Source: Yahoo! News
“The U.S. and Iran launched new attacks in the Gulf on Monday as they wrestled for control over the Strait of Hormuz with duelling maritime blockades, shaking a fragile truce. The fresh volleys of missiles and drones came after U.S. President Donald Trump launched a new effort to get stranded tankers and other ships through the strait, the vital energy-trade chokepoint that has been virtually closed since the U.S. and Israel began attacks on Iran in February, a war that has killed thousands of people across the region. Before Monday was out, several merchant ships in the Gulf reported explosions or fires, the U.S. said it had destroyed six small Iranian military boats, and an oil port in the United Arab Emirates, which hosts a large U.S. military base, was set ablaze by Iranian missiles.” (05/04/26)
https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/korean-ship-on-fire-in-strait-iran-hits-uae-oil-port-after-trump-says-navy-will-help-ships-cross-162753514.html
Source: spiked
by Christopher Snowdon
“Traditionally, a public-health problem was something that damaged or threatened the health of a large number of people without their consent and could only be addressed through collective action. Industrial pollution, cholera in the water supply, infectious disease, that kind of thing. If you walk around infected with SARS, it affects me in a way that you walking around with obesity doesn’t. That is what makes it a public-health issue rather than a mere lifestyle choice. … Over time, ‘public health’ has been redefined to include activities like smoking and it is now virtually a catch-all term. … As we saw during the pandemic, politicians can get away with nearly anything so long as it involves ‘public health.’” (05/04/26)
https://archive.is/8ePwj
Source: Reason
“Why Do Big City Democrats Keep Electing Socialists?” (05/04/26)
https://reason.com/podcast/2026/05/04/why-do-big-city-democrats-keep-electing-socialists/
Source: Independent [UK]
“Alberta separatists said Monday they have formally submitted almost 302,000 signatures to try to trigger a referendum on the province leaving Canada. The group needed 178,000 signatures to force the province to consider such a vote. Alberta Premier Danielle Smith has said if the petition is verified, there will be a referendum. Smith has said she personally does not support the oil-rich province leaving Canada. … the petition could face another hurdle this week as an Edmonton, Alberta judge is expected to rule on a court challenge launched by a group of Alberta First Nations who say Alberta separation would violate treaty rights.” (05/04/26)
https://www.the-independent.com/news/canada-edmonton-mark-carney-b2970305.html
Source: Future of Freedom Foundation
by Jacob G Hornberger
“The Watson family has been dairy farming since before the Civil War. But no longer. [Brad] Watson recently had to auction off all of his dairy cows, each of which had a name that Watson’s children had given them. The reason that Watson lost all of his daily cows? Two reasons: Trump’s tariffs and Trump’s war on Iran, which have caused fertilizer costs to soar. Barely making it as it was, the tariffs and the soaring fertilizer costs sent the Watson dairy operation over the cliff. … the Watson story is just one of many across the United States. There are countless other people who are suffering the consequences of Trump’s tariff sprees and his illegal war of aggression on Iran. Only a few of these horror stories will end up in the mainstream press.” (05/04/25)
https://www.fff.org/2026/05/04/the-price-of-tariffs-and-the-u-s-war-on-iran/
Source: CBS News
“Justice Samuel Alito on Monday temporarily halted an appellate court order that blocked a Food and Drug Administration rule allowing the abortion pill mifepristone to be prescribed online and dispensed through the mail. Alito granted temporary relief to the maker of mifepristone, Danco Laboratories, and the manufacturer of a generic version of the drug, GenBioPro. His administrative stay will remain in place until 5 p.m. on May 11. The move gives the Supreme Court more time to consider the drug companies’ requests to set aside the appellate court’s order while litigation proceeds.” (05/04/26)
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/mifepristone-alito-supreme-court-fda-mail/
Source: The Dispatch
by Mike Nelson
“While we should not trust any public pronouncements made by the Iranians (nor should our government take private ones at face value either), the regime has effectively acted in keeping with the perception it wishes to create: Iran’s leaders are not impatient for negotiations, nor do they seem willing to make accommodations in advance of any, while simultaneously demanding preconditions from the United States. The only indications of Iranian eagerness to seek peaceful resolution come from Trump — who has a less than firm relationship with the truth — claiming that the Iranians have told him privately they are desperate to give in to each of our demands. That would strain credulity under any circumstances, but especially after the president has made many, many claims of Iranian surrender or concession over the course of the nine-week conflict, all of which have proven to be demonstrably false.” (05/04/26)
https://archive.is/MDTWF
Source: Deutsche Welle [German state media]
“Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has celebrated what he called ‘a spectacular mandate’ given to his ruling Hindu nationalist BJP. West Bengal had been an opposition stronghold, but the BJP is now poised to govern the state for the first time. Partial results released by the Election Commission of India showed the BJP ahead in at least 190 seats in the 294-member state legislature. … Actor-politician Vijay’s Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) party, is set to win Tamil Nadu’s 2026 Assembly elections, signaling a significant political shift in the state With the majority of votes counted, the TVK is well ahead of the incumbent DMK and the BJP-supported AIDMK — both alliances made up of established parties.” (05/04/26)
https://www.dw.com/en/india-news-modi-claims-victory-in-west-bengal-election/live-77026483
Source: The Daily Economy
by Julia R Cartwright
“The so-called ‘AI race’ is propelling stock markets to new highs even as geopolitical turbulence rattles investors. Artificial intelligence may prove to be the rare technological revolution capable of generating real growth despite the headwinds of tariffs and misguided industrial policy. Yet the data centers powering this next generation of innovation have become a flashpoint for public anxiety. Maine has outright banned new large data center construction, and average Americans are increasingly convinced that these facilities are to blame for rising electricity bills. The statewide data, however, tell a different story. Newly published research finds no meaningful link between the number of data centers in a state and its electricity prices and points instead to a far less glamorous culprit: bad state energy policy.” (05/04/26)
https://thedailyeconomy.org/article/data-center-panic-gets-electricity-prices-wrong/
Source: NBC News
“Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday announced a two-day ceasefire in the war with Ukraine to observe the anniversary of the defeat of Nazi Germany in World War II. The ceasefire would run Friday and Saturday, according to a statement from the Russian Defense Ministry. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy countered with his own proposed pause in fighting starting earlier, on the night of May 5‑6. … Russia celebrates victory in World War Two on May 9, a major national holiday marking the day the Soviet Union signed Germany’s surrender in 1945. It traditionally holds a military parade, but says this year’s commemoration will feature none of the military hardware frequently put on display at past commemorations because of the threat of increased Ukrainian ‘terrorist’ activity. … Authorities cut off mobile internet services to many customers in Moscow on Tuesday ahead of the parade.” (05/04/26)
https://www.nbcnews.com/world/russia/putin-announces-2-day-ceasefire-ukraine-rcna343502
