by Lowell
Here are a few international, national and Virginia news headlines, political and otherwise, for Wednesday, July 30.
- Only 0.5% of 90,000 oil slicks reported over five-year period, analysis finds (So, so bad.)
- Experts baffled as rarely seen beaked whales involved in series of strandings
- US placed on rights watchlist over health of its civil society under Trump (“International non-profit Civicus says ‘sustained attacks on civic freedoms’ put US on par with El Salvador and Kenya”)
- American democracy is crashing out and it will be hard to reverse, international rights group warns
- IMF upgrades global growth forecast as Trump tariffs ease, but warns on risks
- 8.8-magnitude earthquake sends tsunami into coasts of Russia, Japan and Hawaii
- Trump Admits Financial Penalties on Russia ‘May or May Not’ Work (Stop talking about this and just IMPOSE THE PENALTIES, for god’s sake. Trump is so pathetic.)
- Fossil Fool (“How Europe took Trump for a ride”)
- US and China poised to extend tariff truce after failing to find resolution at talks
- After the flood: Beijing residents left to count the cost with little state support
- Taiwan president scraps Latin America trip amid reports the US opposed stopover in New York
- Trump says India will likely face a 20% to 25% tariff
- India could cut power costs to $50/MWh with solar-wind system by 2050 (“India could cut electricity costs to about $50/MWh by 2050 by transitioning to a fully wind- and solar-powered system with primarily day-night balancing, according to new modeling that includes generation, grid, and balancing costs – well below current fossil-based wholesale prices.”)
- The Death of Gaza in Slow Motion
- Why Israel and Hamas Won’t Stop Fighting (“Another breakdown of negotiations shows neither side is ready for the 21-month war to end; deadly hunger crisis takes hold”)
- Trump says US will partner with Israel to run additional food centers in Gaza, but details are scant
- How Netanyahu Played Trump for a Fool in Gaza
- Wave of condemnation after killing of Palestinian activist in West Bank (“Israeli soldiers raid mourning tent after death of Awdah Hathaleen, who helped make Oscar-winning No Other Land”)
- Democrats implore Trump to step up role in addressing suffering and starvation in Gaza (Reminder: the parties are NOT the same, whether on this or any other issue.)
- Starmer says UK will recognize Palestinian state unless Israel agrees ceasefire, ends Gaza suffering
- UN Human Rights Experts and Scientists Urge Brazil’s President to Veto a Law That Would Cut Environmental Reviews (“The country can’t claim a climate leadership role at COP30 while harming the environment and trampling human rights in the process, they say.”)
- Is Brazil’s Underdog Era Coming to an End? (“President Donald Trump has announced a fifty-per-cent tariff on the country’s products, as retaliation for the prosecution of his political ally, Jair Bolsonaro. So far, Brazil has refused to roll over.”)
- Fed Governors Could Break Ranks as Trump Intensifies Powell Pressure (“Possible dissents by Christopher Waller and Michelle Bowman would mark the first time in three decades that more than one Fed governor dissented at a policy meeting”)
- The Fed hasn’t been this divided in decades
- Republicans Just Confirmed Trump’s Most Ghastly Nominee. Democrats Made It Possible. (“… the judgeship that could have been Adeel Mangi’s is now occupied by Bove, a smirking bootlicker whose primary qualification for the job is his willingness to do whatever Mister Trump wants.”)
- Ex-Trump lawyer Emil Bove confirmed to federal appeals court by US Senate (“Top justice department official confirmed 50-49 despite claims that he advocated for ignoring court’s orders”)
- Senate Confirms Emil Bove, Trump’s ‘Enforcer,’ To A Lifetime Federal Judgeship (One of the most disgraceful things that Senate Republicans have EVER done – in the history of the Senate, actually.)
- The Cowardice of Senate Democrats Made Emil Bove’s Confirmation Possible (“Senate Democrats could have confirmed Biden nominee Adeel Mangi to the Third Circuit last year. They caved to a disgraceful right-wing smear campaign instead.”)
- Bove misled lawmakers about his actions in NYC mayor case, evidence suggests
- Grassley, a Champion of Whistle-Blowers, Spurns Them in a Fight Over Bove (Grassley is horrible.)
- DOJ’s (Ridiculous) Misconduct Complaint Against Chief Judge Boasberg (“DOJ’s complaint that Chief Judge Boasberg engaged in “misconduct” would be laughably stupid if it didn’t reflect such a transparently obvious and dangerous attempt to delegitimize the federal courts.”)
- In Game-Changing Climate Rollback, E.P.A. Aims to Kill a Bedrock Scientific Finding (“The proposal is President Trump’s most consequential step yet to derail federal climate efforts and appears to represent a shift toward outright denial of the scientific consensus.”)
- ‘Disturbing new level of extreme science denial’: EPA proposes ending Endangerment Finding
- EPA Head Lee Zeldin Apparently Doesn’t Think Carbon Dioxide Is That Dangerous (How did Zeldin get to be so f’ed up?)
- Heat streaks are getting more common nationwide
- Trump Administration Puts New Chokehold on Billions in Health-Research Funding
- Trump administration blocks NIH from awarding any research grants and contracts (“OMB directive sets up a clash with Congress” Evil.)
- Trump administration halts, then releases, NIH research funding
- Top F.D.A. Official Resigns Under Pressure (“After turning down several new drugs and restricting use of another, Dr. Vinay Prasad drew the ire of the right-wing influencer Laura Loomer and others.”)
