by Lowell
Here are a few international, national and Virginia news headlines, political and otherwise, for Wednesday, April 22. Congratulations to everyone who helped pass the redistricting amendment – and most importantly, FIGHT BACK against Trump’s insane, dangerous power grab!
- Heatwaves, floods and wildfires pose rising threat to democracy, report finds (“Research shows natural hazards linked to climate crisis disrupted 23 elections in 18 countries in 2024”)
- ‘Petro-masculinity’ is destroying the planet. Can eco-masculinity help save it?
- Pollen season in UK and mainland Europe extended by climate breakdown (“Research finds global heating has already lengthened the pollen season in addition to worsening heatwaves and droughts”)
- Global growth in solar “the largest ever observed for any source” (“The International Energy Agency says we’ve entered the Age of Electricity.”)
- ‘Donnyland’? Ukraine Proposes Naming Part of the Donbas in Trump’s Honor. (“The proposal reflects a global reality in which governments appeal to President Trump’s vanity to get American might on their side.” Trump might actually fall for this, he’s such a pathological/unhinged narcissist.)
- EU decides on key €90bn Ukraine loan after pipeline deadlock ends
- Trump weighs consequences for NATO allies on ‘naughty’ list (Trump is a Putin puppet.)
- Exclusive: US turns to Ukrainian counter-drone tech after Iran attacks
- Contested Druzhba pipeline resumes operations with EU close to signing off on €90bn loan for Ukraine
- Live updates: Iran attacks 3 ships in the Strait of Hormuz as Trump indefinitely extends ceasefire
- Trump news at a glance: Trump backs off threat to resume bombing Iran and extends ceasefire (“President changed his tune at request of Pakistan’s leaders, though he said military blockade of Iranian ports will continue”)
- Trump blasted Obama’s Iran deal. Now he faces similar tradeoffs. (“As U.S. envoys pursue peace talks, the president confronts the same sticking points: sanctions relief, enrichment limits and the risk of empowering Tehran.” DUH!)
- Trump Extends Cease-Fire With Iran (For Trump, it was “TACO Tuesday!”)
- Trust Trump? Iran’s Doubts Shadow Peace Talks.
- Trump announces indefinite extension of ceasefire as Iran stalls negotiations
- Trump extends Iran ceasefire indefinitely, in an about-face
- Why Trump’s latest blink on Iran could be more than a TACO Tuesday
- Tom Barrack Has His Own Mideast Policy (“Our man in Istanbul has some strange views for an American envoy.”)
- Proposed Lifetime Smoking Ban to Become Law in Britain (Good.)
- Magyar wants to put the Austro-Hungarian Empire back on the map (“Hungary’s incoming prime minister wants to forge closer ties with Austria and other Central European nations to wield greater power in Brussels.”)
- Trump Is Said to Be in Talks to Send Afghans Who Aided U.S. Forces to Congo (“A U.S. aid worker said that the Afghans, who were evacuated to Qatar, would face a choice between moving to the Democratic Republic of Congo and living under the Taliban.” INSANE. Also EVIL.)
- Thune nudges Trump to “wrap up” Fed probe
- Why Trump’s pick for Fed chair will not bring home the bank for the president (“Kevin Warsh, Trump’s ‘central casting’, has a long road ahead of convincing board members to lower interest rates”)ft
- Nearly half of US children are breathing dangerous levels of air pollution, report warns (“American Lung Association report comes amid Trump EPA’s expansive rollback of environmental protections”)
- Trump’s approval on economy falls in AP-NORC poll, showing new warning signs for president
- No Peace Plan, No Problem: Why the Wartime Market Keeps Rising (“Bad news stirs even greater interest among investors who see only prospects for the stock market to keep setting records.” Delusional?)
- John Roberts embodies MAGA cowardice
- CDC won’t publish report showing covid shots cut likelihood of hospital visits
- RFK Jr. Brazenly Says Measles Outbreaks Not His Fault: ‘I’ve Never Been Anti-Vaccine’ (These people’s “superpower” is shamelessness – whether Trump, Youngkin, RFK Jr, whoever, they just lie and lie and lie…and don’t care. Also, the media rarely if ever calls them on it, so why not???)
- Why the Pentagon is dropping a flu vaccine mandate (“US soldiers are now free to get the flu.”)
- Judge Halts Trump Actions Aimed at Throttling Renewable Energy
- Republicans fear succession of government shutdowns under Trump
- Trump Holds the American People in Total Contempt
- ‘Easily the Worst President in U.S. History’ (By FAR!)
- U.S. Abruptly Rescinds Subpoenas It Had Just Issued in John Brennan Inquiry (“The reversal came after the Justice Department replaced a career prosecutor with a loyalist to President Trump in the administration’s effort to charge the former C.I.A. chief with a crime.”)
- The SPLC indictment, the Klan history behind it, and the ignominy of Todd Blanche (“Another dark day for DOJ.”)
