F. Left News

Robin Mann reports on how support for both Plaid Cymru and Reform is transforming the Welsh political landscape

The post Elections 2026: The political shifts reshaping Wales appeared first on Red Pepper.

“Tonight, the municipality of Jerusalem and the Israeli Building Center are hosting a discriminatory event in which they plan to sell stolen Palestinian land, open to Jews only. This event is illegal under international law and has no place in New York City.

“Right now, Palestinians across the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem are being expelled from their homes through a coordinated campaign of state policy and settler violence. In East Jerusalem, families are being harassed and attacked while the developers hosting this event build luxury developments available to Jews only.

“The municipality of Jerusalem is directly involved in imposing and administering discriminatory apartheid policies, and should not be hosted anywhere in the city.

“As Jewish New Yorkers, we condemn the sale of stolen Palestinian land and we condemn racist housing practices that discriminate based on race, religion, and national origin. New Yorkers know the importance of fair housing practices and reject these racist events. We, along with Palestinian New Yorkers, know that apartheid practices have no place in New York City.”

Background
Jerusalem Mayor Moshe Lion

The Mayor of Jerusalem will be in attendance at today’s event. He has publicly stated his intention to oversee the construction of at least 100,000 new housing units in Jerusalem, as part of a “Judaisation plan” for Jerusalem.

Illegal annexation in the West Bank

Israel is illegally annexing the West Bank at an unprecedented rate, resulting in over 50 attacks of settler violence and displacing nearly 1,700 Palestinians in the first three months of 2026 alone. The number of Palestinians displaced in early 2026 surpasses the total displaced in all of 2025. Land sales in New York City further contribute to this annexation.

The Center for Biological Diversity sued the state of Florida today to protect the Florida Everglades from dangerous air pollution released by the massive immigrant detention facility in Big Cypress National Preserve, cruelly named “Alligator Alcatraz.”

The Center is suing the Florida Division of Emergency Management over substantial, unpermitted pollution from diesel generators and other air-polluting equipment that have supported the facility since operations began in June 2025.

“Governor DeSantis continues to shamelessly pollute the fragile wetlands and pristine air critical to the health of Big Cypress while refusing to publicly commit to shutting down the facility,” said Ryan Maher, a staff attorney at the Center. “Every day this facility continues to operate is another day of harm to people, endangered species and the delicate wetlands that sustain life in the Everglades. We’re going to hold the state accountable until every dirty diesel generator is removed from the site.”

The lawsuit follows reports from vendors at the facility that the detention center will close in June. Despite these reports, the Florida Division of Emergency Management’s executive director, Kevin Guthrie, recently stated that he has not received a timeline for closure and that the facility could potentially be open for two years, or “maybe even longer depending on the needs of the federal government.”

On Tuesday, following an inspection of the facility, U.S. Rep. Maxwell Frost reported that there were still 655 people detained inside. He said he was told that after the facility is empty it could take 15 to 30 days to remove infrastructure from the site. Government officials have made no public commitment to close the facility.

Today’s lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida, says the state is violating the federal Clean Air Act, which requires the agency to obtain an air permit for the equipment and activities that produce harmful air pollution. A fleet of industrial diesel generators powers the detention facility, including around-the-clock air conditioners, flood lighting and a staff village for up to 1,000 workers. The generators release dangerous air pollutants that harm human health and the environment, including benzene, formaldehyde, nitrogen oxides and particulate matter, on a site encircled by Big Cypress National Preserve.

These violations could lead to civil penalties for Florida of up to $124,426 per day of violation, which would be paid to the U.S. Treasury.

The Clean Air Act violation adds to other significant environmental violations Friends of the Everglades and the Center identified in their June 2025 lawsuit, joined by the Miccosukee Tribe of Indians of Florida, and the two groups’ July 2025 legal notice.

The detention center is surrounded on all sides by Big Cypress National Preserve, one of America’s first national preserves, which protects ecologically sensitive wetlands and a dozen endangered and threatened species, including Florida panthers, Florida bonneted bats and Everglade snail kites.

The reported plan to close the site by early June would be just days before the conservation groups and the Miccosukee Tribe can resume their June 2025 lawsuit against the Trump administration. The lawsuit had been stayed by a federal appeals court. In addition to violations of the National Environmental Policy Act, National Historic Preservation Act and state laws, the plaintiffs also notified the defendants of their intent to challenge violations of the Endangered Species Act, Clean Water Act and National Park Service Organic Act.

In the original June 2025 lawsuit, Friends of the Everglades and the Center, represented by Paul Schwiep, Scott Hiaasen, Earthjustice and Center attorneys, sued the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the Florida Division of Emergency Management and Miami-Dade County to stop the project as it was being hastily built with zero environmental review. The Miccosukee Tribe of Indians of Florida, which has villages close to the unpermitted immigration detention facility, joined the lawsuit.

The Environmental Working Group praised Vermont for today becoming the first state in the nation to ban the use and sale of paraquat, one of the most toxic herbicides in the U.S., and one that’s linked to Parkinson’s disease and other serious health harms.

Gov. Phil Scott (R) signed the landmark legislation after the state Legislature passed it with strong bipartisan support. The new law makes Vermont the first to enact a statewide prohibition on the toxic weedkiller.

“We applaud Governor Scott and the champions in the legislature that made this moment possible that will protect all Vermonters, including farmers and children, from being exposed to this dangerous chemical,” said EWG Legislative Director Geoff Horsfield.

“With Vermont leading the way, states across the country now have a clear path to end the use of one of the most toxic herbicides still on the market,” said Horsfield. “This is a turning point in the effort to protect public health from a chemical that has been tied to devastating neurological harm.”

State Rep. Esme Cole (D-Windsor) and state Sen. Martine Gulick (D-Chittenden-Central District) championed their chambers’ versions of the bills.

EWG would also like to thank the leading organizations that supported the bill, including Vermont Public Interest Research Group, The Michael J. Fox Foundation, Parkinson’s Foundation, the American Parkinson Disease Association, the Vermont Natural Resources Council and others.

Paraquat is banned in more than 70 countries yet remains widely used across U.S. agriculture.

Vermont’s action is expected to intensify pressure on state policymakers throughout the country to restrict or eliminate use of the herbicide. Lawmakers in the nearby states of New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania are currently debating similar proposals.

“We urge elected leaders in New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania and other states to move forward with their respective plans to ban the toxic weedkiller and build momentum to push more states to take action,” he added.

Several other states have introduced bills to ban paraquat, and California is considering new regulatory restrictions. These efforts are clear signs of escalating concern over the chemical’s well-documented health risks.

A growing body of research links exposure to an increased risk of Parkinson's disease, with additional evidence pointing to other serious health harms, including non-Hodgkin lymphoma and childhood leukemia.

American Federation of Government Employees National President Everett Kelley issued the following statement in response to a proposed rule by the Office of Personnel Management, to be published tomorrow in the Federal Register, that would require current and prospective employees at participating agencies to sign non-disclosure agreements as a condition of employment:

“OPM continues its efforts to silence federal employees. This proposed NDA is another attempt by the administration to purge the civil service of nonpartisan career employees and replace them with loyalists who won’t speak out against waste, fraud, and abuse. Federal employees do not surrender their First Amendment rights when they accept federal employment, and the public has a right to know about this administration’s abuses.