- Rooftop Solar Is a Miracle. Why Are We Killing It With Red Tape? (“Trump wants to end solar power—and too many blue states are helping.”)
- Top Generals Nominated for New Positions Must Now Meet With Trump (“The move is a departure from past practice and has raised worries that it could lead to the politicization of the military’s top ranks.”)
- The FBI’s Leaders ‘Have No Idea What They’re Doing’
- Republicans move to clear final hurdles to funding bill before recess
- Trump Accuses Epstein of “Taking People” From His Mar-a-Lago Spa
- Trump says Epstein poached young women from Mar-a-Lago. That raises new questions about what he knew.
- Trump says Epstein ‘stole’ Virginia Giuffre, a heartless and revealing admission | Opinion (“Virginia Giuffre died by suicide only three months ago, having lived much of her life as an advocate for survivors of sex trafficking. Now the president is speaking about her like she’s property.”)
- Trump says Epstein ‘stole’ underage victim Virginia Giuffre from his Mar-a-Lago spa, leading to feud
- Trump now claims breakup with Jeffrey Epstein was over underage girl
- Did Trump Just Confess He Learned about Virginia Giuffre before Jeffrey Epstein Recruited Someone Else at Mar-a-Lago?
- Trump jolts Epstein scandal with new comments about Virginia Giuffre and Mar-a-Lago spa
- Maxwell offers to testify before Congress but with major conditions, including immunity
- US House panel rejects immunity request by Epstein associate Maxwell
- CBS News investigation of Jeffrey Epstein jail video reveals new discrepancies
- Trump approval rating sinks to 40%, the lowest of his term, Reuters/Ipsos poll finds (He should be at ZERO approval, or 10%-20% or whatever. The fact that 40% of Americans approve of this corrupt, incompetent, sadistic, evil administration is really, really disturbing.)
- Democrats Don’t Need to Be Popular. They Just Need to Win.
- DOGE and other day 1 Trump appointees head for the exits at multiple agencies
- Portrait of a Young DOGE Coder Dismantling America’s Institutions
- Roy Cooper breaks fundraising records as he kicks off expensive North Carolina campaign
- American Eagle faces backlash over ‘Sydney Sweeney has great jeans’ ad (“Some critics allege phrase is coded promotion of eugenics and accuse campaign of being ‘tone deaf’”)
- Joe Rogan’s friends followed him to Texas. They all seem to hate it. (“From the heat to the state’s power grid, Joe Rogan’s friends are learning that Texas isn’t what they were promised.”)
- Zohran Mamdani’s Campaign Is ‘Taking Steps’ in Case He Gets Hassled Reentering U.S.
- Pete Hegseth has discussed running for political office in Tennessee, sources say
- “No Tax on Tips” Is an Industry Plant (“Trump’s “populist” policy is backed by the National Restaurant Association—probably because it won’t stop establishments from paying servers below the minimum wage.”)
- Largest Chesapeake Bay oyster habitat restoration project nears finish, plans for more growth
- Kaine introduces bill to improve advocacy for patients in long-term care facilities
- Video: Retired Marine Corps Lt. Colonel Michael Williamson Announces Candidacy for Democratic Nomination in VA02; Says Rep. Jen Kiggans (R) “lied to us”
- Doctors, patients and politicians say Medicaid cuts could be a disaster for Virginia
- Earle-Sears criticizes Spanberger over support for public education (Earle-Sears has been saying crazy sh** for many, many years.)
- Democrat Jay Jones faces GOP incumbent Jason Miyares in VA attorney general race (“Neither campaign immediately responded to a request for comment, however Miyares and Jones had sharply contrasting records.”)
- Judge Sides with Virginia Democrats, Rules Youngkin’s Appointees Cannot Serve on Public College Boards (“The Trump-Youngkin administration…tried to break the law in their attempt to force our progressive university leaders to bow to their will but, today they failed.”)
- Eight of Youngkin’s college board appointees can no longer serve, judge rules (“Virginia Senate Democrats had rejected Youngkin’s picks in committee, but the governor’s administration had told the university boards to let the nominees serve.”)
- Judge sides with Senate Democrats, bars appointees from joining university boards
- Judge temporarily suspends appointees senators rejected from serving on Va. college governing boards
- Virginia Democrats notch win in war over university board picks (“The preliminary injunction prohibits appointees, including Project 2025 contributor Ken Cuccinelli, from serving on university governing boards without the General Assembly’s approval.”)
- Judge Removes Youngkin’s University Board Picks (“The ruling in favor of state Democrats will likely be appealed.”)
- Virginia ends fiscal year with $572 million surplus for next budget
- Virginia conservation group launches six-figure ad buy targeting House Republican incumbents
- Virginia rail trails look to expand mileage and economic impact
- Here’s how federal tax cuts might affect workers of Hampton Roads employers
- VCU to stop medicinal care for transgender youth
- Virginia levies $120K penalty for Henry County solar facility (“State inspectors said they found environmental violations at Energix Renewables’ Sunny Rock Solar. This marks the fourth year in a row that the company has faced such civil penalties.”)
- With no experience, connections or money, he says he’ll to finally bring an arena to Virginia Beach
- Pro-Palestine VCU student wins appeal, will receive degree after university withheld it
- CWG Live updates: Scorching today and storms likely late Thursday, then much cooler
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