by Lowell
Here are a few international, national and Virginia news headlines, political and otherwise, for Thursday, May 15.
Bruce Springsteen Runs his mouth about Trump before his Concert calling President Trump Corrupt and Incompetent!
How do you Respond to those Comments by Bruce Springsteen? pic.twitter.com/WQRxbWbn1z— Johnny Midnight ⚡️ (@its_The_Dr) May 15, 2025
- Toxic wildfire pollution infiltrates homes of 1bn people a year, study finds
- ‘We are witnessing ecocide’: Santander accused of funding vast deforestation (“In 2024, the Spanish bank provided more than $600m in financing to firms linked to beef, palm oil, soya and supply chains driving deforestation, says Global Witness” EVIL.)
- Trump’s sanctions on ICC prosecutor have halted tribunal’s work
- Europe’s military buildup: A breakneck race that’s not fast enough (“In Sweden, as across Europe, defense spending is soaring — but too slowly to meet Russia’s threat.”)
- Zelenskiy weighs next step as Putin’s no-show throws Ukraine talks into confusion
- Zelensky accuses Russia of sending ‘stand-in props’ to peace talks instead of Putin
- Putin not on Kremlin list of officials attending Ukraine peace talks in Turkey
- Ukraine’s Zelenskyy arrives in Turkey for peace talks but Putin is absent
- Trump downplays Putin decision to skip Istanbul talks with Zelenskyy (Of COURSE he does!)
- Europe Slams Putin on Ukraine Talks as Trump Dangles Turkey Trip
- GOP lawmakers signal discomfort with Trump Qatar jet, Middle East diplomacy (And what, exactly, are they going to DO about this supposed “discomfort?”)
- How Qatar Spent Billions to Gain Influence in the U.S.
- Top Iranian official says Tehran would forgo highly enriched uranium in nuclear deal with Trump
- Trump Says US and Iran Are Closer to Reaching a Nuclear Deal
- We Still Don’t Know What Kash Patel Did as a Consultant for Qatar (“Or how much money the FBI director was paid by Doha.”)
- Trump’s Trip Lays Bare a Stark Advantage Some Arab States Have Over Israel (“The dynamics are shifting in the Middle East under a U.S. president who sees the world through a financial lens.”)
- The MAGA-World Rift Over Trump’s Qatari Jet
- Boeing scores biggest ever order as Trump cozies up to Qatar
- Middle East crisis live: Trump says US should turn Gaza into ‘freedom zone’ as more than 80 killed in Israeli strikes
- Biden officials “awed” by Trump’s rule-breaking Middle East moves (Misleading headline by Axios – of course.)
- Trump’s Pledge to the Middle East: No More ‘Lectures on How to Live’ (“In Saudi Arabia, the president denounced Western intervention and nation-building, garnering both praise and eye rolls.”)
- Is Syria’s new president a U.S. ally or enemy?
- The Road to Trump’s Embrace of White South Africans
- El Chapo’s family members cross US border in apparent deal with Trump administration (Wuuuut?)
- Judge Arrested by Trump Administration Fights Back With Trump’s Own Immunity Case
- Trump Admin Files Smuggling Charges Against Detained HMS Researcher, Plans To Deport Her To Russia (“According to The New York Times, the lawyers said at the hearing — held in Vermont — that the government would move to deport Petrova to Russia despite concerns that it would be dangerous for her to return to the country, where she was arrested in 2022 for protesting Russia’s war in Ukraine. Gregory Romanovsky, her attorney, said returning to the country would be “suicide” for Petrova in a March interview with The Crimson.”)
- Gabbard fires intel officials who oversaw memo contradicting White House claims on Venezuelan gang (Absolutely APPALLING!)
- Gabbard Seeks to Consolidate Her Control of President’s Daily Brief
- Tulsi Gabbard Fires Top Intelligence Officials Who Contradicted Trump
- How Trump’s “Emergency” Powers Could Become Permanent (“The president is declaring emergencies on everything from an “invasion” of immigrants to a mythical shortage of fossil fuel production. But it’s all just a ploy for him to act like a Roman emperor.”)
- Supreme court to hear birthright citizenship dispute that could expand Trump’s power (“President’s lawyers have asked for ruling on whether lower court judges should be able to block his orders nationwide”)
- At Supreme Court, a Once-Fringe Birthright Citizenship Theory Takes the Spotlight
- RFK Jr.: ‘I don’t think people should be taking medical advice from me’ (Well that’s certainly true – the guy’s a complete wacko.)
- They Were Waiting for Trump All Along (“Of the endless torrent of illegal, unconstitutional — and anticonstitutional — actions flowing from the Trump administration, there are three that stand out for their contempt for the rule of law.”)
- Mike Johnson Just Wrecked Trump’s Ugly “Working-Class GOP” Scam
- House Agriculture Committee approves $300 billion in nutrition spending cuts (“The House Agriculture Committee voted 29-25 along party lines to advance legislation that would cut as much as $300 billion in food aid spending to pay for Republicans’ domestic policy megabill and some farm bill programs.”)