“OPM claims the form will be ‘optional’ for agencies to use and merely restates existing law. We know that will not be true. OPM will pressure agencies to make the NDA mandatory and then fire employees who refuse to sign it.

“Moreover, federal agencies already have extensive policies and procedures in place for preventing the unauthorized release of classified or privileged information. This proposed rule sweeps in an extraordinarily broad category of information, extending restrictions to the very material the public relies on to learn when an administration is causing harm. AFGE will submit comments on the proposed rule and urges OPM to withdraw it.”

Cuba continues to show the world an alternative mode of development even in the face of US regime change, argues Helen Yaffe

The post Cuba stands firm appeared first on Red Pepper.

Another Memorial Day: boasts, insults, "self-defense strikes," cheap clichés from a "Secretary of War" prattling about dead boys "delivered from the battlefield into the arms of a loving Lord and savior." Spare us. And maybe revisit the war to end all wars, which didn't - its "infinity of waste" and trenches with skulls in the sides where "he who had a corpse to stand on was lucky." Pat Barker: “A society that devours its own young deserves (no) unquestioning allegiance.”

"Happy Memorial Day to all," babbled our ever-unseemly Idiot-In-Chief, "including the Dumocrats, who disrespect our Military and all of the tremendous success that it has had over the last year," because obviously the best way to honor the dead is to not acknowledge their sacrifice but to denigrate half the ravaged country they died defending. Also, at Arlington National Cemetery, the infinitely hollow, "Wherever the American soldier (falls), he does it for the destiny of a nation like no other - there’s never been anybody like you." Also, noted Private Bone Spurs, 18,000 Williams, over 20,000 Johns, and other names fell, but "not too many" Donalds. Huh.

Adding to the day's eloquence with a much-needed "monster truck rally vibe" was inexplicably non-veteran, Hegseth bestie, tawdry aging rock star Kid Rock. Because "Tokyo Rose wasn't available," he was chosen by the Pentagon to honor American service members' ultimate sacrifice in a hoodie, fedora, gold chain and sunglasses, looking like "a creature you’d expect to hiss at you from the dank depths of a garbage bin" and intoning, "We are remembering the sacrifice and service of so many who are not with us today...It’s a special day. We’re thinking of them... Keep on Kid Rocking in the free world."

Then there was bombastic, dime-store-cliché-spouting Christo-fascist Pete Hegseth urging we "remember our republic was forged and purchased with blood, American blood," evidently only male according to his pronouns. Ever a fatuous buffoon, he declaimed "the sacred names of bygone eras to the 13 souls of Epic Fury (who) answered the call when it mattered the most (and) gave the last full measure of devotion," even when he failed them in an Iranian strike in Yemen: "They stood against the darkness of the world wearing the breastplate of righteousness (and) raced to the brink so we could walk in freedom and prosperity (and) may almighty God bless our warriors." Jesus weeps.

It remains unclear how many of the up to 22 million dead, both military and civilian, and over 20 million wounded, "the butcher's bill" of World War One, came to be blessed by almighty God, especially in its Western Front's godforsaken trenches teeming with sludge, rats, mud, blood, water and disease. The war's "inconceivable loss" and "purposeless waste of a generation" is perhaps best exemplified by the Battle of Verdun, where the French, set upon by German forces, adopted a "They Shall Not Pass” mantra that in the end saw over 700,000 dead on both sides - ultimately, vast "heaps of bones."

For many, the horrors of "the greatest conflagration the world had seen" live on through the searing literature, both prose and poetry, that emerged from them. Wilfred Owen's Dulce et Decorum Est epitomizes the bitter, bloody tone that often prevailed amidst its "guttering, choking, drowning" victims - Hegseth's benighted "warriors." "Bent double, like old beggars under sacks/ Knock-kneed, coughing like hags," cursing, gargling, limping bootless through sludge, "blood-shod...deaf even to the hoots/Of gas-shells dropping softly behind," they reject, "The old Lie: Dulce et decorum est/Pro patria mori."

Siegfried Sassoon lived the privileged life of a British country gentleman, writing poetry and fox hunting, until the start of World War 1, when he served as an officer with the Royal Welch Fusiliers in France. He was awarded a Military Cross, was later wounded in action, and refused to fight any longer to protest "a senseless slaughter." On June 15, 1917, he wrote "A Soldier's Declaration" as "an act of wilful defiance of military authority, because I believe that the War is being deliberately prolonged by those how have the power to end it. I am a soldier, convinced that I am acting on behalf of soldiers."

"I have seen and endured the sufferings of the troops, and I can no longer be a party to prolonging those sufferings for ends which I believe to be evil and unjust," he wrote. He was protesting, he made clear, "against the political errors and insincerities for which the fighting men are being sacrificed...against the deception which is being practiced on them. Also I believe that it may help to destroy the callous complacence with which the majority of those at home regard the continuance of agonies which they do not share, and which they have not sufficient imagination to realise."

His letter was read before the House of Commons and printed in The London Times. He expected to be court-martialed; instead, he was declared "mentally unsound" and sent to Craiglockhart War Hospital, where Dr. William Rivers was charged with restoring Sassoon’s “sanity” and sending him back to the trenches. The story of their real-life encounter, wherein Rivers came to diagnose war's "shell-shock" and share Sassoon's view, is powerfully told in Pat Barker's historical novel Regeneration, the first in a trilogy about the psychological carnage of war. "It (was) the Great White God de-throned. We assumed we were the measure of all things," Rivers says. "(But) nothing justifies this. Nothing nothing nothing."

Siegfried Sassoon's 1918 Suicide in the Trenches mourns "a simple soldier boy/Who grinned at life in empty joy" until he goes to war: "In winter trenches, cowed and glum/With crumps and lice and lack of rum/He put a bullet through his brain./No one spoke of him again./ You smug-faced crowds with kindling eye/Who cheer when soldier lads march by,/Sneak home and pray you'll never know/The hell where youth and laughter go." Too many of those young lie in a cemetery near Ypres, where one Inscription stands out in a sea of "For King and Country" headstones. It was written on the grave of Arthur Young by his father, a diplomat wiser than any vacuous Hegseth: "Sacrificed to the fallacy that war can end war."

Rebecca Jane Morgan’s account of the fight for legal recognition for trans people in the UK offers a valuable resource to contemporary activists, writes Kit Heyam

The post Deviants and trailblazers – review appeared first on Red Pepper.

RootsAction is releasing the following statement:

After months of intense pressure, Chair Ken Martin and the DNC finally caved and released their 2024 autopsy report. To call the report a disgrace would be an understatement. The report focuses extensively on ad spending and fundraising, without discussing the Democratic platform, policy positions or political context of the 2024 election. The word "affordability," arguably the most important issue in the 2024 election, appears twice in the 129-page report. The report makes no mention whatsoever of Gaza or Israel — neither word even appears in its text.

Now, Martin and the DNC are trying to wash their hands of the report and its contents. In a hasty, almost amateurish markup, the DNC has gone out of its way to poke holes in the legitimacy of the very report it commissioned. The report is full of factual errors, poorly supported conjecture, and misguided ramblings, many of which the DNC itself is eager to point out. While Martin may feel that this absolves him of the responsibility to answer for this pitiful document, it should only intensify scrutiny of his leadership of the DNC.

