by Lowell
Here are a few international, national and Virginia news headlines, political and otherwise, for Saturday, April 4.
- Candy makers quietly change recipes as climate change hits cocoa industry
- Artemis II crew now halfway to Moon as they take ‘spectacular’ image of Earth
- Congress gave money for global HIV work. The Trump administration isn’t spending it
- The global oil crisis is turning into an everything crisis
- Exclusive: Five EU finance ministers call for tax on energy companies’ windfall profits
- Russia chose ‘Easter escalation’ over ceasefire, says Zelensky
- Ukraine war briefing: Russian army records almost no territorial gains for first time since 2023, analysis shows
- Russian corruption fuels massive casualties in Ukraine (This story is truly horrifying.)
- This Easter, an American Pope Confronts an American War (“Last week, when asked if he had a message about the war in Iran for President Trump, Leo XIV said, ‘Hopefully, he’s looking for an off-ramp.'”)
- Hegseth Says U.S. Troops Are Fighting for Jesus. The Pope Disagrees. (“In sharp contrast to the Trump administration’s calls for Christian prayers for the war effort, Pope Leo XIV says military domination is ‘entirely foreign to the way of Jesus Christ.'”)
- U.S. fighter jet shot down in Iran: Search ongoing for missing crew member
- Mediators: Latest Efforts to Reach Cease-Fire Hit Dead End
- U.S. fighter jet downed over Iran, one pilot rescued, official says (“A U.S. aircraft that was mobilized to support the search and rescue mission was also struck by Iranian fire, a U.S. official said. The pilot ejected and is safe, the official added.”)
- Iran Is Quickly Repairing Missile Bunkers, U.S. Intelligence Says
- Trump won’t say what US will do if missing pilot in Iran is harmed: ‘We hope that’s not going to happen’
- Europe’s Options in the Strait of Hormuz: Few, and Risky
- Oil, strait of Hormuz and empty threats: a timeline of Trump’s flip-flopping on the Iran war (“In the fifth week of the war, Trump continues contradicting himself on its objectives and how Americans are affected” Reminder: The Guardian has FAR better coverage of U.S. politics than 99% of the U.S. “mainstream media” does)
- Trump Pledged a Quick End to the War in Iran, but He Hasn’t Explained How
- As Team Trump wage unceasing war on Iran, evangelical nationalists are destroying any moral world order we once had (“The brutalisation of global norms by figures like Pete Hegseth must be seen as an ethical issue. It’s a fight against chaos, and all major religions must play a role”)
- Iran’s ‘new’ regime looks much the same, only harsher
- Trump May Be Turning Iran Into Another North Korea
- Downed jets puncture Trump’s and Hegseth’s claims of air invulnerability (“In a conflict in which military dominance is the US’ chief advantage against Iran, the episodes underscore the perils of asymmetric warfare”)
- Shootdowns Show Weakened Iran Can Still Inflict Pain
- Trump Has Lost Control of Events in Iran
- Trump’s Top Aide Freaks Out About What Trump’s Being Told on Iran War (“White House chief of staff Susie Wiles told advisers to be ‘more forthright’ with Donald Trump.”)
- Iranian Strike on U.S. Embassy Caused More Damage Than Disclosed (“Two drones hit the Saudi compound, sparking a fire that raged for hours”)
- Forget euphemism, Trump is using unabashed viciousness in his language against Iran (“The Trump administration takes pleasure in deploying dysphemism to describe the killing of Iranians”)
- Death, displacement and military duties: children plunged into crisis by Middle East war
- ‘This has got me worried’: Iranians fear what comes next after US strike on Karaj bridge
- Debris from aerial interception strikes Oracle building in Dubai, UAE says
- Relationship with Trump may be beyond repair, Keir Starmer told (“PM gets widespread backing after president’s mocking impersonation takes US-UK relationship to new low”)
- Palestinians in occupied West Bank face growing violence from Israeli settlers (This is utterly appalling; Israel has badly, badly lost its way…)
- After 16 years in power, could Viktor Orban finally be unseated? (If it’s a free-and-fair election, sure.)
- Cuba releasing 2,010 prisoners as the US pressures the island’s government
- Three Hundred Habeas Cases in Which the Government Has Defied Court Orders (Instead, the headline should read “in which the TRUMP REGIME has defied court orders”)
- Arrest of Wisconsin Mosque Leader Was Tied to Trump Antisemitism Campaign
- Some Marines graduate without their parents’ presence amid ICE fears
- Judge bats down DOJ bid to revive subpoenas to Fed
- Courts keep ruling against Trump. But they can’t save our democracy singlehandedly (“Decisions on the White House ballroom, public media and journalists’ access to the Pentagon are heartening. But restoring our institutions is up to us”)
- US jobs market surpassed expectations in March but February losses were worse than first reported/a> (“Employers added 178,000 new jobs in March and unemployment rate fell to 4.3%, ahead of economists’ predictions”)
- How to Interpret the Wild Swings in the Jobs Numbers (“The labor market is holding together, but the hopeful story of reacceleration has given way to a narrower question: How much damage will the Iran war do?”)
