Liberal Reporting for 2026-04-20
Today’s news coverage from liberal media sources.
Ukraine war briefing: Europe needs homegrown missile defence in a year – Zelenskyy
Ukrainian president discusses Patriot alternative with other countries; Bulgarian election may be new headache for Kyiv. What we know on day 1,517Europe must have its own defence system against ballis...
The Guardian
Apr 20, 2026 - theguardian.com
From Pulpit to Pews, Trump and Pope Are on the Minds of Catholics
At churches with connections to Pope Leo and the Trump administration, pastors and parishioners speak out on the feud between the president and the pontiff.
NYT > Top Stories
Apr 20, 2026 - nytimes.com
‘We’re Catholic first’: Sunday mass attendees weigh in on Trump’s feud with Pope Leo
Catholics around Atlanta share mixed feelings on faith and politics as Trump engages in rhetorical war with popeAlex Sullivan tended to his five children on the lawn after a traditional Latin mass at ...
The Guardian
Apr 20, 2026 - theguardian.com
US intercepts and seizes Iranian-flagged cargo ship, Trump says
Tehran vows retaliation soon for what it calls an "act of armed piracy", which comes as the US prepares for a second round of talks.
BBC News
Apr 20, 2026 - bbc.com
Trump’s Approval Rating Sinks to Lowest Point of His Second Term
President Donald Trump’s approval ratings have dropped to their lowest level since the start of his second term. According to the NBC News Decision Desk Poll released on Sunday, only 37 percent of ad...
Mother Jones
Apr 19, 2026 - motherjones.com
Tinker Tailor Campaigner Spy
Great powers once meddled in other country’s elections secretly. Now they are happy for everyone to know.
Politics, Policy, Political News Top Stories
Apr 19, 2026 - politico.com
Battleground Republicans are starting to worry about the Senate
Democrats still face serious challenges to flipping the chamber. But Republicans are no longer dismissing the threat as quickly as they once did.
Politics, Policy, Political News Top Stories
Apr 19, 2026 - politico.com
How Trump dashed Republicans’ big hope for the midterms
Key Republicans are already acknowledging a party-wide failure to sell last year's tax cuts. The post How Trump dashed Republicans’ big hope for the midterms appeared first on MS NOW.
MS NOW
Apr 19, 2026 - ms.now
Everybody’s working for that weekend
Why a July 4 of soccer, sailors and Swift already has New York officials on edge.
Politics, Policy, Political News Top Stories
Apr 19, 2026 - politico.com
In wake of political violence, states use campaign cash for personal security
The number of states approving this use of campaign funds has more than doubled since the assassinations of Minnesota House Speaker Melissa Hortman and activist Charlie Kirk.
Politics, Policy, Political News Top Stories
Apr 19, 2026 - politico.com
New York Democrats are looking beyond the battleground districts
A spate of Democratic overperformances across the country have some eyeing deep-red seats in the Empire State.
Politics, Policy, Political News Top Stories
Apr 19, 2026 - politico.com
Democrats Are Split Over What It Means to Block Israel Weapons Deals
There’s a divide between those seeking to end all U.S. weapons deals with Israel and those who want to allow some exceptions. The post Democrats Are Split Over What It Means to Block Israel Weapons D...
The Intercept
Apr 19, 2026 - theintercept.com
What Clarence Thomas doesn’t understand about democracy
The Supreme Court justice’s insistence that rights come from God, not government, couldn’t be more wrong. The post What Clarence Thomas doesn’t understand about democracy appeared first on MS NOW.
MS NOW
Apr 19, 2026 - ms.now
Trump isn’t just losing his base at home. He’s losing his friends abroad.
Trump's erratic and belligerent behavior is alienating his allies in Europe. It’s a sign of decline. The post Trump isn’t just losing his base at home. He’s losing his friends abroad. appeared first o...
MS NOW
Apr 19, 2026 - ms.now
‘Such a f-ing distraction’: Labor Department probe overshadows Trump’s worker agency
A standoff between two Trump appointees could have significant ramifications for the administration.