Martin recruited the author to write the report. He presumably provided the author with resources and access to party officials and functionaries. The DNC has a responsibility to turn in a report that truly grapples with the mistakes of the past so that the Democratic Party can learn from those mistakes and emerge stronger in its fight against Trumpism. The DNC has utterly failed in that respect.

The only serious autopsy so far remains the one that RootsAction published: https://democraticautopsy.org/

Sweeping U.S. cuts to critical global health programs, including funding and staffing reductions at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the dismantling of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), and the U.S. withdrawal from the World Health Organization (WHO), have dangerously weakened the world’s ability to respond to rapidly evolving infectious disease threats, including the escalating Ebola outbreak unfolding in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and the region, Physicians for Human Rights (PHR) said today.

“This outbreak is unfolding amid devastating cuts to global health and humanitarian assistance in the DRC that have weakened disease surveillance, strained already fragile health systems, and reduced the capacity to detect and respond to infectious disease outbreaks,” said Thomas McHale, SM, public health director at PHR. “Physicians for Human Rights has documented how abrupt U.S. foreign aid cuts disrupted frontline health services and infectious disease programs in conflict-affected eastern DRC, leaving communities more vulnerable at precisely the moment sustained international public health engagement when it is needed most. ”

The current Ebola outbreak, which the WHO declared a “public health emergency of international concern,” involves the rare Bundibugyo strain of Ebola, for which there is no approved vaccine or targeted treatment. Cases have already been identified in and around Bunia, Goma, and Bukavu in eastern DRC as well as in Kampala, Uganda, which are densely populated urban areas, and health workers themselves have become infected. The crisis is unfolding with the rapid and unchecked spread of infections and the sharply rising death toll, with 139 confirmed deaths reported to date.-A devastating set of emergencies are converging in eastern DRC, where ongoing armed conflict, attacks on civilians and health facilities, and mass population displacement have already pushed fragile health systems to the brink. Violence in and around Ituri and Goma, where several cases of Ebola have been detected, has severely disrupted humanitarian access and public health operations precisely as Ebola is spreading rapidly through affected communities.

PHR’s network of medical and humanitarian partners in DRC are reporting mounting tolls from the outbreak and scarce resources to confront the emergency. A doctor in an Ebola-affected area of DRC tells PHR that “…this outbreak is occurring at a time when we are no longer truly able to carry out proper epidemiological surveillance because of the disruption in USAID funding. To continue this surveillance, we are forced to rely on our own personal resources, including purchasing phone credit, fuel, and paying transportation costs. This is extremely difficult given the current level of need.”

Health workers in DRC told PHR that they need support for disease surveillance, materials to support safe disposal of bodies, including body bags, access to laboratories to process samples quickly, and infection prevention and control supplies, including masks, protective suits, face shield and other personal protective equipment to allow health workers care for Ebola patients safely. The same doctor told PHR that “…without rapid support, surveillance, case confirmation, the safe management of bodies, and the protection of health care workers all risk being seriously compromised.”

U.S. global health funding cuts have contributed to the global health emergency posed by the Ebola outbreak. Decades of U.S. investment helped build the disease surveillance systems, laboratory infrastructure, trained workforce, community outreach networks, and emergency coordination mechanisms necessary to detect and contain outbreaks early before they spiraled into regional and global crises. But those systems are now being hollowed out. The Trump administration’s abrupt cuts to U.S. global health funding in January 2025 have undermined public health efforts around the globe, resulting in impacts such as disruptions to HIV and TB prevention and treatment programs, the elimination of services for survivors of conflict-related sexual violence and undermining critical disease monitoring. U.S. funding cuts are degrading public health response capacities in eastern DRC, across Africa, and globally at a moment when rapid response care and robust international coordination is urgently needed.

Public health experts have expressed alarm that the latest outbreak of this rare strain of Ebola likely went undetected for two months, allowing the virus to spread further and losing critical opportunities to trace, isolate, and treat individuals who were exposed or infected.

“The outbreak of Ebola in DRC is another example of the failures of the America First Global Health strategy,” said McHale. “At its best, U.S. global health leadership can help identify, address, and prevent infectious disease outbreaks before they spiral out of control. But this outbreak comes at a time when the United States has shuttered USAID, slashed CDC funding and work force, cut resources for humanitarian response in DRC, including disease surveillance capacity, and hampered the ability of health care workers on the ground to respond to the emerging Ebola crisis.”

PHR’s recent report, “Wasted Investments, Looming Crisis,” documents how reductions in US support for global health have dismantled research platforms, surveillance infrastructure, and frontline health systems that are essential not only for HIV and TB programs, but also for responding to future outbreaks of deadly infectious diseases. A research brief by PHR (“Abandoned in Crisis”) documented the early impacts of U.S. aid cuts on health services in DRC.

“Due to the Trump administration’s cuts, we no longer have the full measure of global coordination and operational capacity needed to rapidly track transmission, monitor cross-border spread, support frontline clinicians, and swiftly identify and treat people who may have been exposed,” said McHale. “In the conflict-affected regions of eastern DRC, where insecurity and displacement are accelerating disease transmission and limiting access to care, these losses are especially dangerous and further deepening the polycrisis. Global health security depends on sustained international cooperation — not retreat.”

As world leaders gather at the World Health Assembly in Geneva this week, governments must urgently promote a rights-based Ebola response that is grounded in science, transparency, and respect for human dignity, while ensuring affected communities have access to timely, evidence-based care and information. Immediate support is needed to protect frontline health workers through the provision of adequate personal protective equipment and infection prevention and control supplies, as health workers remain at heightened risk of exposure. World governments should urgently scale support for epidemiological surveillance, laboratory testing, contact tracing, safe clinical care, community engagement, and dignified and safe burials, including the provision of body bags and other essential supplies for the safe management of the deceased, and essential personal protective equipment for health care workers. Sustained investment in supply chains, local response capacity, and research into Bundibugyo-specific diagnostics, treatments, and vaccines are essential to preventing further spread and protecting the right to health.

The United States should also strengthen coordination with the WHO and fully disburse congressionally-appropriated global health funds to support an effective response to the Ebola crisis, including urgent measures to track and protect exposed individuals and communities, and strengthen frontline response capacities to prevent further spread of the virus. All parties to the conflict in the DRC, including occupying forces, should uphold existing ceasefire agreements and guarantee safe and unhindered access for health care workers and humanitarian personnel to support populations in areas affected by violence. This should include enabling the immediate reopening of Goma International Airport so that life-saving medicines, medical supplies, and humanitarian aid can reach at-risk communities.

New data released today by Groundwork Collaborative and The Century Foundation shows how President Trump’s reckless economic policies and war in Iran are driving up the costs of summer cookouts and travel season. Prices for backyard barbecue staples jumped 13% on average since last year, more than four times the rate of inflation. Burgers will run families 20% more, Kraft Heinz ketchup jumped 14%, and grilled corn on the cob costs nearly twice as much as it did last year. Even a to-go plate will also cost families more as aluminum foil prices climbed 18%.

If working families manage to get through the holiday weekend within budget, their summer travel plans may still be out of reach. Airfare prices are up 26% and expected to keep rising this summer, while gas prices are hovering around $4.50 nationally. As Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy wraps up his family’s seven-month, all-expenses-paid road trip, working families are wondering whether they’ll be able to afford traveling at all this summer. All in, reports find that the Duffy’s corporate-sponsored vacation would cost at least $900 in fuel expenses – and that’s not including the luxury cruise the family was given to cap off their trip. Trump and his Cabinet couldn’t be more out of touch with working families this Memorial Day weekend.