- Right-wing media’s narrative that high gas prices are “short-term” and “temporary” is undermined by reporting from major energy conference
- Why Trump’s ‘God Squad’ Is Not Like the God Squads Before It (“This idea that you can invoke a national security exemption when there is no threat to national security is not only brand new, it’s ridiculous.”)
- Trump Budget Does Little to Address Nation’s Fiscal Challenges
- White House seeks $5.6 billion cut to NASA budget in 2027
- Massive budget cuts for US science proposed again by Trump administration (If Vladimir Putin literally were fantasizing about how best to destroy America, this would be how…)
- White House Seeks $1.5 Trillion for Defense in New Budget Request (“The huge proposed increase would be partly offset by steep cuts to domestic programs, some of which the Trump administration describes as wasteful.” This is a formula for national decline.)
- US defense spending would rise $445bn under Trump budget plan, with steep cuts elsewhere (“Democrats rebuke White House’s ‘bleak and unacceptable’ view of priorities after 10% cuts proposed to other programs”)
- Trump Goes After Federal Programs He Calls ‘Woke’ in Budget Proposal (Horrible headline; stop using Trump’s framing on everything; also make clear that when right wingers scream “woke,” it’s a bunch of racist and/or homophobic, etc. bullshit.)
- Trump plans spending $377M on executive residence renovations – plus $174M more
- Trump is considering more changes to his Cabinet in the coming weeks
- Trump Contemplates Other Cabinet Changes as He Faces Political Clock
- Hegseth’s firing of a top general is the latest sign of Pentagon turmoil
- Hegseth’s War on America’s Military
- The No Kings movement needs a next step (“The largest protests in American history need more than outrage. Without clear demands, momentum fades”)
- Trump admin moves Title X family planning program away from contraception, towards conception (“New guidance, and the promise of a new rule, are expected to cut off funding to Planned Parenthood starting in 2027.” Insane.)
- Trump news at a glance: president enlists JD Vance as his ‘fraud czar’, targeting Democratic states (Horrible.)
- Pam Bondi failed to prosecute Trump’s foes. Todd Blanche probably will, too. (“Several former federal prosecutors said in discussions with NBC News that incoming acting Attorney General Todd Blanche will not likely be able to satiate Trump.”)
- New Attorney General, Same Albatross: Trump’s Quest for Retribution
- Big Banks Seeking a Piece of SpaceX’s I.P.O. Must Subscribe to Elon Musk’s Grok (“Mr. Musk is requiring Wall Street firms to purchase subscriptions to his A.I. chatbot if they want to advise on one of the largest initial public offerings in history.”)
- No One at Waffle House Remembers FEMA Official Who Says He Teleported In (“Gregg Phillips, who is in charge of responding to fires and floods, says the hand of God suddenly and mysteriously moved him to a 24-hour breakfast spot in Rome, Ga.”)
- Trump wants $152 million to rebuild and reopen Alcatraz as a secure prison (Bonkers.)
- Moms for Liberty wanted a seat on the school board. Trump gave them a voice in the White House (Appalling.)
- Edward ‘Big Balls’ Coristine Is Helping Out on Viral Fraud Videos Now (“The DOGE engineer appeared on influencer Nick Shirley’s podcast this week to talk corruption and government work—and how they collaborated on Shirley’s recent ‘investigation.’” These are some of the worst people in America.)
- New WaPo/Schar Poll: VA Redistricting Referendum Leads by 9 Pts (53%-44%) Among Registered Voters, 5 Pts (52%-47%) Among Likely Voters (Dems support it 91%-7%; Rs oppose it 89%-10%)
- Poll shows mixed signs for Democratic push to gain seats in Congress (Gotta love the “framing” of this story – which shows Dems leading by 9 points among registered voters and 5 points among likely voters – as “mixed signs for Democratic push…”)
- ‘Disappointed’: Allen urges Spanberger to reconsider debate on redistricting ahead of April 21 referendum (Louise Lucas has made it very clear she’d LOVE to debate this loser.)
- Virginia AG Jay Jones Joins Coalition of 21 AGs Suing Trump Administration Over Unlawful Executive Order Attempting to Exert Federal Control Over Elections
- Virginia joins multi-state lawsuit challenging Trump’s election order
- Jay Jones files suit against Trump over executive order on mail-in voting
- Virginia Republicans Want Tax Relief to Ease Gas Costs. There’s Also Electric Vehicles. (“Years of debate on electric vehicles in Virginia have slowed the transition, now under full Democratic control.”)
- New Report: Ten Virginia Hospitals at Risk of Closure Due to Republicans’ Medicaid Cuts (“While the rich got trillions in tax breaks, hard-working Virginians are left paying the price.”)
- Report: Ten Virginia hospitals at risk of closure due to Trump-MAGA Medicare cuts
- Aubrey McKay’s death at Wallens Ridge prison ruled a homicide by the state medical examiner
- A Virginia team heads to the NCAA’s division III championship (“It’s been a disappointing season for some college basketball fans. UVA’s women made it to the Sweet Sixteen for the first time since 2000 but lost to Texas Christian by a score of 69-79.There’s still hope for another Virginia team next weekend. The division III Mary Washington Eagles will take on Emory in the NCAA championship. Their success comes as a surprise to some as Sandy Hausman reports.”)
- CWG Live: Very warm today ahead of Easter rain and cooler to start the week