- DOJ charges Southern Poverty Law Center with fraud over secret funding of extremist groups (Beyond outrageous!)
- An Extra-Embarrassing White House Correspondents’ Dinner (“Why is Donald Trump breaking bread with the “enemy of the people”?” The more important question is why any journalist would break bread with Trump!!!)
- 11 Scientists Are Dead or Missing. It Was Only a Matter of Time Before Conspiracy Theories Hit the White House. (“A haphazard grouping of recent cases emerged from what one paranormal investigator describes as “mystery-mongering data mining.” It also made for ideal fodder for the president and our leading media personalities alike.”)
- ‘If my people’: Here’s why the Bible passage Trump read aloud is so potent and polarizing
- Trump fought to keep the ballroom fundraising contract secret. Here’s what’s in it.
- Texas can require public schools to display Ten Commandments in classrooms, court rules
- Tucker Carlson apologizes for ‘misleading’ people on Trump: ‘We’re implicated in this for sure’ (Hahahahaha, suuuuure.)
- Tucker and Trump’s marriage of convenience heads for divorce court
- Democratic Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick Resigns
- Rep. Cory Mills says he won’t resign from Congress amid ethics probe into misconduct allegations
- Virginia voters just handed Democrats another win in the Great Redistricting Wars (“Trump’s gerrymandering efforts are backfiring.”)
- 5 takeaways from the Virginia redistricting vote
- The Redistricting Vote: Virginia Is Where Trump’s Scheme Came to Die (“The commonwealth’s voters just gave Democrats four more House seats—and dealt the Orange One a humiliating defeat in a fight he started.”)
- With Virginia vote, Democrats gain edge over Trump’s national GOP redistricting push
- Statements by Rep. Eugene Vindman, Rep. Don Beyer, Elaine Luria, Tom Perriello, Shannon Taylor, etc. After Virginia Approves New US House Districts
- Video: After Passage of Redistricting Amendment, Del. Elizabeth Guzmán Announces Campaign for Congress in the New VA-07 (“An immigrant, mom, union member, and social worker who is ready to fight back against Trump’s attacks on her community”)
- Here are Virginia’s new congressional districts and who is running
- Virginia election results: Voters say ‘yes’ to redistricting, giving Democrats advantage
- In Virginia Redistricting Win, Democrats Play Hardball
- Virginia voters approve redistricting plan that could boost Democrats’ seats in Congress
- [UPDATE: YES WINS!] Live Blog: Virginia Redistricting Amendment Referendum Results (4/21/26)
- Virginia voters back redistricting amendment after months of legal and political battles (“Approval allows new congressional maps to take immediate effect, following intense fight over process, courts and campaign messaging.”)
- ‘Yes!’ wins in congressional redistricting referendum: It ain’t over, though
- Dems’ Virginia gamble pays off in redistricting wars
- Virginia passes redistricting measure that could help Democrats retake the House
- ‘The GOP should’ve done more’: Virginia Republicans point fingers after gerrymandering loss (“They are frustrated the party didn’t spend extensively and are putting pressure on Florida to give them back an edge.”)
- Spanberger cheers on Va. redistricting win as Republicans press courts to strike down planned maps
- Virginia voters narrowly pass redistricting referendum
- Virginians narrowly approve mid-decade redistricting effort
- ‘Yes’ won but did so in a way that there are now losers on both sides. Here are 5 reasons why. (This is the Dwayne Yancey-est of Dwayne Yancey columns, LOL! Seriously, WTF??? This is pathetic.)
- Virginia Dems Just Won a Major Battle in Trump’s Redistricting War (“Voters don’t like gerrymandering. But they seem to hate Trump even more.”)
- Yes: Virginia votes to redraw congressional maps, favoring Democrats
- Takeaways from Virginia’s vote to boost Democrats in national redistricting war (“The measure puts Democrats ahead in the battle for the House, but attention now shifts to Florida, where Republicans could regain the gerrymandering advantage.” That’s such a Bezos Post take – why is [fill in the blank story] bad news for Democrats???)
- Redistricting Referendum (4/21/26): Open Thread (Virginians need to stand up “against Donald Trump’s tyranny”)
- The governor’s amendments to energy and data center legislation will save money for customers (“A roundup of the most important data center and energy bills Spanberger signed this year, or which will return to legislators on Wednesday with minor amendments.”)
- Solar siting bill likely to become law after Spanberger amendments
- Spanberger names 4 to Virginia Tech Board of Visitors ahead of presidential search
- State bus line debuts new east-west route that connects 10 cities across Virginia (“Tickets for the Tidewater Current range from $15 to $60 and the full route from Virginia Beach to Harrisonburg takes just over six hours.” Nice.)
- Sandy Marks claims victory in Alexandria city council election
- Hours after judge denies motion to stop Oceanfront curfew, another filed by woman arrested smoking outside her apartment
- CWG Live: Scattered showers today and a warming trend through Friday (“Cooler this weekend, with showers possible Saturday.”)
