Monday (5/18) News: “Oil jumps as Trump warns ‘Clock is Ticking’ for Iran, fanning fears of escalation in conflict”; “When Will Americans Realize the Truth? Republicans Wreck the Economy.”

by Lowell

Here are a few international, national and Virginia news headlines, political and otherwise, for Monday, May 18.

• The Iran war reminds us: we’ll never be energy-independent with fossil fuels
• Global scramble to contain new Ebola outbreak as US looks to relocate ‘small number’ of citizens affected
• WHO declares Ebola outbreak in DR Congo an international emergency (“The agency added that the outbreak, with around 246 cases and 80 deaths, does not meet the criteria of pandemic emergency.”)
• Global Bond Yields at Multiyear Highs on Mounting Inflation Risk
• Global bond rout deepens as Iran war drags on and underscores inflation fears
• Catastrophe Is Emerging in the World’s Most Vulnerable Places (“The humanitarian relief system, decimated by cuts, faces a grave challenge as the Middle East war causes soaring costs for food, fuel and fertilizer.”)
• Inside the ‘kill-zone’ on Ukraine’s front line, where new weapons have transformed war
• Europe should pick negotiator for possible Russian talks, says Zelenskyy (“Ukrainian president says Europe must ‘have a strong voice and presence’ amid search for candidate who could lead any talks with Putin”)
• Xi Jinping prepares to welcome Vladimir Putin to China, four days after hosting Donald Trump
• China’s Economy Unexpectedly Weakens as Iran War Fallout Mounts
• A Tale of Thucydides (“China shouldn’t worry — Trump is too weak and unfocused to be a threat”)
• China says preliminary agreement reached with US to lower some tariffs
• Lai says Taiwan will not be ‘sacrificed or traded away’ after Trump remarks
• Scoop: Trump advisers fear China may target Taiwan in next 5 years
• China committed to not ‘provide material support to Iran,’ US trade rep says (“Greer also emphasized there’s been “no change” to U.S. Taiwan policy.”)
• 60 Minutes Reveals Insider Trading on US Military Conflicts Is Exploding: ‘Luck Alone Can’t Explain The Numbers’
• Lindsey Graham Says U.S. Negotiations With Iran Have ‘Hit a Wall’ (“He also called on the president to follow through with his threats to destroy the country’s energy infrastructure.”)
• Trump warns Iran “clock is ticking” until U.S. launches harder strikes
• Oil jumps as Trump warns ‘Clock is Ticking’ for Iran, fanning fears of escalation in conflict
• Trump Says He’s a Builder. His Peace Deals Are Far From Sturdy. (“Arab officials worry Trump will leave them in a lurch with Iran.”)
• Stocks fall and oil rises after Trump warns Iran that ‘clock is ticking’
• Guns on the television and in Iran’s streets as Trump renews war threats
• ‘This may be the last time you hear my voice’: Political executions surge in Iran since start of war (Iran’s regime is truly heinous.)
• UAE blames Iran or proxies for strike near nuclear plant, as Trump tells Tehran ‘clock is ticking’ (“Abu Dhabi denounces ‘dangerous escalation’ as Iran war ceasefire grows more precarious, and US president voices impatience at stalemate”)<?li>
• Trump Has Done More Than Misjudge Iran
• IDF Seized 10 Gaza-bound Turkish Flotilla Boats in International Waters, Organizers Say
• Starmer is not setting out timetable for his departure, says David Lammy
• In Closed-Door Talks, U.S. Demands a Major Role in Greenland
• Exclusive: U.S. eyes attack-drone threat from Cuba
• Cuba is staging one of the world’s fastest solar surges as the US tightens oil and China steps in
• Over 100,000 Children Separated From Parents in Deportation Push, Report Estimates (Pure evil.)
• Trump’s immigration crackdown could cost up to $479bn in lost taxes over 10 years (“Proposed IRS data sharing with immigration authorities and ICE raids have made filing risky for those who are undocumented”)
• When Will Americans Realize the Truth? Republicans Wreck the Economy. (“Donald Trump is different in many ways from the Republican presidents who preceded him. But there’s one way he’s exactly the same.”)
• The Economy Kevin Warsh Is Inheriting Is Not the One He Wanted (“The next Fed chair wants lower rates. But the data might make that impossible.”)
• The labor market is stuck. These seven charts explain why.
• RFK Jr.’s War on Antidepressants Could Have Dire Consequences (“As the Department of Health and Human Services encourages “deprescribing” of certain medications, the impact on mental health treatment could be severe.”)
• The real reason RFK Jr. is coming for your antidepressants (“The HHS Secretary’s attacks on psychiatric medication follow a pattern of putting politics over public health”)
• A Crack in the Polling Floor Puts Trump in New Territory
• Trump’s Approval Sinks Amid Unpopular War, Darkening G.O.P. Prospects (“With the midterms nearing, President Trump’s approval rating has hit a second-term low as voters question his handling of the economy, according to the latest New York Times/Siena poll.”)
