news, so little time:

-- Let's start with (who else?) President Trump. He's still calling anything to do with Russia "fake news" and wondering out loud (on Twitter) why anyone isn't investigating the Clintons for their alleged Russian ties.

-- Trump's son-in-law and adviser Jared Kushner says he'll talk to the Senate committee investigating Russia's meddling in the US election. Kushner set up meetings between Trump campaign advisers and Russia's ambassador.

-- Then there's the stranger-by-the-day case of Devin Nunes. Dems want the House Intelligence chair to recuse himself from the Russia investigation after we reported that he visited the White House grounds a day before going to Trump with evidence his aides' communications had been swept up in surveillance.

-- And across Russia, thousands hit the streets to protest corruption. Hundreds were arrested. The protesters waved rubber ducks and hung old shoes from trees. What was that about? Here, we explain.

3. Immigration

What's it like to start all over in a place you barely know? Jorge Matadamas is finding out. He was born in Mexico, but at age 4, his undocumented parents moved him to the US. He lived in Phoenix until this month, when he was deported. Now 23, Matadamas lives with relatives near Mexico City. He's trying to adjust, but it's hard. He's less-than-fluent in Spanish, misses his wife and harbors hopes of returning to the US one day. President Trump's executive orders broadening immigration officers' power have sparked fears among immigrants that they'll find themselves in a similar situation.

4. Flint water crisis

About $97 million in state and federal funds will be used to replace lead or galvanized steel water lines in Flint, Michigan. The water lines for about 18,000 homes will be replaced, a court settlement says. That's really good news for the people of Flint, who've grappled for more than two years with lead-tainted water -- which poses a danger to the health of residents, especially children. It'll take about three years to switch out all the pipes. The state of Michigan will monitor water quality during that time.

5. Home invasion

No one wants to be in this situation. Three teens break into a home in Oklahoma in broad daylight. They're dressed in black, wearing masks and gloves and armed with a knife and brass knuckles. A father and his adult son are at home -- and the son has a rifle. He shoots and kills the three suspects. The county sheriff's office says it looks like a case of self-defense. The son and father were not harmed.

BREAKFAST BROWSE

People are talking about these. Read up. Join in.

Happily ever after

She was left for dead in a savage act of domestic violence. He was the paramedic who saved her. Now they're married. Go on, grab a handkerchief.

How to rule the Internet

Grandparents become social media sensations just by posting pics every week of grandpa eating In-N-Out burgers. Take that Kim K.!

How not to rule the Internet

A jewelry store thought a billboard that read, "It's OK to throw rocks at girls," was clever. The Internet said otherwise.

Gold rush

Someone swiped a 200-pound gold coin from a German museum. It's worth $4 million, so the museum probably wants it back.

Novel approach

Activists in Texas wore the distinctive blood-red robes and white caps from "The Handmaid's Tale" to protest abortion laws in the state.

NUMBER OF THE DAY

$1 billion

How much the Trump administration wants in border wall funding to cover just 62 miles.

AND FINALLY ...

Flipping out

Who knew you could go to a Monster Truck show and witness history, like the first-ever front flip of a monster truck.