Wednesday News: “Biden Torches Trump in First Interview Since Leaving Office: ‘What the Hell’s Going on Here?’”; “Trump’s Rants About Young Girls’ Dolls Just Got Weirder and Darker”; “Youngkin defends Trump even as he’s forced to fix the president’s mess”

by Lowell

Here are a few international, national and Virginia news headlines, political and otherwise, for Wednesday, May 7.

• Two-thirds of global heating caused by richest 10%, study suggests (“Paper in Nature Climate Change journal reveals major role wealthy emitters play in driving climate extremes”)
• Scientists Forecast a Big Increase of Clear-Air Turbulence That Could Lead to Bumpier Flights (“Global warming is making high-altitude winds more volatile. Scientists say there are ways to help prevent serious incidents.”)
• Seaweed Could Reduce Methane Emissions from Grazing Cattle, New Study Shows (“The benefits of adding seaweed to the diets of cows confined to barns is well studied, but feeding it to cattle scattered on farm pastures and public lands poses more logistical challenges.”)
• The old global economic order is dead
• Five takeaways from Biden’s BBC interview
• Trump appeasing Putin with pressure on Ukraine, Biden tells BBC
• Biden Torches Trump in First Interview Since Leaving Office: ‘What the Hell’s Going on Here?’
• Trump team urged Ukraine to take U.S. deportees amid war, documents show
• Russian drone strike caused tens of millions worth of damage to Chornobyl (“Attack damaged €1.5bn containment structure over nuclear reactor with repair costs likely to be borne by western governments”)
• US, China to hold ice-breaker trade talks in Geneva on Saturday
• US-China Trade Talks to Start This Week as Tariffs Start to Bite
• India, Pakistan Trade Military Strikes After Kashmir Attack
• India strikes deep inside Pakistan, Pakistan claims 5 Indian jets shot down, in major escalation
• Pakistan says Indian air strikes killed 26 and vows response, as Delhi says 10 killed by Pakistan shelling
• An ‘America First’ Deal With the Houthis (“The U.S. has extracted itself from the conflict, not ended it.”)
• A confusing US peace deal, explained (“Both Trump and the Houthis are claiming victory after striking a ceasefire deal.”)
• Syrian leader heads to France in first European trip
• Israeli strikes across Gaza kill at least 59 as Israel prepares to ramp up its offensive
• ‘Desperate, traumatised people’: Gaza faces wave of looting, theft and violence (“Aid officials and residents report breakdown in law and order as food and supplies run out during Israeli blockade” Horrifying and 100% unacceptable.)
• The conclave to select a new pope begins today
• Trump’s Oval Office meeting with Carney didn’t reach Zelensky-level tension. But it wasn’t all neighborliness
• Carney tells Trump that Canada ‘won’t be for sale, ever’
• Canada PM’s ‘elbows-up’ defense keeps Trump at bay as both parties play it cool (“But divisions over tariffs and Trump’s desire to annex northern neighbor simmer under surface as leaders meet”)
• Sen. Tim Kaine: “Should Trump order unauthorized military action in Mexico or Greenland, I will immediately file legislation to force a vote to stop it.”
• U.S. Orders Intelligence Agencies to Step Up Spying on Greenland (WTF???)
• Trump plans to announce the US will call the Persian Gulf the Arabian Gulf, officials tell AP
• Kari Lake says OAN’s far-right coverage will fuel Voice of America (We are living in a nightmare on so many levels.)
• Trump administration to stop US research on space pollution, in boon to Elon Musk (Insane and corrupt.)
• N.Y. judge finds Alien Enemies Act use illegal, blocks removals to ‘evil’ jail
• A Student Journalist Covered a Pro-Palestine Protest. Soon, Her Graduation Came Under Threat.
• Trump Administration Plans to Send Migrants to Libya on a Military Flight (“Human rights groups have called conditions in the country’s network of migrant detention centers ‘horrific’ and ‘deplorable.'”)
• JD Vance Jokes About Deporting Tourists Attending 2026 World Cup
• Trump picks Rudy Giuliani’s son for key World Cup post
• Trump’s Cabinet members warn FIFA World Cup visitors not to overstay their visas
• The first boats carrying Chinese goods with 145% tariffs are arriving in LA. Shipments are cut in half. Expect shortages soon (“American consumers are on the cusp of tough choices because of President Donald Trump’s trade war.”)
• ‘We Don’t Have to Sign Deals’: Trump Backs Off Big Promises About Tariffs (So…another broken promise, another massive failure.)
• Is the White House for sale? New reports on Trump’s crypto ventures raise concern.
• 58 crypto wallets have made millions on Trump’s meme coin. 764,000 have lost money, data shows
• Trump Brags About Gold-Plated Office While Telling Americans to Cut Expenses
• Republicans blast Trump’s economic messaging: No more doll talk
• Trump’s Rants About Young Girls’ Dolls Just Got Weirder and Darker
• “Two dolls” for Christmas: Trump resorts to sexism to sell tariffs (“Betting on the misogyny of MAGA, the president pushes a far-right fantasy that tariffs will restore male dominance”)
• How RFK Jr. Is Already Undermining Vaccines Under Trump
• Supreme Court allows Trump to implement transgender military ban (What is the POSSIBLE reason to do this???)
• House GOP drops some Medicaid cuts from reconciliation plan
• The Trump administration’s tax math doesn’t add up (“Budget gimmicks for Congress mean higher deficits and borrowing costs for the rest of us.”)
