Monday News: “Trump has already been ‘played’”; “For the sake of journalism, stop the White House correspondents’ dinner”; “Pipeline will probably kill people”

by Lowell

Here are a few national and Virginia news headlines, political and otherwise, for Monday, April 30.

• Rouhani accuses US of breaching Iran nuclear deal as Macron fights to save it
• Trump has already been ‘played’ (“Trump shows every sign he is already being suckered. He blessed talks between South and North Korea on formally ending the Korean War and tweeted gleefully the war might be over. Does he know they cannot end it on their own without other parties to the armistice, including China? Chances are he doesn’t know this is part of a stage show designed to lure in an American president blinded by his own need for personal affirmation.”)
• ‘Ready, shoot, aim’: President Trump’s loyalty tests cause hiring headaches
• U.S. Allies Brace for Trade War as Talks on Trump Tariffs Stall (“Days before tariffs on steel and aluminum take effect, it’s dawning on foreign leaders that decades of warm U.S. relations carry little weight with a president dismissive of diplomatic norms.”)
• Pompeo, in Israel, Bypasses Palestinians Amid Gaza Crisis (Not good at all.)
• For the sake of journalism, stop the White House correspondents’ dinner (Agreed, it’s “close to suicidal for the press’s credibility.”)
• WHCA president throws Michelle Wolf under the bus in statement about ‘dismay’ over jokes
• No, Michelle Wolf Didn’t Joke About Sarah Huckabee Sanders’s Looks
• WHCA Issues Statement Confirming They’re Not Huge Fans of Michelle Wolf’s Monologue
• The Slow, Awkward Death of the White House Correspondents’ Dinner
• Trump assails White House Correspondents’ Association amid Michelle Wolf controversy
• Michelle Wolf has nothing to apologise for. Her critics do, though (“Urging the comedian who performed at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner to apologize for an uncontroversial joke sends an incredibly dangerous message”)
• Ronny Jackson won’t return to old job as Trump’s physician
• After a respite, Cruz again questioning McConnell’s strategies (Go Beto!)
• Juan Williams: Democrats must take nothing for granted
• Why climate change can’t escape Washington’s back burner
• White House mystery: Where is Macron’s gifted oak tree? (“News photographers snapped away Monday when Trump and Macron shoveled dirt onto the tree during a ceremonial planting on the South Lawn. By the end of the week, the tree was gone from the lawn. A pale patch of grass was left in its place. The White House hasn’t offered an explanation.”)
• The Original Donald Trump (“The New York Establishment will ignore unscrupulous acts to serve its interests — just look how it treated Roy Cohn, onetime lawyer to the president.”)
• Inside the ‘incel’ movement inspiring mass violence against women (“Men who resent being denied ‘their God-given rights to have sex with women.'” How can there even be people like this?)
• The Era of Fake Video Begins (This is not going to be good at all.)
• National Enquirer Turns On Michael Cohen
• Tim Kaine: Congress must take away Trump’s unlimited authority to wage war
• 2 of the 3 GOP Senate hopefuls stump in Albemarle (What did Albemarle ever do to deserve that? LOL)
• At local stop, Jackson says race being used to tear country apart (Says one of the biggest demagogues and race baiters.)
• Bishop: Pipeline will probably kill people (“The MVP aims to plow through Giles, Craig, Montgomery, Roanoke, Franklin and Pittsylvania counties. Farmers and homeowners whose rural land often has been in their families for generations are being forced to allow easements for the 42-inch pipeline to be buried across their acreage, often within sight of their homes. Water sources will be threatened; 125-feet paths must be cleared; property values likely will dive.”)
• With new state budget still in limbo, GOP senators launch re-election fundraisers
• UVa law professor encourages filing of police reports to prosecute Kessler
• Exclusive: Va. tweaking I-66 toll pricing algorithm
• Roanoke Council candidates answer students in final forum
• Editorial: Issues and non-issues in Roanoke’s city council race
• Bickering, blaming and delays: How Stoney’s education initiative has failed to deliver a Richmond school facilities upgrades plan
• Dramatic warming trend this week as temperatures near 90 by Thursday