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Thursday, May 1, 2025

U.S. and Ukraine Sign Minerals Deal

After some rocky earlier efforts, an agreement is finally reached: Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent hailed the deal as a step toward a negotiated end to the war in Ukraine and a beginning of the country’s reconstruction. In tightly controlled negotiations, the Trump administration dropped its insistence that the agreement allow Washington to recoup billions of dollars of past military aid. “As the President has said, the United States is committed to helping facilitate the end of this cruel and senseless war,” Bessent said in a press release. “This agreement signals clearly to Russia that the Trump Administration is committed to a peace process centered on a free, sovereign, and prosperous Ukraine over the long term.” The agreement marks a high point for relations between Kyiv and Washington, which have soured in recent months…. (Wall Street Journal). Ed Morrissey: Looks like the Vatican may have scored a diplomatic victory in the Russia-Ukraine war. During the funeral for Pope Francis, the Holy See arranged for Donald Trump and Volodyyr Zelensky to talk one-on-one in St. Peter’s Basilica. Neither side outlined the discussion, but many presumed it rested in large part on the mineral-rights deal that Trump offered as a way to signal Russia that America had significant interests in Ukrainian sovereignty … The ball is now in Moscow’s court. We will see whether Putin wants to return serve, or just find a way to call off the game (Hot Air).

Supreme Court Hears Key Case on Charter Schools

It could be a game-changing win for school choice. SCOTUSblog: The Supreme Court on Wednesday was divided over a Catholic virtual charter school’s bid to become the country’s first religious charter school…. The case began two years ago, when Oklahoma’s charter school board approved an application by the archdiocese of Oklahoma City and the diocese of Tulsa to establish St. Isidore of Seville, a virtual Catholic charter school…. Gentner Drummond, the state’s Republican attorney general, went to the Oklahoma Supreme Court, asking it to invalidate the board’s contract with St. Isidore. The state supreme court agreed to do so. St. Isidore, the state court ruled, is a public school and therefore required under state law to be non-religious (SCOTUSblog). ADF (Alliance Defending Freedom) argued the case: It was a historic day at the U.S. Supreme Court in Washington, D.C., where @EdChoice and countless allies stood united in support of parents’ right to choose the best education for their children. Inside the court, Justices heard oral arguments for Oklahoma Statewide Charter School Board v. Drummond, a case that could be a significant win for #schoolchoice (X). Notable: Amy Coney Barrett recused herself on the case—meaning it’s result will likely turn on Chief Justice Roberts. In the case of a 4-4 tie, the lower court precedent would state—prohibiting such a religious charter school. Full argument: (You Tube).

Elon Musk Moving on From DOGE?

At least in part. USA Today: President Donald Trump’s Cabinet secretaries gave Elon Musk a round of applause as the billionaire Tesla CEO attended what might have been his final Cabinet meeting before he takes a backseat from the Department of Government Efficiency that he launched. Musk’s appearance at the April 30 meeting came after the world’s richest man last week said he would begin allocating significantly less of his time to DOGE in May. “They say I wear a lot of hats. And as you can see, it’s true. Even my hat has a hat,” Musk said as he wore a red “Gulf of America” cap on top of his Black MAGA hat (USA Today). But the work that he started looks to continue: Elon Musk said he’s backing away from DOGE in May, but that doesn’t mean the federal worker firings are over. In fact, they’re only heating up. While the first era of DOGE firings continues to face legal issues, the next set could be on stronger footing. That’s because agencies have the chance to craft more methodical plans. In particular, many are offering buyout-like deferred resignation plans for workers to voluntarily quit in exchange for months of paid administrative leave (Business Insider).

Tensions Simmer Between India and Pakistan

CBS News: A week after 26 people were killed in a terrorist attack in Kashmir, concern was mounting over a possible military clash between nuclear-armed neighbors India and Pakistan. Pakistan’s government claimed late Tuesday night that it had “credible intelligence” that India was planning to take military action within hours in retaliation for the April 22 terrorist attack, which Indian officials blame on Pakistani-backed militants. “Pakistan has credible intelligence that India intends carrying out military action against Pakistan in the next 24-36 hours on the pretext of concocted and baseless allegations of involvement in the Pahalgam incident,” Pakistan’s Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said at a midnight news conference (CBS News). AP: The nuclear-armed neighbors have downgraded diplomatic ties, threatened to suspend key treaties and expelled each other’s nationals. It’s the biggest breakdown in relations since 2019, when a suicide car bombing killed 40 Indian soldiers in Kashmir. India blamed Pakistan, and Pakistan rejected the accusation (AP).

Secretary of Defense Hegseth Sends Warning to Iran

Secretary Hegseth: Message to IRAN: We see your LETHAL support to The Houthis. We know exactly what you are doing. You know very well what the U.S. Military is capable of — and you were warned. You will pay the CONSEQUENCE at the time and place of our choosing (X). Hugh Hewitt: If there is no rapid, verifiable deal soon, expect the bombs to fall. It may be that a dozen sites are targeted. It might take two weeks. It wouldn’t be a “war” unless Iran escalated against much stronger foes, an escalation that would risk the regime’s very existence. Trump always punches back, harder. Always (Fox News). Latest actions of the U.S. on the Houthis: US Central Command (CENTCOM) conducted at least 17 airstrikes targeting Houthi infrastructure and leadership in Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen since 1:00 pm ET on April 29. CENTCOM conducted at least four airstrikes targeting Houthi infrastructure in the Sahar District, Saada Governorate, on April 29. CENTCOM also conducted at least three airstrikes targeting Houthi infrastructure in al Khalq, al Jawf Governorate, and at least one airstrike targeting Mass military base in Madghal District, Marib Governorate, on April 29, which are less than 50 kilometers (km) behind the frontlines in Marib Governorate (Institute for the Study of War).