Groundwork’s Chief Economist, Breyon Williams, released the following statement:

“Trump’s senseless tariffs and illegal war are robbing American families of their relaxing summer vacation. From the ticket counter to the cookout, consumers are scaling back and going without in the face of Trump’s summer sticker shock.”

Janelle Jones, Senior Fellow at The Century Foundation, shared her response:

"Prices are rising because of tariffs and the war—two decisions the president made and can undo whenever he wants but by his own admission he doesn't spend any time thinking about Americans' financial situation. Families are getting squeezed on the price of everything and leaders in Washington don't seem to be paying attention."

Eat Up: Barbecue Essentials More Expensive Thanks to Trump

• Beef, hot dog, and bratwurst prices are through the roof (up 20%, 12%, and 28% respectively) as consumers consider firing up the grill this holiday weekend.
• Fresh produce prices have increased under Trump thanks to higher fertilizer prices and a struggling farm economy. Tomatoes cost 22% more, while corn prices have increased 98% and lettuce is up 19%.
• Trump’s war in Iran has also driven up the price of plasticware popular at cookouts: disposable plasticware prices are up about 20% compared to last year due to the unrest in the Middle East. These price impacts will last beyond summer barbecue season.

Flights, road trips, and even staycations will cost more this summer

• A family of four can expect to pay an extra $300 on plane tickets this summer as Trump’s war drags on. All major U.S. carriers have announced price hikes of about $10 per checked bag heading into vacation season, on top of skyrocketing airfare.
• Budget airline Spirit shut down this month partially due to unexpected increases in jet fuel costs while airline CEOs anticipate passing higher operating costs onto consumers via price hikes.
  • Southwest Airlines CEO Andrew Watterson revealed to shareholders in a recent call that there have been five industrywide fare hikes so far this year, and he anticipates more on the way.
  • United CEO Kirby also admitted prices will not come down, saying “The longer consumers pay these prices and airlines get used to this revenue stream, the more likely it is [to hold].”
• Flyers who can afford higher prices will be crammed onto smaller planes with fewer flight options.
  • Airlines have cut over two million seats and 12,000 flights worldwide in late April and early May, an unprecedented level of cancellations.
  • United Airlines has removed over 21,000 flights from its summer schedule, while Delta and American cut nearly 12,000 combined.
• Gas prices are at the highest level since 2022, hitting around $4.55 nationally, up more than 50% from $2.98 before the president’s war in Iran started.
• Working families looking forward to a restful staycation at home may find it more difficult as temperatures rise: Trump’s tariffs have driven up the cost of HVAC systems, and his administration has ended tax credits Americans relied on to upgrade their air conditioning.

To talk to a Groundwork expert about rising prices and the economic fallout of Trump’s agenda, email press@groundworkcollaborative.org.

In retrospect, Sunday's taxpayer-funded blasphemy fest to "rededicate" America as a Christian nation though it's not and never was looks ever more obscene amidst an unholy regime's mounting crimes and abuses. Its sectarian circus - ICE milled, vendors urged "WIVES SUBMIT," zealots screeched "We welcome Jesus!", speakers attested God is eager for the ballroom - just queasily re-shaped a 250-year-old America into the kind of country it once sought freedom from.

"Rededicate 250: A National Jubilee of Prayer, Praise & Thanksgiving," a "constitutional abomination wrapped in layers of blasphemy and demagoguery," sought to proclaim America "One Nation Under God," but only a white male evangelical God; Muslims, Hindus, Catholics, commies, Jews, atheists, agnostics, black, brown, queer, Native people and even mainline Protestants need not apply. As such, it attacked what Jefferson deemed an unalienable right of conscience "which lies solely between Man & his God," defied the core constitutional tenet of separation of church and state, and "torpedoe(d) the best of American traditions - inclusivity and diversity" with, essentially, "a Jubilee of Christian Nationalism."

Its state-sponsored, right-wing fever dream marked the successful MAGA hijacking of Congress’ bipartisan, 2016 America250 commission, meant to honor the anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence and its core values of equality and agency before the law. Instead, Trump concocted his own Christo-fascist Freedom 250 to celebrate a racist, corporate, jingoistic narrative of America, rewriting history to create an imaginary, monolithic, jingoistic, white, male, Christian national identity that celebrates "God’s presence in our national life throughout 250 years of American history," and what is this inequality or oppression of which you speak?

Freedom 250 swiftly collected most of the $150 million appropriated by Congress, along with support from patriotic sponsors like ExxonMobil, Mastercard, Palantir, Amazon, Coinbase. Year-long festivities have included a weekly America Prays initiative; a series of Interior Department events celebrating “the triumph of the American spirit” plastered with flags, logos, Trump National Park passes; a fleet of nationwide “Freedom Trucks,” mobile museums offering right-wing takes on US history created with PragerU; a national Freedom 250 Patriot Games - Hunger Games anyone? - competition for high school athletes; a revamped Great American Farmers Market in DC with a "MAHA Monday."

On social media, meanwhile, DHS has begun declaring itself "One Homeland Under God," complete with image of church and cross and highlighted Bible verse; for April 19, it urged, “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding." The Washington Monument was transformed into “the world’s tallest birthday candle," with projections celebrating historic achievements by white men like Christopher Columbus and Henry Ford, with no black, Native, female people in sight. To re-enforce the white-centric narrative, organizers have also promised a Summer Surge of thousands more ICE and DHS thugs to make the nation still whiter.

Sunday's Jubilee continued the rebrand of a newly pristine, godly history, with 14 of 15 speakers Christian, arched stained-glass windows and a looming white cross all "glorifying the name of Jesus over our nation’s capital." "Our nation more than any other was shaped by the idea that faith brought freedom," said Marco Rubio in a prerecorded speech. "This is who we are." Virginia pastor Gary Hamrick concurred, but added the imaginary threat of a "spiritual war," perhaps best personified by the scary scattered signs of protesters urging, “Celebrate Democracy, Not Theocracy.” "This is a battle in our day between good and evil," he said. "Our hope is built on Jesus' blood."

Also, Jesus merch. As the faithful braved three-hour lines in the heat and prayed, arms lifted to the sky, vendors handed out "Jesus Saves" bracelets and buttons that said, “WIVES SUBMIT, HUSBANDS LOVE, CHILDREN OBEY.” There were "Thank you Jesus!" signs, a huge "Jesus Make America Godly Again" banner, $47 Freedom 250 baseball caps, t-shirts that read, "God Guns Family Freedom" and "Forever In Our Hearts, Charlie Kirk." "We welcome Jesus into this place!" declared one speaker. Another noted, "It's hard to believe it would take two centuries for the Lord to raise up a great man to bring that ballroom to stand where it needs to stand." (Jesus.)

Pete Hegseth,on video, was typically unshy about praising Jesus. He dubiously zeroed in on The Prayer at Valley Forge, a 1975 painting by Arnold Friberg of George Washington praying in the snow widely deemed a romanticized legend, not fact. Historians argue Washington was a deist and freemason who rarely mentioned God or Jesus, whose favorite Biblical quote - "But they shall sit every man under his vine and under his fig tree, and none shall make them afraid" - symbolizes peace, safety, religious freedom, and who always prayed standing. Still, Hegseth ran with it: Washington "did not lose faith," and "let us pray as he did...without ceasing...on bended knee, for our Lord and savior Jesus Christ."

