by Lowell
Here are a few international, national and Virginia news headlines, political and otherwise, for Friday, July 25.
- The world court joins the fight over climate change
- Caribbean leaders hail ICJ climate ruling as ‘historic’ win for small island states (“PM of St Vincent and the Grenadines says ruling will strengthen the Caribbean’s negotiating power when it comes to climate change reparations”)
- ‘We were heard’: the Pacific students who took their climate fight to the ICJ – and won (“In a packed court thousands of kilometres from home, Cynthia Houniuhi saw years of work come to fruition with the landmark ICJ opinion on climate harm”)
- Trump effort to ditch greenhouse gas finding ignores ‘clearcut’ science, expert says
- Oil giant BP walks away from $55 billion wind, solar and hydrogen hub in Pilbara (FU BP)
- Zelenskyy moves to restore independence of Ukraine anti-graft agencies after protests, EU criticism
- Ukrainians remind Zelensky what democracy looks like
The Shahed blitz: can Russian drone onslaught break Ukraine’s resolve? (“Civilian casualties on rise as Moscow launches salvoes of hundreds of missiles after ramping up production”)- U.S.-China trade war is a battle to build walls (“Asians want to be self-reliant, but America is too big to ignore.”)
- U.S. slams France’s plan to recognize Palestinian state
- France Will Recognize Palestinian Statehood, Macron Says
- The Worst-Kept Secret of the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict (“Trump turned a far-right fantasy—ethnic cleansing in Gaza—into U.S. policy. He needs to reject it.”)
- Mass starvation stalks Gaza as deaths from hunger rise (“Israel has severely limited the amount of food entering Gaza, where society is on the brink of collapse.”)
- Starmer to speak with Macron and Merz as France to recognise Palestinian state
- Israel’s 12-Day War Revealed Alarming Gap in America’s Missile Stockpile (“During conflict, Thaad operators burned through nearly a quarter of interceptors ever purchased by Pentagon”)
- As the Epstein saga rages, Trump is getting a pass on his role in the building famine in Gaza
- Exclusive: Thailand rejects international mediation to end fighting with Cambodia
- Why these two Asian neighbors just launched the world’s latest armed conflict (“Armed clashes set off by a century-old border dispute mark the worst fighting in decades between Thailand and Cambodia.”)
- Tens of thousands flee their homes as Thailand and Cambodia clash
- Philippines top court throws out impeachment complaint against VP Duterte
- US-Japan Trade Deal Hinges on Fund That Remains a Puzzle
- ‘Japanese First’: breakthrough by rightwing populists sparks fears of anti-foreigner backlash in Japan (“Analysts say the Japanese are suffering a crisis of confidence that is feeding xenophobia amid economic insecurity and a record number of foreign residents”)
- Quebec man warning Canadian boaters after he was detained by U.S. Coast guard, put in jail cell
- Venezuelans deported by Trump to El Salvador describe ‘horror movie’ mega-prison
- American Convicted of Murder Is Freed by Trump From Venezuela Prison
- Judges’ orders ‘need to be respected,’ Elena Kagan says amid Trump’s escalating conflict with the courts (“Speaking at a legal conference, the Obama-appointed justice was the latest member of the Supreme Court to decry threats to judicial independence.”)
- Senate Inches Forward With Trump’s Alarming Court Pick, Emil Bove
- Trump tussles with Powell during Federal Reserve visit but backs off firing threat (“President Donald Trump said he won’t fire Jerome Powell following a clash at the Federal Reserve that saw the Fed chair correct the president.”)
- Trump and Powell can’t agree on numbers, and it’s more than just interest rates
- Fed Staff Members Cite Tariffs and Inflation for Costly Renovations
- Powell privately adamant that he will serve out his full term at the Fed
- Will new Interior Department rules shackle wind and solar? Insiders are divided. (“We know new Interior Department rules will slow wind and solar development — but we don’t yet know how much.”)
- Trump signs order pushing cities and states to remove homeless people from streets (“Amid record high homelessness, Trump wants to move homeless people from the streets and into treatment centers.”)
- Trump order pushes forcible hospitalization of homeless people (“Trump’s executive order could increase hospitalization of homeless individuals with mental health and substance use disorders.”)
- The Line Trump Crossed by Accusing Obama of Treason
- Gabbard’s Attacks on Barack Obama Put the Attorney General in a Tough Spot
- Outcry as US agriculture department to cut salaries and relocate staff (“Experts warn ‘half-baked’ restructuring will further erode support for US farmers and hamper wildfire response”)
- Former Jan. 6 prosecutor and ex-DOJ employees sue Trump administration over firings
- Ahead of Shutdown Deadline, Democrats Face a Dilemma on Spending (“Democrats are leery of supporting Republican spending measures after the White House forced through clawbacks of funding already approved by Congress.”)
- Democrats warn Trump’s plan to claw back more funds may spark a shutdown
- Trump Redefines the Washington Scandal (“In a Presidency where everything is an outrage, what does it say that MAGA’s revolt over the Jeffrey Epstein files is the one crisis that really might hurt him?”)
- House GOP sends warning shot to Bondi for fumbling Epstein saga ‘so badly’ (“Republicans are furious with the attorney general’s handling of the Epstein files, which has consumed Washington for weeks.”)
- It’s time for Trump to fire Pam Bondi
- RFK Jr. Pictured Partying With Child Sex Predator Jeffrey Epstein (RFK Jr. is pure evil, a sociopath, a nutjob, etc.)
- Donald Trump Is in a Tailspin (“The Epstein scandal is making an unpopular president even more unpopular, and there’s no sign that this will end anytime soon.”)