- ‘First time we were hearing of them’: The GOP megabill is packed with surprises for some Republicans
- GOP tax bill on track to add more than $2.5 trillion to U.S. deficit over 10 years
- Republicans wrestle with possible failure of ‘big, beautiful bill’
- A Measure to Defund Planned Parenthood Will Stay in the Reconciliation Bill
- To No One’s Surprise, Republicans Slipped More Destructive Policies into Their Big Beautiful Bill (“They want to remove tax-exempt status from ‘terrorists’ like student groups and human-rights organizations. Give me a break.”)
- Republicans Slide “Nonprofit Killer” Law Into Tax Bill (“The White House could end any group’s tax-exempt status by accusing it of support for terrorism.” This is authoritarianism.)
- U.S. AG Pam Bondi Sold More than $1 Million in Trump Media Stock the Day Trump Announced Sweeping Tariffs
- After Layoffs, Social Security Asks Remaining Employees To Work 10% Harder
- The right’s new playbook to restrict access to abortion pills
- Department of Offense: Inside Pete Hegseth’s Bombastic, Chaotic Tenure
- Huge Cost Of Massive Military Parade That Coincides With Trump’s Birthday Is Revealed (This is completely insane.)
- Thanedar opts against forcing impeachment vote amid backlash
- Bruce Springsteen Calls Trump Administration ‘Corrupt, Incompetent, and Treasonous’
- Trump clears path for Stefanik to run for NY governor
- Top pollster Mark Mellman warns DNC drama is quickly becoming the Democrats’ brand (“Showing off internal battles, be they ideological, personal, or otherwise, doesn’t do anything to help the party”)
- He Wants to Primary Democrats From the Left. No Congress Member Is Safe.
- “Still angry”: Voters say they won’t forget that the North Carolina GOP tried to trash their ballots (“The GOP spent months trying to toss out thousands of votes for Democratic Supreme Court Justice Allison Riggs”)
- National Airport, Pentagon hotline had been disconnected for three years
- Will cuts to the federal workforce drop the value of the region’s homes? (“Home prices in the region will likely drop, but perhaps not to the degree that some fear.”)
- Video: Sen. Tim Kaine Presses RFK, Jr. on Cuts at HHS and Impact on Constituent Services; Asks, “Where does the rubber meet the road on the 20,000 RIFs and layoffs?” ( “People not getting cancer trials, … state grants being cancelled, in Virginia losing $425 million in funding to the Virginia Department of Health.”)
- Rep. Don Beyer (D-VA08) Celebrates Judge’s Ruling That Georgetown Postdoctoral Fellow Dr. Badar Khan Suri – a Constituent of Rep. Beyer’s – Must Be Released After His Unjust Arrest by ICE (“As the case progressed, the administration failed to offer any evidence of wrongdoing by Dr. Khan Suri, and failed to offer even basic legal justification for its actions.”)
- Video: Rep. Don Beyer (D-VA08) Rips House GOP Bill That “Hikes Taxes For Working People And Cuts Taxes For Billionaires” (“Trump and the Republicans have shown what their priorities are.”)
- Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-VA11), Other Top House Dems “Demand All Suspicious Activity Reports Related to Trump Crypto Ventures, Musk PAC, and WinRed” (“Investigation Targets Potential Fraud, Bribery, Campaign Finance Violations, and Predatory and Deceptive Practices Targeting Vulnerable Americans”)
- 4 things Virginians need to know about the Medicaid decisions the U.S. House just made
- Renovation and expansion projects at 10 Va. colleges and universities put on pause
- 5 things the Virginia committee investigating impact of federal cuts didn’t hear (but maybe should have)
- House GOP would defund Planned Parenthood, imperiling health care for 25,000 Virginians (“A provision in the proposed budget reconciliation bill would bar Medicaid funding from being used to pay for health care at providers who also offer legal abortion care.”)
- Stoney goes on TV with six-figure ad buy in Dems’ Lt. Gov. primaryz
- Earle-Sears: Right to work is still under threat (She’s never going to give up this issue.)
- Editorial: Virginia’s progress reducing overdose deaths is worth celebrating
- Advocates say cuts to SNAP would have significant impacts for Virginia families
- Williams: By punishing speech, VCU loses its moral compass
- Here’s how WHRO Public Media, Hampton Roads’ NPR and PBS affiliate, was affected by May 1 executive order (“Daily operations at WHRO Public Media in Hampton Roads have so far been unaffected by a May 1 executive order seeking to restrict public media funding.”)
- Newport News adopts $1.2 billion budget, includes boost for local nonprofits
- State criticizes Richmond DPU for ‘complacency’ on fluoride overload
- Norfolk prosecutor revokes city attorney authority on shoplifting charges following council vote
- Portsmouth approves $878M budget, along with new tax rate and more school funding
- Amazon picks Goochland for next fulfillment hub
- Arlington County Board votes to prohibit police from contacting ICE (Good.)
- ‘Crisis out here’: Loudoun Co. residents say commuters cutting through neighborhoods causes safety issuesa>
- Damascus, hit hard by Helene, is now ready to welcome hikers again
- CWG Live updates: Summery warmth and thunderstorm chances into Saturday (“Almost summery heat and humidity provide fuel for possible storms the next three days.”)
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