Trump took an even more sketchy approach: He went golfing and sent in a slurry, pre-taped Bible reading recycled from the last fake Christian event three weeks ago. Then, moments after it aired, the self-described peace president went on a frenzied, genocidal social media spree, posting on his crappy app over 30 times in two hours. He threatened Iran: "The Clock is Ticking, and they better get moving, FAST, or there won’t be anything left of them." He posted bizarre, AI, warmongering images: Manning a spacecraft, firing away with massive explosions and mushroom clouds, personally arresting an alien, a real one. Say what? Praise Jesus.

Still, spineless, smarmy, unholy Mike Johnson was the worst. Having already whined about "naysayers" who view Christian Nationalism as "a derogatory term," he gave a long hollow prayer about his task to "bring us straight to the Lord, whose mighty hand has been upon our (freest and most benevolent) nation since the very beginning." But now "sinister ideologies sow confusion among our people," attacking our history as "one of oppression and hypocrisy and failure." So "grant us the moral clarity to rise above partisan differences," says the guy who keeps shutting down Congress to block Dem policies. Finally, unconscionably, he prayed for “mercy upon our land.”

Mercy. He seeks mercy.

Mercy for the hundreds of people in the Congo and elsewhere dying of an Ebola outbreak after Trump gutted USAID and its dedicated outbreak response team because it helped people who aren't white, thus triggering what could be over 14 million preventable deaths by 2030?

Mercy for those killed at San Diego's biggest mosque amidst a Trump-fuelled rising tide of Islamophobia? Mercy for those ripped off or otherwise betrayed in a rabid mob by a $1.8 billion slush fund, or "pardon on steroids," in the "most brazen act of presidential corruption this century."

Mercy for the estimated 145,000 U.S. citizen brown children who had a parent detained by ICE and are now scattered across the country, or the 22,000 who lost both parents? Mercy for the woman, a domestic violence victim, detained and deported whom ICE is now blaming for the murder of her own child by her ex-partner?

Mercy for the 21-year-old Honduran with no criminal record just arrested and detained by ICE outside a New York immigration court less than 24 hours after a federal judge's ruling such arrests are illegal, because, as one ICE thug responded when shown the ruling, "We don't care"?

Mercy for 18-year-old, Chicago-born, Mexico-raised Kevin González, being treated in Chicago for metastatic stage-four colon cancer when his health began failing? His parents in Mexico sought emergency visas to travel to the US to say their final goodbyes; when DHS denied them, citing “previous unlawful entries into the US," in desperation they tried to cross the border without permission and were detained by ICE in Arizona. Kevin pleaded in vain for their release; ultimately, he checked himself out of the hospital and flew to his grandmother's home in Mexico to be with family at the end. Finally, in Kevin's last hours, a judge in Arizona ordered their release. They arrived at his bedside on the afternoon of May 9. His sobbing mom called him, “Chiquito," "little one”; his father knelt by his son's bed, asking for forgiveness if he ever let him down. Kevin died the next day.

Mercy? Does Mike Johnson want mercy for Kevin and his parents?

Fuck Mike Johnson and all his fucking odious cohort. Fuck their prayers, and their Jesus, and their cruelty, and their fucking despicable hypocrisy, which knows no bounds. What would Jesus do? Not this, any of it.

On Monday and Tuesday, Paris hosted the G7 Finance Ministers’ meeting, bringing together finance ministers and central bank governors from some of the world’s most powerful economies, alongside counterparts from Brazil, India, Kenya, South Korea, Ukraine, Syria, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates. But behind the diplomatic pageantry,and despite the G7’s call for innovative financial instruments to urgently address overlapping crises,French host Roland Lescure squandered a major opportunity.

While fossil fuel companies raked in billions in profits in the first quarter of 2026 amid the South-West Asia conflict, campaigners at 350.org condemn the French G7 presidency’s glaring inaction on windfall and excess profits taxes targeting the oil and gas industry.

Fanny Petitbon, 350 France Country Manager, said:

“France has built its G7 presidency on the bold promise to use this forum as a lever to reinforce economic security in times of crisis and to respond to the legitimate concerns of citizens. But fine words ring hollow. When it comes to taxing the obscene profits recently made by oil and gas corporations, Paris chose complete silence. Not a single word appeared in the final communiqué.

Once again, the interests of a powerful minority are being protected. Companies like TotalEnergies, which boast of their so-called foresight while doing little more than speculating on war and human suffering, have cashed in billions,while families around the world pay the price at the pump and on their energy bills.

The G7’s initiative to expand insurance coverage for people and countries experiencing extreme weather events is welcome. But without turning off the fossil fuel tap and forcing the biggest polluters to foot the bill, climate finance risks becoming little more than taxpayers cleaning up a mess that oil giants are still being paid to create.

President Macron has positioned himself as a global leader on climate and economic justice. Yet this silence tells a very different story. Is this really the legacy he wants to leave in his final G7 presidency? The Leaders' Summit, to be held in Évian from June 15 to 17, is the last chance to course-correct and finally choose people over profit.”

While addiction in the UK remains stigmatised as an individual failing, recognising its structural underpinnings opens up routes towards a liberatory and collective framing of sobriety, writes William Rayfet Hunter

The post On the radical politics of sobriety appeared first on Red Pepper.

How to root a begonia leaf indoors: a complete guide from one leaf to a thriving plant

Last spring I bumped a shelf while vacuuming — classic move — and watched a gorgeous, spiral-patterned Rex begonia leaf snap clean off the stem. I stood there holding the leaf like it was evidence at a crime scene. Then a thought hit me: what if I could root a begonia leaf indoors and grow a whole new plant from this accident? Spoiler: I could. And I did. That single broken leaf became four baby begonias now sitting in tiny terra-cotta pots on my kitchen windowsill.

You can do exactly the same thing this weekend. By the time you finish reading, you’ll know three tested methods to propagate a begonia from a leaf, which begonia types cooperate best, what supplies to grab, and how to troubleshoot every common failure — rot, mold, mystery die-off, all of it.

Which begonias root from leaves (and which don’t)

Begonia leaf propagation works beautifully — but only with the right species. Not every begonia plays along, and knowing the difference saves you weeks of staring at a rotting leaf.

Rex and rhizomatous types: the gold standard

Rex begonia is a rhizomatous houseplant famous for bold, swirled foliage. Rex begonia propagates easily from a single leaf because the thick veins carry abundant meristematic tissue — basically, built-in starter cells. Other rhizomatous varieties like Begonia masoniana (Iron Cross) and B. bowerae (Eyelash begonia) respond just as well. These are your best candidates.

Cane-stemmed begonias (angel wings): skip the leaf

You’re probably wondering: does this really work with an angel wing? Honestly, not great. Cane-stemmed begonias store their growth energy in thick stems, not leaves. A leaf-only cutting from an angel wing rarely produces roots strong enough to build a plant. Stem cuttings with a node work far better for cane types.

Fibrous-rooted and tuberous types: limited success

Fibrous begonias (like wax begonias) propagate more reliably from stem cuttings or seed. Tuberous begonias prefer division of their tubers. Neither type is a good pick for the leaf methods below.