- GOP leaders submarined by Epstein uproar
- Trump White House Rages Over ‘South Park’ Episode, Calls Show ‘Fourth-Rate’ (Trump’s lover being thge Devil seems about right…)
- Trump’s ‘South Park’ Problem (“It’s the latest sign that Trump has lost control of the Epstein narrative and that the saga has broken Washington containment.”)
- Trump’s Name Is on Contributor List for Epstein Birthday Book
- Jeffrey Epstein’s Birthday Album Included Letters From Bill Clinton, Leon Black
- Maxwell interview about Epstein ‘very productive’, lawyer says
- Can Ghislaine Maxwell be trusted to tell the truth about Jeffrey Epstein? (Obviously not.)
- How a Frantic Scouring of the Epstein Files Consumed the Justice Dept.
- Trump’s FCC finally lets two media companies merge (This is completely corrupt.)
- Elizabeth Warren Says Skydance-Paramount Merger Approval “Must Be Investigated For Any Criminal Behavior”
- Pallone Blasts Blatant Corruption in Skydance-Paramount Acquisition (“With this announcement, it’s clear that the FCC is in Trump’s pocket and that Skydance and Paramount have been engaging in a quid pro quo for months. If there was any doubt, it’s now obvious why Paramount threw 60 Minutes and its number one rated late night talk show under the bus. Trump demands allegiance from everyone around him and it’s disgusting to see companies like Skydance and Paramount bowing to his endless and illegal demands. This is a dark day for anyone who believes in the rule of law and the First Amendment.”)
- Independents Drive Trump’s Approval to 37% Second-Term Low
- Two Democrats Are Bolting From a Bipartisan Governors’ Group (“The NGA, some Democrats say, has failed to respond forcefully enough to Trump’s incursions into state matters.”)
- Are the Democrats Getting Better at the Internet? (“There’s never been an inherent reason why the Party’s positioning requires so much of its online content to suck.”)
- Columbia pays Trump’s ransom
- New York’s Kathy Hochul opens the door to redrawing House lines
- At Redistricting Hearing, Texas Democrats Attack Silent Republicans
- ChatGPT Gave Instructions for Murder, Self-Mutilation, and Devil Worship
- How Hulk Hogan came to endorse Trump in 2024 (“While Hogan became a favorite of the MAGA base, his own political history is mixed. He supported Barack Obama in the 2008 election, but later changed his tune. In the 2012 election, Hogan supported Republican Mitt Romney over the incumbent Democrat.”)
- Congressional AI Caucus Chair Don Beyer (D-VA08), Others: “We are deeply concerned about the impacts of President Trump’s AI Action Plan” (Cites “wildly inappropriate $200 million Pentagon contract for Elon Musk’s Grok AI despite that platform’s recent history of racist misinformation, antisemitism, and support for Adolf Hitler”)
- Kaine, Vindman implore Congress to reboot program that benefited Spotsylvania students with disabilities
- Fmr. VA Lt. Gov. Bill Bolling (R/Trump voter) Says If Winsome Earle-Sears “can’t unify [her] own ticket,” She’ll “lose big, and…deserve to lose.” (Bolling says John Reid “was NOT invited to participate in this [VA Beach ‘Super Saturday’ rally]”)
- Politicking at the fair, Earle-Sears to bring her uphill campaign to Augusta County
- Fact Check of Winsome Earle-Sears’ Interview Yesterday on Right-Wing Radio: a Massive Cavalcade of Distortions, Lies, Ignorance, “Projection,” etc. (Listening to this interview by itself should be enough to disqualify Sears to the vast majority of Virginia voters. What a nut.)
- Pope & Schapiro: AstraZeneca, a campaign shakeup, and possible election changes
- Open letter to Earle-Sears reflects Va. voters’ shifting sentiments on reproductive health care (“That includes Salem-area resident Mauricia Smith, a longtime Republican voter who now plans to support Democrats in this year’s elections. She was among 450 women around the state to sign onto an open letter about how reproductive rights have influenced their decision.”)
- Economic issues at the forefront for Spanberger, Earle-Sears (It’s really not true that economic issues are at the forefront for Earle-Sears.)
- Tens of thousands of Virginians could lose health insurance if tax credits expire, officials warn
- Miyares signs on to MAGA letter pushing NCAA to strip trans athletes of records
- Video: At GMU, Virginia Democratic Leaders Blast Trump Administration for Assault on GMU, Virginia Republicans for Not Fighting Back (Sen. Louise Lucas: “Thomas Jefferson and George Mason must be rolling over in their graves” Sen. Scott Surovell: “You want to know why Trump doesn’t like higher education? He doesn’t want a functioning democracy.” Speaker Don Scott: “Jason Miyares has capitulated, he has surrendered, in fact he’s cooperating today.”)
- Virginia Democrats defend state colleges ahead of legal fight
- Wilder, Democrats rally to defend state colleges from Trump attacks
- Democrats, Wilder defend Va.’s top-ranked higher education system amid Trump investigations
- Replacement for UVA’s Jim Ryan under current board won’t be confirmed, Virginia Democrats say
- Report shows violent crime continues to drop across US cities, including 3 in Va. (“Nationally, homicides fell 17% in the first half of 2025 compared with the same period in 2024.”)
- Editorial: Flock cameras’ data must be restricted to legal use in Virginia
- Mountain Valley Pipeline weighs possible expansion, new Virginia compressor station
- Mountain Valley Pipeline considers expansion in Montgomery County
- Court considers the role of developers in Arlington ‘missing middle’ housing suit (“Once the appeals court decides how to handle Wilsons Ventures, the case will continue, either back at the trial court or in the Court of Appeals. The homeowners and county officials both believe the fight could go all the way to the Virginia Supreme Court.”)
- Virginia: You aren’t crazy, this summer is hotter than normal (and no end in sight)
- CWG Live updates: Heat index approaches 110 today, and staying hot this weekend
