by Lowell
Here are a few international, national and Virginia news headlines, political and otherwise, for Monday, May 4.
- No more Dark Side of the Grid: The fossil fuel empire loses ground to renewables and storage
- These tropical forests are critically important. Why is this religious sect cutting them down? (“What you didn’t know about Mennonites, soy, and Bolivia.” WTF???)
- Trump officials threaten UN budget cuts as US pushes ‘trade over aid’ agenda
- Women in developing countries hardest hit by rising debt burden, UN research finds (“Study warns women face job losses and increased unpaid care duties as debt and conflict-driven turbulence force spending cuts”)
- Oil prices rise as Trump plans to ‘free’ ships stranded due to Mideast conflict
- Ukrainian drone hits upmarket Moscow high-rise ahead of Victory Day celebrations
- Unsettled Kremlin tightens security around Putin amid assassinations and coup fears, intel report says
- ‘The Death Zone’: How Russia Is Luring Africans to Ukraine
- China Seeks an Advantage With Both Trump and Iran as War Evolves
- Operation Epic Fury, Meet Operation Colossal Blunder
- Trump Says U.S. Will Guide Stranded Ships Through Strait of Hormuz (“The plan is an arm’s-length effort to unblock the vital supply waterway that doesn’t involve escorts by U.S. warships”)
- “He wants action”: Trump’s frustration with Iran stalemate sparked Hormuz gambit
- The ‘Fake News’ Is That We’ve Won in Iran (“Pete Hegseth believes the real problem with Donald Trump’s strategy in Iran is that people are criticizing it”)
- Could Iran’s escalating economic crisis weaken negotiating position with US? (“War has combined with battered economy to leave Tehran wondering how hardline it can afford to be”)
- Trump’s new plan to ‘guide’ merchant ships through Hormuz leaves many questions unanswered
- Iran threatens to attack US forces in Strait of Hormuz after Trump says military will help stranded ships
- Iran threatens US forces in Strait of Hormuz after Trump says military will guide ships (“A US official said the effort, announced by President Donald Trump, is not an escort mission.” So WTF is it then?)
- Some Iranians fear the regime is now more entrenched – and ready for revenge
- Merz ‘not giving up on working with Trump’ despite Iran war spat (The media really needs to stop using the word “spat” when it comes to Trump’s attacks, insanity, etc. Super obnoxious and misleading.)
- 2 U.S. Service Members Are Missing in Morocco, Africa Command Says
- Security or justice? Syria faces post-Assad reckoning after string of arrests (“New government accused of ‘performative justice’ and making deals with suspects in 2013 Tadamon massacres”)
- Exclusive: Internal ICE records reveal widespread use of force in detention centers (We’re going to need MASSIVE prosecutions after Trump is gone for all kinds of serious crimes and human rights abuses, such as these.)
- How a weaker dollar is quietly making life more expensive (“Though the decline hasn’t deepened, the dollar index is still about 10% lower than the start of Trump’s term.”)
- Trump finds a ‘Southern Strategy’ to save his dreams of dictatorship (“From friendly grand juries to Jim Crow voting maps, the former Confederacy looks to save Trump’s autocratic ambitions.”)
- Trump and GOP push for aggressive voter roll purges up until Election Day, testing precedent
- DOJ Enters a New, Even More Aggressive Phase (“The department is growing bolder yet, cutting legal corners in service of getting President Trump the headlines—and revenge—he wants.”)
- Tillis calls Comey ‘biggest disappointment’ but stands against 8647 indictment
- Justice Dept. Prosecutor Says Inquiry Into Fed Chair Could Be Resurrected
- ‘Christofascism’ is here: inside the slow demolition of US public health (“From prescribing spiritual warfare to demonizing health experts, RFK Jr’s health empire has become a dangerous vehicle for a Christian nationalist worldview”)
- The Venture-Capital Populist (“How David Sacks and the new tech right went full MAGA and captured Washington”)
- ‘This is just disarray’: alarm inside Pentagon after Hegseth staff purges (“Insiders portray defense secretary as increasingly isolated after officers with impeccable reputations forced out” VERY bad.)
