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by Lowell
Here are a few international, national and Virginia news headlines, political and otherwise (economic, environmental, etc.) for Saturday, July 25. Today’s biggest developments and headlines include the climate crisis (always at the top of these news highlights because it’s existential and should be a massive story every single day), Oil nears $100 as Red Sea attacks threaten new chokepoint in Iran conflict, “Trump’s Saudi nuclear deal risks igniting a Middle East arms race”, “The White House Correspondents’ Association takes another futile crack at celebrating the First Amendment with Donald Trump”, “Local U.S. TV News Will Soon Be Entirely Right Wing Propaganda”, and “A free clinic in Appalachia says they anticipate ‘unprecedented’ number of people to lose Medicaid.”
INTERNATIONAL NEWS (Climate crisis, Russia/Ukraine, oil markets, Iran war casualties coverup, tariffs/trade war, etc.)
- Firefighters battle to contain France and Spain wildfires as thousands more evacuated (This is the climate crisis.)
- Parts of England under heat alert with 30C temperatures possible (Yep, climate crisis.)
- EU hits Google with $1 billion antitrust fine
- What’s behind Maga influencer Laura Loomer’s about-face on Ukraine? (“After a Kyiv visit, rightwing firebrand now supports Ukraine – but perhaps it’s just because Trump favors a winner” VERY weird.)
- Ukraine war briefing: Russia launches deadly attack on weapons exhibition near Kyiv (“Zelenskyy says defence industry event should not have taken place; US influencer Laura Loomer visits Kyiv. What we know on day 1,613”)
- ‘Shameful’: Pentagon accused of cover-up over US military casualties in Iran war
- Donald Trump Is Very, Very Angry About His Biggest Failure. There’s Almost Nothing He Can Do About It. (“Iran is destined to become the signature failure of his second term. There’s almost nothing he can do about it.”)
- Trump’s War Was ‘Perfect’ Until It Wasn’t
- Scoop: U.S., U.K. planning international conference on Strait of Hormuz
- Iranian Threat to Air Force One Prompted Plane Swap During NATO Summit (“The threat led the Secret Service to urge President Trump to fly out of Turkey on a different plane, raising questions about the security of the Qatari-donated jet.”)
- Bahrain, Kuwait Warplanes Struck Iran in Rare Gulf Retaliation (“The strikes earlier this month reflect Arab reckoning with a lengthy war that threatens to draw them in even more deeply”)
- Iran’s New Leader Is More Open to Pursuing a Nuclear Weapon, U.S. Intelligence Says (“The previous supreme leader, who was killed early in the war, had renounced nuclear weapons. U.S. spy agencies believe his son is more interested in building a bomb.”)
- Regime collapse is unlikely, but a revised approach might still degrade the Iranian position. (“Regime collapse is unlikely, but a revised approach might still degrade the Iranian position.”)
- Bridges and infrastructure hit as US struck deeper inside Iran
- As signals of a ‘massive’ US attack mount, experts skeptical it will break Iran
- The Saudis Learn the Truth About Trump (“The president is happy to receive money and gifts, but don’t expect favors in return.” They just figured this out? LOL)
- Iran-backed Houthis claim missile attack on Saudi Arabia
- Trump switched planes in Turkey earlier this month because of threat from Iran proxy forces – report
- Israel steps up deadly strikes and expands physical barrier in Gaza despite truce
- India’s education minister resigns amid Cockroach youth movement protests (“Dharmendra Pradhan steps down after demonstrations over exam leak scandal, in major victory for protesters”)
- Masked men invading and taking Amazon communities ‘hostage’ in organised crime surge, say local leaders (“Delegation sent to Brasília after gunmen from organised crime group enter homes in western Amazon”)
- Trump is hellbent on tariffs. Here are 5 implications
- Trump tariff fine print reveal raft of exemptions
- Trump’s Tariffs Are Likely to Stick Around Despite Unpopularity
- Tariff revenue’s $825B gap
- Small Businesses Sue Just Hours After Trump’s Latest Tariffs
NATIONAL NEWS (ICE, measles, cyclospora, economy, primaries, Trump’s assault on the Smithsonian, disgraceful White House Correspondents Dinner, etc.)
- US accuses American of allegedly wiping his phone using a ‘duress’ password during border search
- British-born man living in US since age of nine held by ICE under threat of deportation (“Connor Read, who is married and has two children, was detained in June during residency permit interview” WTF???)
- Report: Dozens of ICE and CBP Agents Have Abused Women and Children (Arrest every single one of these scumbags.)
- Measles Cases Hit New Record in U.S., as Vaccination Rates Wane (“More measles cases have been reported in the United States in the last two years than in all the years from 2000 through 2024 combined.” RFK Jr.’s “leadership” is part of this.)
- Taylor Farms Called White House to Try to Delay Cyclospora Recall (“Officials became convinced by FDA’s findings, and gave the agency the green light to make them public”)
- Trump Administration Eyes Massive Coal Reserves Under Federal Lands (F*** NO!)
- Trump Administration Admits Canceling Grants to States That Did Not Vote for Him (Can you even IMAGINE the reaction is Barack Obama, Joe Biden, Kamala Harris or Hillary Clinton had ever even SUGGESTED doing something like this???)