• Why 35 House Democrats Joined Republicans Against a Major Climate Policy (“The 246-to-164 vote in the House stunned environmentalists, who said they were struggling to understand why nearly three dozen Democrats voted to kill one of the most ambitious climate policies in the country…chalk it up to the intense and misleading lobbying by the oil industry”)
• E.P.A. Plans to Shut Down the Energy Star Program (INSANE.)
• FAA suspends work of independent panel reviewing air traffic control (Uhhhhh…why???)
• Department of Education Eliminates Grant for PBS Children’s Shows (So f’ing stupid.)
• At Trump’s urging, USPS board to name FedEx official as postmaster general (“David Steiner is a member of FedEx’s board and was previously the leader of sanitation company Waste Management”)
• Tulsi Gabbard Reused the Same Weak Password on Multiple Accounts for Years (Gabbard is a DISASTER.)
• What Happened When Trump Altered the Deal With Law Firms and Universities
• Trump Demands Release Of Election Denier ‘Hostage’ Convicted By Colorado Jury
• Trump Finally Drops the Anti-Semitism Pretext (“The latest letter to Harvard makes clear that the administration’s goal is to punish liberal institutions for the crime of being liberal.”)
• How top right-leaning online shows that claim to be nonpolitical covered Trump’s first 100 days (“These podcasts and streaming shows mostly praised and defended the administration and its policies, with some offering limited criticisms”)
• Senate Republicans Have Found a Trump Nominee Even They Cannot Support (“But besides a total lack of relevant experience, his enduring friendship with a Jan. 6 Hitler enthusiast, and an incompetent attempt to cover up Russian propaganda connections, what else is wrong with Ed Martin?”)
• Key Republican says he won’t back Trump’s pick for top DC prosecutor because of Jan. 6 ties
• GOP leader: Trump pick to serve as US attorney for DC won’t reach floor
• Trump Team Wants CBS to Pay For His MAGA Kennedy Center
• George W. Bush not expected at White House event honoring his mother
• Why Can’t New York Have Nice Mayors? (“As the Trump Administration encroaches on the city, Andrew Cuomo and Eric Adams try to salvage their political careers.”)
• Utah becomes first US state to ban fluoride in public drinking water (Crazy.)
• Elon Musk’s Grok AI Will ‘Remove Her Clothes’ In Public, On X (More insanity. Seriously, if you voted for this, GFY)
• ICE Agents Are Targeting DC Restaurants
• Do Jen Kiggans and Rob Wittman Support Cuts that Target Virginia’s Medicaid Expansion? (“Today at 4:30: House GOP So-Called ‘Moderates’ Scheduled to Meet with Leadership on Medicaid Cuts”)
• Video: Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-VA11)’s Former Chief of Staff, James Walkinshaw, Announces Run for Congress, Says “It’s Time for Us to Fight Back” Against Trump (On 4/28, Rep. Connolly announced his cancer had come back and “this will be my last term in Congress.”)
• Rep. Gerry Connolly will back former aide to succeed him in Congress (“’This is not a moment for on-the-job training. We need a strong representative, experienced in addressing national issues that affect our community, who can stand up to Trump and lead from day one,’ Connolly said in an open letter to be sent to constituents Wednesday that was obtained by The Washington Post. ‘I believe James Walkinshaw is that leader.’”)
• Following Veto of Right to Contraception Act, Sears Calls Protecting Access to Birth Control “Pushing A Political Agenda” (Also: “Read more about Sears’ dangerous record on reproductive rights”)
• Miyares breaks silence, says he will campaign with LG nominee John Reid (LOL, of course – Republicans always “fall in line,” authoritarian party that they are.)
• Virginia schools assure compliance with parental rights laws
• Youngkin vetoes Confederate tax break roll back, but 1A scholar says that might be best
• Youngkin takes action on last remaining legislation of the session
• Editorial: Youngkin defends Trump even as he’s forced to fix the president’s mess (“The people hurt in all of this are Virginians — Youngkin’s constituents — who are public servants, government contractors and small business owners.”)
• Virginia to rein in medical debt collectors after Youngkin signature
• Video: With VA Democratic AG Primary in 42 Days, Jay Jones Goes Up with “Six-Figure” TV/Digital Ad Buy, Pledges to “fight Trump and Musk in court” (We’ll see if Jones’ rival, Shannon Taylor, is able to follow suit…)
• Effects of Trump’s trade war loom over the Port of Virginia
• Audit dispute triggers bitter feud between Va. Beach Republicans and district leaders
• Miyares to investigate Loudoun schools over transgender locker room incident
• Virginia Health Department investigating potential pediatric cancer cluster in Southwest Virginia
• Real estate tax cut and meals tax added as Fairfax County reveals budget
• Superintendent Jason Kamras’ contract renewed at Richmond Public Schools
• Small earthquake rattles Farmville area, felt as far north as Arlington
• New Richmond billboard attacks Stoney for water crisis
• Lawsuit claims 140 layoffs at Buchanan County mine violated federal law
• Enter Metallica: Band to play at Virginia Tech after years as unofficial football anthem (“Wednesday night, in a spectacle that feels as if it’s been in the making for the past 25 years, the two will come together when the iconic heavy metal band will perform on the field at the Hokies’ home venue.”)
• CWG Live updates: Beautiful today, shower and storm chances return late Thursday