Politics, Policy, Political News Top Stories
Apr 19, 2026 - politico.com
Harmeet Dhillon: DoJ lawyer a top contender for Trump’s retribution mission
Pugilistic presence has laid waste to civil rights decision – her take-no-prisoners approach has alarmed legal experts but earned president’s plauditsWhen Donald Trump abruptly fired Pam Bondi earlier...
The Guardian
Apr 19, 2026 - theguardian.com
Trump’s approval rating hits new low amid war and high gas prices
Energy Secretary Chris Wright didn’t help matters Sunday when he said gas prices won’t fall below $3 per gallon anytime soon. The post Trump’s approval rating hits new low amid war and high gas prices...
MS NOW
Apr 19, 2026 - ms.now
North Korea launches multiple short-range ballistic missiles toward sea
The launches were the latest in North Korea’s run of weapons testing activities this year. The post North Korea launches multiple short-range ballistic missiles toward sea appeared first on MS NOW.
MS NOW
Apr 19, 2026 - ms.now
U.S. military attacks Iranian ship, casting doubt over peace talks
“We have full custody of the ship, and are seeing what’s on board!” President Donald Trump announced on Truth Social. The post U.S. military attacks Iranian ship, casting doubt over peace talks appear...
MS NOW
Apr 19, 2026 - ms.now
Aspiring pot companies had big dreams for Florida. Reality has hit hard.
The industry has seen an initiative seeking to permit recreational pot in limbo, tighter restrictions brought by Gov. Ron DeSantis, and little federal headway in Washington.
Politics, Policy, Political News Top Stories
Apr 19, 2026 - politico.com
JD Vance could yet save his political skin. But it will mean turning on Trump – and soon | Simon Tisdall
The vice-president has endured his most humiliating – and damaging – week as his boss’s fall guy. How much more can Maga’s great hope take? For a would-be president, JD Vance has an unfortunate habi...
The Guardian
Apr 19, 2026 - theguardian.com
Obama and Mamdani read and sing with New York preschoolers in first meeting
Former US president and New York mayor read to a group of children and led a sing-along at a Bronx childcare centerBarack Obama met with Zohran Mamdani for the first time on Saturday at a childcare ce...
The Guardian
Apr 19, 2026 - theguardian.com
Ordered free, still locked up: Judges fume as Trump administration holds ICE detainees
A legal maneuver once reserved for death row inmates and suspected terrorists has become the only recourse for immigrant detainees, who have flooded federal courts in California with thousands of peti...
World & Nation
Apr 19, 2026 - latimes.com
Rubén Gallego on why he defended Eric Swalwell — and why he regrets it now
Gallego in the US Capitol on October 23, 2025. | Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images This month, Rep. Eric Swalwell faced a flood of sexual misconduct allegations, pushing him to drop ou...
Vox
Apr 19, 2026 - vox.com
UAE official: More than 90% of Iran's targets were civilian infrastructure
The minister of state said Iran had hit the United Arab Emirates with over 2,800 missiles and drones since the start of the war.
Politics, Policy, Political News Top Stories
Apr 19, 2026 - politico.com
Republican senator criticizes Trump’s ‘holy war’ with Pope Leo
Senator John Kennedy of Louisiana, a long supporter of Trump, says president’s feud with the pope is a ‘distraction’A Republican lawmaker has condemned what he refers to as Donald Trump’s “holy war” a...
The Guardian
Apr 19, 2026 - theguardian.com
Trump tests his luck with the religious right amid feud with pope and AI Jesus posts
Trump appears to have crossed a line with his Christian supporters. Will it come back to bite him in the midterms?Donald Trump’s depiction of himself as Jesus Christ and recent spat with Pope Leo XIV ...
The Guardian
Apr 19, 2026 - theguardian.com
Virginia’s redistricting vote ‘a critical step’ for the swing state
Purple state that recently elected Democratic governor will now choose whether to replace existing voting maps with ones that favor DemocratsNearly three months to the day after his term as Virginia’s...
The Guardian
Apr 19, 2026 - theguardian.com
Italian lawyers could win ‘wild west-style bounties’ if immigration clients go home
Giorgia Meloni’s far-right government to ask MPs to back controversial voluntary repatriation schemeItalian lawyers will be paid bonuses if they successfully convince their immigrant clients to return...