Supplies you actually need

Begonia leaf cuttings demand surprisingly little gear. Here’s the short list:

• A sharp razor blade or X-Acto knife — scissors crush the vein tissue instead of slicing cleanly, and crushed tissue invites rot.
• Rooting medium — pure perlite, moist sphagnum moss, or a 50/50 peat-perlite mix all work. I prefer sphagnum moss for vein-slitting because the leaf pins down flat against the soft surface.
• A shallow tray or clear plastic container with a lid — a repurposed bakery clamshell container is perfect. A gallon zip-lock bag works too.
• Rooting hormone (optional) — in my experience, rooting hormone shaves maybe a week off the timeline for wedge cuts. Worth using, not mandatory.
• A spray bottle, bright indirect light, and (optionally) a seedling heat mat.

Three ways to root a begonia leaf indoors

Begonia leaf propagation indoors comes down to three core techniques. Each method suits different goals and comfort levels. Here’s a side-by-side comparison before we dig in:

Method Best for Difficulty Plants per leaf Rooting time Vein-slitting (whole leaf) Rex, rhizomatous Easy 5–10+ 4–8 weeks Wedge cuts Rex, large-leaved Moderate 3–6 4–6 weeks Water rooting (petiole) Petiole cuttings Easiest 1 3–6 weeks Grab your razor blade: the vein-slitting technique

Begonia leaf vein-slitting is the method the American Begonia Society has championed since at least the 1930s, and it’s still the most satisfying way to get a crowd of babies from one leaf.

1. Select a healthy, mature Rex begonia leaf with firm texture — not a young pale leaf or an old droopy one.
2. Flip the leaf vein-side up on a clean surface.
3. Use a razor blade to make a clean cut across each major vein where the vein branches, about ½ inch long. Aim for 6–10 cuts total.
4. Lay the leaf vein-side down on a tray of pre-moistened sphagnum moss or perlite.
5. Pin the leaf flat against the medium using hairpins, toothpicks, or small pebbles — every slit needs to touch the damp surface.
6. Cover the tray with a clear lid or slip the whole tray into a plastic bag to hold humidity.
7. Place the tray in bright, indirect light. Avoid direct sun — the sealed container traps heat and can cook the leaf.

Each cut vein becomes a potential root site. Over four to eight weeks, tiny white root nubs emerge at the slits, and miniature plantlets push up shortly after. Roots. Tiny, white, beautiful roots. That moment never gets old.

The wedge method gives you more plants per leaf

Begonia leaf wedge cutting is my go-to when I want multiple plants and don’t mind a slightly more hands-on process.

1. Cut a healthy Rex begonia leaf into triangular wedges — each wedge must include a piece of a main vein running to the pointed end.
2. Let the wedges air-dry for about 15 minutes so the cut edges form a thin callus.
3. Insert each wedge pointed-end-down into moist perlite or peat-perlite mix, burying about ⅓ of the wedge.
4. Cover the container and set the container in bright indirect light.

A single large Rex leaf yields three to six wedges. Each wedge typically produces one plantlet, though some generous wedges sprout two. Rex begonia leaf wedges usually root in four to six weeks.

Rooting a begonia leaf in water — does it actually work?

Begonia leaf cuttings can root in water, especially whole-petiole cuttings. Here’s the honest truth, though: water-rooted begonias often develop weaker, more brittle roots than soil-rooted ones. The transition to potting mix can stress a water-grown cutting.

That said, water rooting is dead simple and satisfying to watch:

1. Trim the petiole (leaf stem) to about 1–2 inches.
2. Place the petiole in a small jar of room-temperature water — just deep enough to submerge the stem, not the leaf blade.
3. Change the water every five to seven days to keep bacteria at bay.
4. Move the cutting to soil once roots reach about an inch long.

A begonia petiole cutting in water produces roots in roughly three to six weeks. What surprised me was how fast my B. bowerae rooted in a shot glass on the kitchen counter — barely three weeks.

The waiting game — aftercare that makes or breaks it

A begonia leaf cutting needs consistent conditions during the rooting phase. Neglect here is the number-one reason propagation fails.

Humidity: Keep the tray covered. Vent the lid every two to three days for about ten minutes to let fresh air circulate and discourage mold.

Light: Bright, indirect light drives photosynthesis in the mother leaf, which fuels root growth. Direct sun on a covered tray raises the temperature inside and scorches the leaf tissue fast.

Temperature: The sweet spot sits between 65 °F and 75 °F (18–24 °C). A seedling heat mat beneath the tray can shave a week or two off rooting time — especially helpful in cooler rooms.

Moisture — the “squeeze test”: Grab a small pinch of the rooting medium and squeeze. A few drops of water should barely appear. Soaking wet medium suffocates new roots. Bone-dry medium kills them.

When to transplant: Wait until each baby plantlet shows at least two to three tiny leaves and a visible root cluster. Depending on the method, the full timeline from cutting to transplant-ready plantlet runs about eight to twelve weeks.

Why begonia leaf cuttings fail (and how to fix each problem)

Begonia leaf cuttings sometimes go sideways. Here are the four failures I see most often — and the fixes that actually work.

Why did my begonia leaf cutting turn to mush?

Rot happens when the medium stays too wet and airflow is too low. The leaf tissue breaks down into translucent slime. Fix: use a chunkier medium like pure perlite, vent the lid more frequently, and trim away any mushy sections with a clean blade before they spread.

The leaf dried up and turned brown

Low humidity is the usual culprit. Sometimes the leaf was already old or damaged before cutting. Fix: choose a leaf that feels thick and waxy — you want that satisfying, almost rubbery texture under your fingers. Increase humidity by misting the inside of the lid before closing.

No roots after eight weeks

Cold temperatures and dim light slow rooting dramatically. A begonia cutting sitting in a 60 °F room with north-facing light may simply stall. Add a heat mat. Move the tray closer to an east- or west-facing window. And double-check that you’re using a variety that actually roots from leaves — a cane-stemmed begonia leaf almost never cooperates.

Fuzzy mold on the soil surface

Mold loves warm, humid, still environments — exactly what your propagation tray provides. A light dusting of ground cinnamon on the medium surface acts as a gentle natural antifungal. Better airflow during venting sessions helps too. A small amount of surface mold rarely kills the cutting, so don’t panic.

From leaf to showpiece — potting up your new begonias

Baby begonia plantlets need a gentle transition. Once each plantlet has two to three leaves and a root cluster about an inch long, carefully separate the plantlet from the mother leaf. Use a well-draining, peat-based potting mix — I like two parts peat, one part perlite, one part vermiculite.

Pot each plantlet into a 2-inch container. Keep the soil lightly moist for the first two weeks and maintain higher humidity (a loose plastic bag over the pot works). After two weeks, remove the cover and let the young begonia acclimate to normal room humidity. Start feeding with a diluted balanced fertilizer (half-strength, every two weeks) once the plantlet shows active new growth.

I think this potting-up stage is the most nerve-wracking part of the whole process. The babies look so fragile. They’re tougher than they seem.

Your next move

A few months from now, you could have a whole shelf of begonias — every single one traced back to a leaf you sliced on your kitchen counter. There’s something genuinely magical about starting new begonia plants from a leaf and watching an entire collection grow from almost nothing. The Victorian plant collectors who popularized begonias in parlor windows understood this thrill, and honestly, indoor begonia propagation hasn’t changed much since their era. Good light, a damp medium, patience, a sharp blade.

So — which leaf are you starting with?