• Stress, uncertainty as economy views decline; many voice frustration with Trump’s economic approach, CBS News poll finds
• Trump Begins Branding America’s 250th Anniversary as a Christian Celebration (“We welcome Jesus into this place!”)
• Thousands Flock To National Mall For Prayer Rally With Vance, Hegseth And Rubio (“The conservative Christian lineup featured guests who often argue that the U.S. was founded as a Christian nation, a narrative disputed by many historians and other religious traditions.”)
• Trump Administration Pushes Narrative of Christian Founding at Rally (“With speeches and Christian music performed against a symbolically potent backdrop at the heart of American government, the rally aimed to crystallize the narrative that the nation’s founding was an intentionally Christian project, a framing disputed by many scholars. The separation of church and state has long been a bedrock principle of American democracy. The First Amendment states that ‘Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.'”)
• Trump Snubs His Big Faith Event to Go Golfing (“The president was apparently busy answering a different Sunday calling.”)
• The Newest Oldest President (“Donald Trump is turning 80. But will he face the scrutiny that Joe Biden did?” Of course not; the media is WILDLY biased against Democrats and towards Republicans.)
• Democrats want working-class voters. They disagree on how to woo them.
• Jewish lawmakers face an explosion of antisemitism (“Gone are the days of veiled insinuations and dog whistles. The hate is direct, explicit and shockingly casual, two dozen members of Congress and candidates told Axios.”)
• This Big Idea Could Fix America’s Gerrymandering Madness (“Embracing proportional representation may be the only way out”)
• Senate GOP looking for off-ramp from White House ballroom debacle
• Trump’s vendettas deliver, but at what cost to the GOP?
• The smoking guns in Trump’s new financial disclosure (“Trump publicly praised companies the same day he bought their stock.”)
• The Fight for Voting Rights Returns to Selma
• As electric bills rise, some states are focusing on the growing profits of utilities
• Khanna and AOC battle is “Old Bernie” vs. “New Bernie”
• Massie’s primary is the most expensive in history. Pro-Israel groups have played a huge part. (Both of these Republicans are horrible.)
• Rep. Thomas Massie confronts the full force of Trump’s wrath in a Republican primary
• Trump attacks Massie as Republican critic describes ‘desperate’ attempts to oust him from primary (“US president writes ‘vote the bum out’ as congressman faces close race against Trump-endorsed Republican”)
• How a Democratic Governor Came to Release an Election Denier From Prison
• Barney Frank’s Second Coming Out
• 4 crew members eject safely after two Navy jets crash during air show in Idaho
• Trump plans to build helipad at White House
• Democrats are aiming at Maine for a Senate seat. But will the state give up Susan Collins?
• Thousands of New York commuters braced for Monday morning chaos due to rail strike
• New York Magazine reviewing work of writer facing plagiarism allegations (“Ross Barkan, who is a contract writer for the magazine, first attracted critical scrutiny when one of his stories earlier this week on the conservative influencer Ben Shapiro appeared to copy another piece on Shapiro published days before in The Washington Post.”)
• Video: Rep. Suhas Subramanyam (D-VA10) Says “We’d love to know if [Jeffrey Epstein’s assistant] Sarah Kellen can explain to us how [he] was able to get away with these crimes” (House Oversight Committee also talking to prison guard, will be interviewing Bill Gates on 6/10)
• Dorothy McAuliffe suspends congressional campaign: That’s a shame
• Virginia Democrats on overturned referendum: Just vote harder next time
• Virginia governor signs Dominion-backed bills. All eyes on regulators now. (“Legislation includes profit recovery provisions for the energy company, increased State Corporation Commission authority.”)
• Spanberger’s collective bargaining veto tests relationship with labor
• Va. officials celebrate the bald eagle’s comeback and centuries as national symbol (“Wildlife experts say the nation’s symbol has rebounded dramatically, but human-related threats remain a challenge.”)
• Extra Credit: Gov. Spanberger praises outgoing Virginia Tech president at commencement
• Police make a big weed bust in Bristol. Here’s what that tells us about Virginia’s unique cannabis laws and the economy. (“Virginia has some of the highest marijuana prices in the country. Why? Because retail sales are illegal. Those high prices also help fuel the black market weed economy.”)
• Judge dismisses case to remove Martinsville mayor from office
• Former assistant principal in Virginia set for trial 3 years after 6-year-old student shot teacher
• CWG Live updates: Near-record heat through Wednesday, then cool and damp