The Guardian
Apr 19, 2026 - theguardian.com
Trump Threatens War Crimes in Iran Again
In a Truth Social tirade on Sunday morning, President Donald Trump claimed that Iran violated their ceasefire agreement with the US by firing shots at ships in the Strait of Hormuz and again threatene...
Mother Jones
Apr 19, 2026 - motherjones.com
Trump says US-Iran talks to continue Monday in Pakistan
Hours later, he announced the seizure of an Iranian-flagged cargo ship.
Politics, Policy, Political News Top Stories
Apr 19, 2026 - politico.com
Democrats Eye a Broader Battlefield to Capture Congress in November
Weighed down by President Trump’s approval ratings, some Republican incumbents are struggling to raise money while Democrats look for targets like a Tennessee seat south of Nashville.
NYT > Top Stories
Apr 19, 2026 - nytimes.com
Trump Administration Demand for Ballot Info Rebuffed by Michigan
The Department of Justice is seeking ballots and other materials from the 2024 election. Michigan officials call it election interference.
NYT > Top Stories
Apr 19, 2026 - nytimes.com
US military seized Iranian-flagged container ship, Trump says
Trump says cargo ship tried to get past US naval blockade near strait of Hormuz ‘and it did not go well for them’Middle East crisis – live updatesThe US military took custody of an Iranian-flagged con...
The Guardian
Apr 19, 2026 - theguardian.com
Trump energy secretary says gas prices might not drop back under $3 a gallon until 2027
Chris Wright says ‘I don’t know’ when asked about lower cost of gas as average price soars to $4 a gallon in USChris Wright, the Trump administration’s energy secretary, acknowledged Sunday that it mi...
The Guardian
Apr 19, 2026 - theguardian.com
The Guardian view on Japan’s cherry blossom: when spring slips out of time | Editorial
A 1,200-year dataset shows the ‘peak bloom’ is arriving earlier. Global heating is unsettling nature’s rhythms – and their cultural meaningA picture posted on social media last April by Prof Yasuyuki ...
The Guardian
Apr 19, 2026 - theguardian.com
This tariff-refund portal is about to be America's hottest website
Exactly two months after the Supreme Court struck down most of President Trump's tariffs, the U.S. government has set Monday as the day when some companies can begin requesting refunds.
NPR Topics: Home Page Top Stories
Apr 19, 2026 - npr.org
Canada's prime minister says economic connection to the U.S. has shifted from a strength to a weakness
Prime Minister Mark Carney said tariffs imposed by U.S. President Donald Trump have impacted workers in such major industries as auto and steel and prompted businesses to hold back investments.
PBS NewsHour - The Latest
Apr 19, 2026 - pbs.org
A renewed threat to JPL as the Trump administration tries again to cut NASA
The cuts, proposed in the Trump administration's 2027 budget request to Congress, would pose further challenges to the venerable La Cañada Flintridge facility and its space missions.
World & Nation
Apr 19, 2026 - latimes.com
What to do about burnout at work
Jonathan Malesic knows burnout firsthand. He was working his dream job, teaching at a small Catholic college in Pennsylvania. He was publishing papers, working toward tenure — doing all the things on ...
Vox
Apr 19, 2026 - vox.com
8 children killed in Louisiana shooting, police say
The suspect died after a police pursuit, and the victims — who ranged in age from 1 to about 14 years old — included children related to the gunman, police said. The post 8 children killed in Louisian...
MS NOW
Apr 19, 2026 - ms.now
Syrian Billionaires Needed a Favor in Washington. They Invoked the Trump Name.
The attempt by the Khayyats to influence foreign policy while discussions are underway about potential Trump family deals is an increasingly common feature of the president’s second term.
NYT > Top Stories
Apr 19, 2026 - nytimes.com
Falling fertility, debt and AI: is the US headed toward a population crisis?
Americans having fewer kids plus an ageing population could be a recipe for disaster that further erodes social stabilityRemember environmentalist Paul Ehrlich’s 1960s-vintage prediction about how ove...