FAQ — begonia leaf propagation questions answered Can I root a begonia leaf in just water without soil?

Yes. A begonia petiole cutting roots in water within three to six weeks. Water-rooted cuttings tend to develop more fragile roots, so transplant to soil early — once the roots reach about an inch — for the strongest long-term growth. See the water rooting section above for the full technique.

How long does a begonia leaf take to root indoors?

A begonia leaf cutting takes three to eight weeks to produce visible roots, depending on the method, the room temperature, and the variety. Wedge cuttings and water-rooted petioles tend to root fastest. Vein-slit whole leaves take longer because each slit point roots independently.

Do I need rooting hormone for begonia leaf cuttings?

Rooting hormone is optional. A light dusting of powdered rooting hormone on wedge-cut edges can speed rooting by roughly a week. Vein-slit leaves and water-rooted petioles generally root fine without the hormone. I use rooting hormone on wedge cuts and skip the hormone for everything else.

Can I propagate an angel wing begonia from a leaf?

Angel wing begonia belongs to the cane-stemmed group. A leaf-only cutting from an angel wing rarely produces strong roots. Gardeners get far better results taking a stem cutting with at least one node and rooting the stem cutting in water or moist perlite.

What time of year is best to propagate begonia leaves indoors?

Spring and early summer offer the longest daylight and warmest ambient temperatures, so begonia leaf cuttings root fastest during those months. Indoor propagation works year-round, though. A grow light and a heat mat compensate for shorter winter days and cooler rooms.

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Pricking out salvia seedlings: a hands-on guide to stronger, healthier transplants

The first time I pricked out salvia seedlings, I lost half the tray. Not to clumsiness — to hesitation. I waited too long, the roots wove together like tiny white threads in a braid, and every seedling I pulled dragged three neighbors with it. By morning, most of them had damped off in a soggy clump. That failure taught me more than any seed packet ever could. And now, a few hundred trays later, I want to walk you through the exact timing, tools, technique, and aftercare so your young salvias survive — and thrive — every single time.

The two-leaf rule — knowing when salvia seedlings are ready

Young salvias announce their readiness with a clear visual signal: the first pair of true leaves. Those rounded, smooth first leaves you see after germination? Those are cotyledons — essentially battery packs that fueled the initial push through the soil. Cotyledons look pale, fleshy, and generic. True leaves look entirely different. Salvia true leaves emerge slightly textured, oval, and sometimes faintly aromatic when you brush a fingertip across the surface. On Salvia splendens, the first true leaves carry a subtle sheen. On Salvia nemorosa, the true leaves feel rougher, almost like fine sandpaper.

You want to see two true leaves fully unfurled before you reach for the widger. For most annual bedding salvias, that moment arrives roughly three to four weeks after germination. Perennial types often take a week longer. Here’s where I see beginners stall: they wait for four or six true leaves “just to be safe.” Don’t. Waiting past four true leaves lets roots tangle into a dense mat, and the salvia seedlings stretch toward light and grow leggy. I’ve found that the two-to-four-leaf window is the sweet spot — big enough to handle, small enough that roots separate cleanly.

Tools and soil mix — set up before you start

Salvia seedlings don’t give you much working time once you lift them from the tray, so gather everything first. Lay it all out on your bench. Honestly, this prep phase is where the real efficiency lives.

• Cell trays or 3-inch pots hold individual seedlings and encourage strong root systems. A 72-count insert fits inside a standard 1020 flat and works perfectly for most salvias until the plants reach 3–4 inches tall.
• A dibber is a pencil-sized pointed stick. A dibber creates a planting hole 1–1.5 inches deep in seconds and keeps the root channel narrow enough to cradle fragile roots.
• A widger is a thin, flat-bladed tool about 4 inches long. A widger slides under the root mass without severing fine feeder roots. A plastic fork or an old butter knife works in a pinch.
• Pre-moistened potting mix provides the landing pad. I mix roughly 50% peat-free compost, 30% perlite, and 20% vermiculite. Alternatively, a ready-made seedling mix like Espoma Organic Seed Starter does the job — just add extra perlite for drainage.
• A spray bottle or a watering can with a fine rose delivers gentle moisture without blasting tiny transplants out of their new holes.
• Labels and a waterproof marker keep varieties straight, because trust me, all salvia seedlings look alike at this stage.

Salvias despise soggy roots more than almost any bedding annual I grow. That perlite in the mix isn’t optional — the perlite guarantees air pockets survive around the roots even after watering. My favorite trick: squeeze a fistful of the moistened mix. The mix should clump briefly and then crumble when you poke the clump. Too wet means trouble.

Step by step — pricking out salvia seedlings without breaking a sweat Water the tray an hour before you begin

Dry roots snap. Wet roots slide free. You water the seed tray about an hour before transplanting to let moisture soften the growing medium around every root system. I either bottom-soak the tray in a shallow basin for 20 minutes or mist the surface evenly until the top half-inch looks uniformly damp. The goal is moist, not dripping. Salvia seedlings sitting in waterlogged mix bruise more easily because their stems swell and turn glassy.

Loosen, lift, and hold by the leaf — never the stem

This is the moment that scares most beginners, and honestly, it scared me too. The stem of a young salvia feels like a wet thread between your fingers. One accidental squeeze and the vascular tissue collapses — game over for that seedling.

Slide the widger under the root mass at about a 45-degree angle, roughly half an inch away from the stem base. Lever upward gently. The seedling rises with a small plug of mix clinging to the roots. Now — and this part is critical — you grip the seedling by one cotyledon leaf, not the stem. Pinch the leaf lightly between your thumb and index finger. A torn cotyledon barely slows the plant down. A crushed stem kills the salvia seedling within hours. I crushed dozens before I trained my fingers to hover instead of pinch. Take it slow.

Drop into the hole and firm gently

Use the dibber to poke a hole in the center of the cell or pot. Make the hole deep enough so the roots hang straight down without bending or J-hooking at the bottom — usually about 1 to 1.5 inches deep for a three-week-old salvia. Lower the seedling in. Here’s a detail most guides skip: you bury the stem up to just below the cotyledons. That buried stem section develops adventitious roots over time, and the salvia transplant grows stockier as a result.

Press the mix around the base with two fingertips. Firm, not tight. You want soil-to-root contact, not a compacted brick. The mix should hold the seedling upright when you release your fingers.

Water in and move to shade

You water each seedling lightly right after transplanting. I use a fine-rose watering can and pour until water just begins to trickle from the drainage holes. Some growers prefer bottom-watering at this stage, which works well too — set the tray in a shallow basin of room-temperature water for 10 minutes, then remove the tray and let the excess drain.

Direct sun during the first 48 hours stresses salvia transplants badly. The roots haven’t anchored yet, and the leaves lose moisture faster than the roots can replace the moisture. Place the tray under bright indirect light, or raise your grow lights an extra 4–6 inches above the canopy. After two days, you move the salvia seedlings back to their normal light position.

The first 7 days — aftercare that makes or breaks your salvias

Freshly pricked-out salvia seedlings enter a fragile window. The roots need to explore new mix, the stem needs to stabilize, and the leaves need to resume photosynthesis — all at once. None of the top-ranking competitor pages I reviewed in 2026 dedicate a full section to this critical week, which is a shame, because aftercare determines whether your salvias take off or stall.