ACLU Files Lawsuit Seeking Access to DOGE Efforts

WIRED: The American Civil Liberties Union filed a federal lawsuit on Monday against the US Social Security Administration (SSA) and the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). In its lawsuit, the ACLU accuses the agencies of violating the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) by ignoring the ACLU’s requests and subsequent appeals for information concerning the so-called Department of Government Efficiency’s (DOGE) “attempted or actual access” to sensitive federal databases. The ACLU began pursuing documents under the federal transparency law in February, as WIRED first reported, responding to reports that Elon Musk’s DOGE operatives were seeking access to troves of personal information belonging to US citizens, including US Department of Treasury records that contain “millions of Social Security numbers, bank accounts, business finances,” and more (WIRED).

Pennsylvania School District Puts Books Pushing LGBTQ Agenda Back on Library Shelves

Philadelphia Inquirer: The Radnor school board voted Tuesday to restore three books that were removed in February from Radnor High School’s library, after impassioned pleas from community members to reject censorship and support LGBTQ students. The board voted 6-0, with three members abstaining, to return Gender Queer, Fun Home, and Blankets to the high school library. The vote reversed decisions by an ad hoc committee appointed by the district’s superintendent that determined the books — all graphic novels, with some sexual depictions — were not age appropriate….The reversal came two months after the books were removed from the library — a decision precipitated by a parent who challenged the books as containing “child pornography” (Inquirer). Life Site News: Gender Queer includes graphic depictions of sexual relations between a man and a boy…. Fun Home contains illustrations of oral …. Blankets depicts sexual activity at church camp, with descriptions of numerous acts (Life Site).

Canadian Conservatives Face a Reckoning as Liberals Win, Pierre Poilievre Loses His Own Seat in Parliament

It was a stunning comeback for liberals, a devastating meltdown for conservatives. Politico: Canada’s conservative leader lost his own seat in Monday’s election to cap off a stunning electoral meltdown that saw the Liberal Party rise from the polling doldrums to secure victory. Pierre Poilievre, who faced off against Mark Carney and the incumbent center-left Liberals, lost his seat in rural Ottawa to Liberal candidate Bruce Fanjoy, national broadcaster CBC reported (Politico). Albert Mohler: It reminds me of the situation of Winston Churchill, he wasn’t yet prime minister, but back in 1922 he lost re-election to parliament, he also suffered from appendicitis, it had been a bad year, he said that he ended the year without an office, without a seat, without a party, and without an appendix. Another way of saying, it was a very bad year.The role of President Trump in this election became very clear, President Trump repeatedly spoke of Canada becoming a part of the United States, he spoke of Canada as a potential 51st state…. (Albert Mohler). Economist: On the surface, Canada’s election on April 28th seemed to preserve the political status quo…. Underneath this apparent stasis, however, lies a striking political upheaval. On average, the margin between the two big parties in individual ridings changed by nine percentage points from 2021 to 2025, twice as much as the shift in the average American county between the presidential elections of 2020 and 2024. Some ridings swung by more than 30 points. These yawning gaps added up to modest differences in nationwide results only because for each riding that moved right, another one slid leftwards by a similar amount…. On timelines measured in years, the trends are clear. Canada’s immigrant and working-class vote is moving firmly to the right (Economist).

People Are Wearing Crosses Again … “And the NYT Is ON IT”

New York Times: Lately, the cross necklaces flash across cable news screens several times a week, suspended between the collarbones of Karoline Leavitt, the White House press secretary, and Attorney General Pam Bondi. Ms. Bondi, 59, wrote in a statement that her necklaces are an expression of her “strong Christian” upbringing: “My faith is very important to me,” she said. “It is what gets me through each day.” Across TikTok, young Christian women have been sharing the meaning behind their own cross necklaces, saying they help cultivate a sense of belonging and connection with others (New York Times). Mary Katherine Ham: This is real. People wear crosses and the NYT is ON IT (X).

10.

Victor Davis Hanson: It’s Far Too Early to Assess the Counter Revolution

VDH: No prior modern Republican president has sought to launch a counterrevolution aimed at reversing the economic, political, cultural, social, and military progressive trajectory of the modern era…. It is still far too early to assess the success or failure of such an unprecedented effort—given Trump’s wide-ranging, multifront offensives to redefine entirely trade and tariffs; restore deterrence abroad; rearm and refashion the military; end two theater wars in Ukraine and the Middle East; address deficits and debt; radically downsize government; eliminate the heresies of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), the Green New Deal, and environmental, social, and governance (ESG); reform the universities; stop biological males from competing in women’s sports; and restore American confidence in, and reverence for, its founding, traditional values, and past achievements…. the counterrevolution is only beginning. Its denouement will not be known for months (The Free Press).

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