- White House admits it scrapped grants to blue states because they didn’t vote for Trump
- Two dozen states sue Trump White House for politicizing Fema disaster aid
- Comer: 1 NDA produced by Leon Black to House Oversight ‘unacceptable’
- Trump returns to correspondents’ dinner for a rambling, insult-filled speech 3 months after shooting
- Trump’s insult-laden speech to press dinner draws mostly stunned silence
- Trump’s rambling gala address included insults, potshots and quip about a third presidential term
- Trump bombed at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner — and proved its point (“The president’s jokes fell flat, and he was widely ridiculed for the routine afterward”)
- ‘Is This Supposed to Be Fun?’ Trump Hurls Insults at Correspondents’ Dinner (No serious journalist should have been at this dinner.)
- Trump hijacks White House Correspondents’ Dinner redo with antigay jabs, anti-trans mockery & lies (“The president insulted Anderson Cooper, Don Lemon and Dylan Mulvaney while rambling from TikTok views to a White House “drone port.””)
- Trump condemns violence, slams press at White House Correspondents’ Dinner (Trump has encouraged political violence MANY times during his disgraceful career!)
- Andrew Tate’s arrest causes trouble for Trump’s youngest son (Like father, like son…)
- I Can’t Wait to Watch JD Vance Fall Flat on His Face During the 2028 Election Cycle (“If the ‘Never Vance’ slogan on social media is any indication, our vice president isn’t the ‘Sensible Republican’ political media makes him out to be.” Vance is insane.)
- McConnell faces growing questions about absence nearly six weeks after fall
- Why Democrats Need to Think Smaller to Win Bigger (“Democratic whisperer Ben Wikler explains why state races, not Washington, will determine his party’s future.”)
- Democrats move to keep South Carolina as first state to vote in 2028 presidential primaries
- Putting South Carolina First Could Mean Less Power for Black Voters
- Dems pick South Carolina to lead 2028 primary calendar
- Trump Orders Warnings Placed at ‘Inaccurate’ Smithsonian History Museum (APPALLING!)
- Trump escalates Smithsonian attack with order for signs outside history museum
- Paramount Agrees to Delay Warner Bros. Merger for Months
- Fired ‘60 Minutes’ Correspondent Says She Was Pushed to Report on Events ‘That Never Happened’ Under Bari Weiss’ Leadership at CBS News (No legitimate journalist should work for Bari Weiss.)
- Democrats poised to nominate Troy Jackson in must-win Maine Senate race
- After Democratic Shake-Up, Susan Collins Holds Enormous Cash Edge in Maine
- Platner’s Long Shadow Threatens Democrats’ Dream of Flipping Maine (Does it, though?)
- Secret paid influencer campaign backing Stevens floods Michigan Senate race
- Gretchen Whitmer endorses Haley Stevens for Michigan Senate seat
- Phil Murphy says he didn’t know about error that added noncitizens to New Jersey voter rolls
VIRGINIA NEWS (Spanberger back from Europe, Walkinshaw in Houston, Virginia moves up to early 2028 presidential primary status, Lucas’ legal defense expenditures, etc.)
- Video: At Houston Field Hearing, Rep. James Walkinshaw (D-VA11) Repeats Lorenzo Salgado Araujo’s Sons’ Question, “How many more of our dads have to die?” (Says ICE is “broken” – only “one officer has been disciplined”)
- Federal judge in Virginia says certain abortion drug restrictions are unlawful
- Video: Speaking to France24, Gov. Abigail Spanberger Warns Against “binary choice,” “indictment of a whole people” on Israel/Gaza (Spanberger also says she finds it “distressing” as “a proud American” that Europeans are worried about U.S. interference in their elections)
- Gov. Spanberger returns from international trade mission to the United Kingdom, Italy and France
- Habitat for endangered species in Virginia will no longer be federally protected
- Congress shifted the costs and the consequences of Medicaid changes onto Virginia (Actually, that was 100% Congressional REPUBLICANS, not “Congress” generically. I really hate when the media does this crap.)
- DPVA Chairman Sen. Lamont Bagby Praises DNC Rules and Bylaws Committee for Recommending Virginia for Early 2028 Presidential Primary Status
- Democrats move Va. up to 6th state for presidential primary
- Virginia study on groundwater, data centers calls for tighter water regulations
- Sen. Louise Lucas used $300,000 in campaign funds for legal defense, reports show (“New campaign finance reports show Virginia Sen. Louise Lucas used $300,000 in campaign funds to contribute to her legal defense fund and the law firm she hired following an FBI raid this year on her businesses in Portsmouth.”)
- UVA relaunches provost search: Information on how to apply (seriously!)
- Buchanan County schools targeted by school construction scam
- Roanoke City Council Democratic candidates grilled on budget, housing at debate
- Colonial Williamsburg’s former CEO settles $25M lawsuit by William & Mary student he struck in crosswalk
- Waynesboro leaders sold their souls, and ours, to Northrop Grumman
- Leatherback sea turtle lays eggs in Virginia Beach, a first in the state
- DC-area forecast: Becoming mostly sunny this weekend, with heat returning to start week