- In many states, election-denying candidates are running to control voting (Insane.)
- Republicans see GOP dysfunction as major liability ahead of midterms
- Trump goes after Jeffries after Supreme Court voting rights comments: ‘Isn’t he subject to Impeachment?’
- Blanche Says Others Who Post ‘86 47’ Message Won’t Be Charged Like Comey (So, he admits that they’re selectively targeting James Comey for Trump’s political retribution. Got it.)
- The Antiabortion Movement Is Turning on Trump (“The ubiquity of abortion pills during the second Trump administration has frustrated antiabortion advocates”)
- Exclusive: House Democrats’ Campaign Arm Expands ‘Red to Blue’ Program (“DCCC signals it sees a blue wave forming as it targets new races.”)
- Young men are souring on Donald Trump (“But can Democrats win them over?”)
- Truth of Trump’s Wild Sleepless Nights Exposed (“Joanna Coles and Daily Beast executive editor Hugh Dougherty dive into a jaw-dropping investigation revealing the president’s relentless late-night posting habits.”)
- Barack Obama Considers His Role in the Age of Trump (“The former President remains one of the most popular politicians in the country. What are his obligations to it?”)
- John Fetterman Is a Lonely Democrat. Is Friendship Enough to Turn Him Republican?
- As Swalwell’s public profile grew, more than a dozen women describe how he made them uncomfortable in private
- Rudy Giuliani hospitalized in critical condition, spokesperson says
- ‘Point of no return’: New Orleans relocation must start now due to sea level, study finds (“Louisiana’s cultural hotspot could be surrounded by Gulf of Mexico before end of this century, authors say”)
- Video: Rep. James Walkinshaw (D-VA11) Says “we’ve crossed the 60-day mark & the law says [Trump]’s got to start withdrawing troops – has 30 days to do it” (“…it’ll be a good question for my Republican colleagues if they take that responsibility seriously or not.”)
- Ben Cline wants us to believe that Harrisonburg is in Fairfax County
- Video: WDBJ7 Puts on a Clinic – How NOT to Conduct an Interview, How NOT to Challenge Right-Wing Disinformation, How NOT to Be Actual Journalists… (As Chris Graham of the Augusta Free Press correctly states, this is WDBJ7 “just running straight-up MAGA propaganda”)
- Thousands of Virginians will regain the right to vote next month (“The court order comes ahead of a pending constitutional amendment that could make rights restorations automatic when people complete their prison sentences.”)
- Spanberger weighs legislation to allow class action lawsuits in Virginia courts (“Proposal would create long-missing legal pathway, but governor’s changes draw pushback over limits on venue and damages.”)
- Governor signs bill to decriminalize suicide (“Bill changes how families receive insurance if loved one ends life”)
- Albemarle County Democrats hold spring fundraiser, talk redistricting and elections
- This Week in Rob Schilling: Highlights of the MAGA radio show that UVA Athletics props up (This guy sounds just like most other far-right talk show hosts, like John Reid for instance. Democrats should be, but aren’t of course, all over this.)
- More than 3/4s of the signatures that led to mayor’s suspension came from just one part of Martinsville. It’s a neighborhood unlike the rest of the city. (“In a city that’s almost evenly divided along racial lines, it’s the only majority-white precinct.”)
- Norfolk’s former public housing director fired maintenance staff. Housing complexes were left in disrepair. (“Former Norfolk Redevelopment and Housing Authority director Nathan Simms laid off two dozen maintenance staff. Then, pipes in two housing complexes started failing.” WTF???)
- CWG Live: Early week warmup, midweek rain, then late-week cooling (“Highs may reach the 80s on Tuesday but then get stuck in the 50s Thursday.”)
