by Lowell
Here are a few international, national and Virginia news headlines, political and otherwise, for Wednesday, April 29.
- The “Age of Electricity” Is Upon Us (“As war in Iran upends fuel markets, two new reports confirm that 2025 was a banner year for renewables.”)
- European State of the Climate 2025: record heatwaves from the Mediterranean to the Arctic, while glaciers shrink and snow cover declines (Absolutely disastrous, and Trump doesn’t GAF, nor do Republicans.)
- Critical minerals are ‘oil of 21st century’ as demand fuels poverty and pollution in poorer countries (“Rush for lithium, cobalt and nickel is ravaging livelihoods, water and health of world’s most vulnerable, UN study says”)
- ‘Suicidal’ model of capitalism leading to war and fascism, climate summit told (“Colombia president Gustavo Petro tells 57-country talks on a green energy transition that fossil fuel interests could destroy humanity”)
- Babies exposed to air pollution during pregnancy take longer to learn to speak, research finds
- Why is the Pentagon holding up Ukraine funds? (“The department isn’t obligating the modest $400 million Congress authorized months ago.”)
- Russians Are Speaking Out, but Not About Ukraine (“From beauty influencers to the token political opposition, Russians are openly questioning President Vladimir V. Putin’s moves to hamstring internet access.”)
- Ukraine says it shot down 33,000 Russian drones in March, a monthly record (“Ukraine has developed cutting-edge and battle-tested drone technology that has proved essential in holding back Russia’s bigger army and drawn military interest from around the world.”)
- Russian oil facilities in Perm and Orsk struck as Ukraine’s drones follow up Tuapse attacks
- Democrats finally get their chance to grill Pete Hegseth on Iran (“As the Iran war enters its third month, Democrats get their first opportunity to demand answers from the Defense Secretary.”)
- Trump Tells Aides to Prepare for Extended Blockade of Iran (“The president prefers decisive victories, but none of the available options provides him with a swift exit from the conflict” So…quagmire.)
- Exclusive: US spy agencies examine how Iran would react to Trump declaring victory
- Iran’s Guards seize wartime power, blunting Supreme Leader’s role
- Iranians Feel the Pain as Their Economy Descends Into a Death Spiral (“Businesses are closing, unemployment is soaring and food is increasingly unaffordable.”)
- Trump’s War Powers Deadline on Iran Is Almost Up. Will Republicans Act? (“The war hits its 60th day on Friday, which under the 1973 War Powers Act is the deadline for the White House to secure congressional authorization for hostilities. The law allows a limited 30-day extension to wind down operations, but lawmakers are divided over whether that provision gives Trump more runway or forces Congress to step in.”)
- Calls for humanitarian corridor through strait of Hormuz as Iran war hits vital aid (“Soaring oil prices and the blockade are preventing food, fuel and medicine being delivered to millions of people in desperate need, say NGOs”)
- How Iran Accumulated 11 Tons of Enriched Uranium (“Two months after the U.S. began a war meant to prevent Iran from ever building an atomic bomb, the fate of its stockpile of enriched uranium remains a mystery.”)
- Senate rejects curb on Trump military action in Cuba (And by “Senate,” Axios means to say “Senate Republicans plus John Fetterman,” but they don’t say that for whatever reason…)
- How the Failed Orange Prince Became a Global Laughingstock (“Machiavelli argued that it is better to be feared than loved. Donald Trump fails at both internationally—and it makes him dangerous.”)
- Oil prices extend multi-day rally as Trump issues new threat to Iran; Brent tops $114 per barrel
- UAE Exit Blindsides OPEC and Threatens to Shake Its Grip on Oil (“The UAE’s departure will position it as a wild-card player in the global oil market.”)
- One year after Spain’s blackout, its shift to renewables and grid evolution power on (“Though solar was initially incorrectly blamed for crisis, renewables have helped insulate Spain from gas price rises caused by war in Middle East”)
- White House makes ‘two Kings’ post with photo of Trump, King Charles
- King Charles urges checks on executive power as Trump hosts royal visit (“In a speech to Congress, the monarch avoided naming the president but highlighted democratic norms, Ukraine and Western unity.”)
- King Charles praises Nato and urges defence of Ukraine in key speech during Trump visit
- Trump claims King ‘agrees’ Iran shouldn’t have nuclear weapon in White House banquet speech (“In response, Buckingham Palace says the King is “naturally mindful” of the British government’s established position of opposing Iranian nuclear proliferation”)
- Five takeaways from the King’s historic address to Congress
- King Charles: The hidden messages in his speech to Congress (“The British monarch delivered a jovial address to Washington’s leaders that was laced with plenty of shade.”)
- Trump says he was ‘jealous’ of the king’s speech
- King Charles’ subtle but striking warning to America
- King’s environmental views will never face a more obdurate listener than Trump (“US president has all but declared war on nature but that will not stop Charles quietly pressing his case during state visit”)
- Supreme Court weighs Trump’s effort to end Temporary Protected Status for Haitians, Syrians
- New Fed chair, same reality: Imminent rate cuts are unlikely, even if Warsh takes the helm
- Here’s everything to expect when the Fed issues its latest interest rate decision Wednesday
- Fed to Hold Rates Before Powell Cedes Hot Seat to Warsh
- U.S. Gas Prices Hit Highest Level Since Beginning of War in Iran
- Hill Republicans want Trump to solve their internal problems (“The GOP agenda is running aground, and many lawmakers believe only direct presidential engagement will fix it.”)
- Trump’s $1.5 Trillion Defense Plan Draws Rare Republican Pushback
- Pentagon asks Congress to codify ‘Department of War’ with $52 million price tag (F*** NO!)
- Can the E.P.A. Survive Lee Zeldin? (“The agency, which was founded to protect the environment and human health, has cancelled safety regulations, supported coal, and stopped caring about climate change.” Zeldin is absolute evil.)