The Guardian
Apr 19, 2026 - theguardian.com
Iranian American woman arrested in Los Angeles for alleged arms trafficking
Federal prosecutor says woman is suspected of dealing weapons to Africa on behalf of Iranian governmentA California woman was arrested at Los Angeles international airport after allegedly trafficking ...
The Guardian
Apr 19, 2026 - theguardian.com
Intemperate Trump brings chaos and confusion to Iran talks
US president’s unreliable style sows diplomatic confusion but leaves Tehran clear on strategic value of strait of HormuzDonald Trump’s decision to send US officials to Islamabad for further talks on M...
The Guardian
Apr 19, 2026 - theguardian.com
Trump news at a glance: president struggles to reopen strait as Iran rejects US blockade
Donald Trump’s earlier tone of triumph with the reopening of key waterway falls flat – key US politics stories from 18 April at a glanceDonald Trump hopes of extricating himself from his war on Iran w...
The Guardian
Apr 19, 2026 - theguardian.com
Maui residents are rebuilding Lahaina for locals, not tourists: ‘In Hawaii, we take care of one another’
After deadly 2023 fires, recent storms and ICE raids, Lahaina residents are determined to rebuild the town for their communityIn March, Hawaii was hit with two back-to-back storms, bringing the worst...
The Guardian
Apr 19, 2026 - theguardian.com
‘It was constant chaos’: ex-Infowars producer on life under Alex Jones
Book from Josh Owens tells of punishing work for far-right conspiracy theorist who, far from silenced, broadcasts onDonald Trump gave rightwing media provocateurs Tucker Carlson, Marjorie Taylor Green...
The Guardian
Apr 19, 2026 - theguardian.com
Israel had a bad week in Europe. Does it herald a wider shift in EU relations?
With Orbán gone and Meloni distancing herself, EU sanctions on trade and settlers are looking more likelyIt was a bad week for Israel in Europe: the country lost its staunchest regional ally when Vikt...
The Guardian
Apr 19, 2026 - theguardian.com
A major US court case could help fix the ills of Citizens United | David Sirota
A Maine lawsuit has suddenly become the most significant anti-corruption battle inside America’s legal systemSlush funds of anonymous unregulated money are now the dominant institutions in American po...
The Guardian
Apr 19, 2026 - theguardian.com
‘They said: You’re out of your mind’: Luca Guadagnino on directing controversial opera The Death of Klinghoffer
The opera – about the hijacking of a cruise by the PLF who murder a Jewish American wheelchair user – has been subject to protests and accused of romanticising terrorism. Why was the film-maker so des...
The Guardian
Apr 19, 2026 - theguardian.com
U.S. seizes Iranian cargo ship in Strait of Hormuz
The U.S. has taken custody of an Iranian-flagged cargo ship in the Strait of Hormuz after firing on its engine room, President Trump said in a post on social media.
NPR Topics: Home Page Top Stories
Apr 19, 2026 - npr.org
The insider trading suspicions looming over Trump's presidency
The BBC has found a pattern of spikes in trades ahead of public announcements by the US president.
BBC News
Apr 19, 2026 - bbc.com
Oil prices spike again following latest standoff in the Strait of Hormuz
The ongoing conflict with the U.S. and Iran prevented tankers from passing through. The price of U.S. crude oil increased 6.4% to $87.88 per barrel after trading resumed on the Chicago Mercantile Exch...
PBS NewsHour - The Latest
Apr 19, 2026 - pbs.org
Israel Intensifies Destruction Across Southern Lebanon Despite Ceasefire
Israeli forces have destroyed over 1,000 homes daily since March 2, according to Lebanon’s scientific research council.
Truthout
Apr 19, 2026 - truthout.org
Visuals Help Expose the Realities of Mass Incarceration to a Wider Audience
A Brooklyn exhibition in collaboration with Mariame Kaba features paintings about prisons, incarceration, and abolition.
Truthout
Apr 19, 2026 - truthout.org
We owe Lena Dunham an apology
Dunham is, and always has been, a flawed figure. But an introspective new memoir makes clear she never deserved to be her generation’s cultural scapegoat. The post We owe Lena Dunham an apology appe...