- Trump’s attempt to crush clean energy progress not going to plan, experts say (“US generated more power from renewables including solar and wind than gas last month in a first”)
- US predicts stunning 80 GW increase in big solar, wind, and battery storage in next year – despite Trump
- Exclusive: Trump approval sinks to new low as war with Iran drives cost-of-living concerns
- Trump’s court setbacks fail to blunt his campaign against media
- F.C.C. Orders a Review of ABC’s Broadcast Licenses (Harassment and intimidation.)
- Brendan Carr takes on Disney — and escalates Trump’s media war (“The FCC’s abrupt move to reconsider the licenses of eight ABC-owned television stations is the agency’s first real effort to carry out a frequent threat of President Donald Trump”)
- Trump administration challenges ABC station licenses amid Kimmel controversy
- Prosecutions of Trump’s foes add to GOP’s headaches in midterms (“Charges against former FBI director James B. Comey and others take focus away from the economy and the issues voters care most about, many Republicans say.”)
- Comey and Kimmel cases drive home Trump’s dim view of foes’ free speech (“Trump administration efforts to punish perceived enemies fly in the face of what it promised on First Amendment”)
- James Comey’s Indictment Is Another Trump Revenge Fantasy Come to Life (“The administration is really trying to claim the former FBI director threatened the president via a message written in seashells.”)
- Calling Trump a Tyrant Is Not a Call to Violence (“Conservatives want to police how we talk about Trump—while excusing how the president talks about everyone else.”)
- Trumpers using DOJ to silence anti-hate group with plain dumb lawfare
- Grand jury indicts former FBI director James Comey for a second time
- The Comey Threat Indictment Is A Grave Embarrassment To The United States Department of Justice And The Rule of Law (“The Department of Justice Is Dead; Long Live The Department of Trump”)
- The Justice Department Is Now Reformatting Trump Truth Social Posts as Court Filings (“Working at the Justice Department used to be a prestigious gig in the legal profession. Now, its filings read like Trump wrote them on the toilet.”)
- EXCLUSIVE: State Dept. Finalizing Plan to Put Trump Picture on U.S. Passports (“The new design would mark yet another U.S. government property upon which the president has plastered his likeness.” INSANE!)
- State Department to release limited edition ‘America250’ passports with Trump’s face
- Deranged Trump Rants Edited Out of 60 Minutes Interview After Shooting (“CBS news didn’t air some particularly troubling rants from President Trump in its interview following the White House Correspondents’ Dinner shooting.”)
- 3 days after correspondents’ dinner, FBI still unsure who shot officer outside ballroom (“The Secret Service officer was wearing a bulletproof vest, but sources say investigators haven’t found the fragment that pierced it — and can’t definitively say whether it came from the suspect.”)
- The Loneliness of Donald Trump
- Southern Poverty Law Center says its informants weren’t a secret to DOJ (“Attorneys for the civil rights group said the “unprecedented” and “irregular” prosecution by the Justice Department seeks to criminalize the tools and programs it used for decades.”)
- Barney Frank, entering hospice care, embarks on a final act: Taking on the left
- Trump’s reflecting pool spruce-up fails to charm preservationists (“The president ordered the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool to be coated with a blue liner.”)
- Sen. Tim Kaine Announces Vote on War Powers Resolution “To direct the removal of [U.S.] Armed Forces from hostilities within or against…Cuba that have not been authorized by Congress” (“The last thing we need is another illegal regime change attempt in Cuba”)
- “Is Vulnerable Congresswoman Jen Kiggans [R-VA02] ‘Accepting Sure Defeat’” for U.S. House and Running for Governor of Virginia in 2029? (DCCC: “It’s sad to watch Jen Kiggans become increasingly unhinged online”)
- Video: Rep. James Walkinshaw (D-VA11) Says King Charles Not Meeting with Epstein Survivors Is a “Slap in the Face,” a “Huge Missed Opportunity” (Also says King Charles takes the “long view,” wants the trans-Atlantic alliance to last “long beyond Donald Trump”)
- Rep. Subramanyam telephone town hall hits on Iran War, corruption issues, redistricting
- Supreme Court of Va. leaves redistricting certification block in place ahead of final ruling
- Virginia Supreme Court blocks certification of redistricting election. What this might mean. (“Maybe this telegraphs the outcome. Or maybe it means nothing…This could mean a ruling is imminent. Or not.”)
- Supreme Court of Virginia keeps the injunction against certifying the referendum results
- Virginia Supreme Court delays certification of redistricting referendum
- Here’s what House lawmakers want to require of data centers to keep their sales tax break (“Legislators are still hammering out differences in the Senate and House versions of the state spending plan, with proposed new standards tied to the industry’s tax exemption.”)
- 3 Virginia electric utilities to add battery storage in bid to increase reliability, cut costs (“The technology is anticipated to improve grid reliability and save the utilities millions of dollars over the next 20 years by reducing how much they pay to deliver power during the highest-demand times.”)
- Virginia Legislature Bucks Governor’s Amendments to Dominion-Backed Bill (“Gov. Abigail Spanberger sought additional ratepayer protections. Without them she must consider assigning costs to data centers, continuing a utility profit-boosting program.”)
- Virginia Supreme Court reinstates Hampton murder conviction, reversing Court of Appeals (“The Virginia Supreme Court has reinstated a Hampton murder conviction that was tossed by the Virginia Court of Appeals last year over police detectives’ failure to honor the defendant’s request for a lawyer.”)
- Dining workers unionize across multiple Virginia campuses
- Air testing begins in ‘data center alley’ in Loudoun County
- Richmond City Council approves budget changes
- Thunderstorms to bring high winds and possible hail to DC area