Keep ambient temperature between 65°F and 72°F. Salvia seedlings tolerate cooler nights down to about 58°F, and a slight nighttime temperature drop actually encourages compact growth. Place a humidity dome over the tray for the first two days, then remove the dome to let airflow circulate. Stagnant humid air invites fungal problems faster than almost anything else in my experience.

Check moisture daily. You water when the top half-inch of mix feels dry to the touch — not before. Overwatering freshly pricked-out salvias is the single most common killer, because soggy roots can’t access oxygen and the fungal pathogen Pythium thrives in saturated conditions. After one full week, you feed the salvia seedlings with half-strength balanced liquid fertilizer (something like 10-10-10 diluted to 50%). That first feeding replaces nutrients the roots have already started pulling from the fresh mix.

Trouble signs and quick fixes

Salvia seedlings communicate stress visually, and catching the signs early saves the whole tray.

Wilting after transplant. The transplanted seedlings droop for 24–48 hours. This reaction is normal. You mist the foliage lightly twice a day and keep the tray out of full sun. The salvia transplants usually perk up by day three.

Yellowing lower leaves. The oldest leaves turn pale yellow within the first week. Transplant shock or overwatering causes the yellowing in most cases. You reduce watering frequency, confirm the drainage holes are open, and wait. New green growth at the center of the plant signals recovery.

Leggy growth after pricking out. The salvia seedlings stretch upward with thin, elongated internodes. Low light intensity drives the stretching. You lower your grow lights to 3–4 inches above the canopy and drop nighttime temperature to 58–60°F. The combination slows vertical growth and encourages thicker stems.

Damping off. A dark, water-soaked ring appears at the stem base, and the seedling collapses. You remove affected salvia seedlings immediately, improve airflow around the tray, and cut back watering. Damping off spreads fast, so act the moment you notice the first casualty.

One small step for a seedling

Pricking out is a five-minute task that changes the trajectory of every plant on your bench. Once you master the lift-by-the-leaf technique and resist the urge to drown the transplants afterward, the whole seed-starting process feels less like a gamble and more like a craft. And that’s the shift I love most about this stage — the move from passive waiting to active shaping.

I still remember the first tray I pricked out successfully: 36 Salvia splendens ‘Sizzler Red,’ each one standing upright in its own cell, roots dangling straight. A week later, every single plant had pushed new growth. That row of tiny green rosettes on my shelf felt like a small victory. It still does, every spring. Try the technique this season, and let me know in the comments how your young salvias turn out — or ask a question, because chances are I’ve made the mistake you’re worried about.

Frequently asked questions Can I prick out salvia seedlings directly into the garden?

Only after your last frost date passes in your USDA zone. Salvia seedlings need nighttime temperatures above 50°F to survive outdoors. Most US gardeners prick out into cell trays indoors and harden the transplants off over 7–10 days before planting outside.

Do different salvia species need different pricking-out timing?

Annual bedding types like Salvia splendens grow fast — you prick them out at two true leaves, usually around three weeks after germination. Perennial species like Salvia nemorosa develop more slowly and tolerate an extra week in the seed tray. Salvia patens produces larger seedlings; move Salvia patens when the first true leaf reaches about half an inch wide.

What if the roots break during pricking out?

Salvia seedlings recover well from minor root damage. You keep the broken-root seedling slightly more humid for three to four days by misting or replacing the dome. Avoid fertilizing until new root growth appears, which usually takes about a week.

Should I pinch salvia seedlings after pricking out?

Wait until the young salvia carries four to six pairs of true leaves before pinching the growing tip. Pinching too early slows establishment right when the transplant needs all its energy directed toward root growth.

How many salvia seedlings fit in a standard 1020 tray after pricking out?

A standard 1020 tray holds 32 to 72 cells depending on the insert you choose. For most salvias, 2-inch cells in a 72-count insert work well until the plant reaches 3–4 inches tall. At that height, you pot on into 3-inch containers to give the root system room to expand.

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Why do celosia inflorescences blacken and drop off — and what you can actually do about it

You step outside with your morning coffee, glance at the bed of ‘Dragon’s Breath’ that looked absolutely electric two days ago — and your stomach drops. A dark, soggy patch is spreading across the top of the tallest cockscomb. The flower head next to it has already collapsed, almost black, sagging like a wet paper bag. By afternoon, pieces start falling to the mulch. What happened?

I’ve been there. More than once.

Blackening celosia inflorescences signal something more specific — and usually more urgent — than the gradual fading every bloom goes through at end of season. This article walks through every cause of celosia flowers turning black and dropping off, gives you a fast diagnostic method you can use while standing in your garden, and lays out fixes that actually work. No fluff, no generic “water properly” advice. Let’s get into the real reasons.

Celosia at a glance — what makes this flower tick

Celosia belongs to the Amaranthaceae family and grows as a warm-season annual across most of the United States. Celosia thrives year-round only in USDA zones 10–12; everywhere else, gardeners treat celosia as a single-season plant. The species needs full sun — six hours minimum — and well-drained soil with a slightly acidic to neutral pH.

Three main flower forms exist: crested (the classic cockscomb), plumed (feathery spikes like ‘Century Mix’), and wheat-type or spicata (slender tapers like ‘Flamingo Feather’). All three trace their ancestry to tropical West Africa.

That tropical origin matters here. Celosia evolved for heat, bright light, and sharp drainage. Every condition that deviates from that profile pushes celosia flower tissue toward stress — and stressed tissue blackens faster than healthy tissue when a pathogen, frost, or waterlogging event hits. Keep that mental model as you read the causes below.

Every reason celosia inflorescences blacken and fall off Botrytis and other fungal invaders

Botrytis cinerea is a gray-mold fungus. Botrytis thrives in humidity above 80%, spreads through airborne spores, and colonizes damaged tissue within 24 hours. On celosia, botrytis starts as small water-soaked spots on the inflorescence — spots that darken to brown, then black, within a day or two. Flip the flower head over and look for a fuzzy gray spore layer on the underside. That gray fuzz is the confirmation.

I lost an entire row of crested cockscomb to botrytis one August in zone 7a. The whole bed looked scorched overnight — but the giveaway was the gray felt coating every flower head by the second morning.

Leaf spot fungi and Fusarium oxysporum (a soil-borne wilt pathogen) can also blacken celosia flowers, though Fusarium usually kills the stem first. Fusarium wilt causes one-sided wilting and internal stem browning before the blooms collapse. Leaf spot stays on foliage until severe, then jumps to flower tissue in wet weather.

Overwatering and waterlogged soil

Celosia roots need oxygen. Waterlogged soil suffocates root cells within 48 hours, and stressed roots cannot supply the flower head with nutrients or water — paradoxically, the bloom dehydrates from above while drowning from below. Meanwhile, standing moisture on the inflorescence itself creates a perfect landing pad for fungal spores.

Here’s a quick test: push your finger two inches into the soil near the plant’s base. Soil should feel damp, not muddy. Mud means you are overwatering celosia or your drainage is failing. By the way, if celosia stems feel mushy at the base, skip ahead to the fungal section — that’s your answer.

Frost and cold snaps — the overnight disaster

Celosia has zero frost tolerance. A brief dip below 35 °F blackens celosia flower tissue overnight. Frost damage looks different from fungal damage: frost produces uniform blackening across every exposed surface, while fungal infection starts as a patchy spot and spreads outward. Frost-damaged celosia petals also feel limp and translucent, not fuzzy or slimy.

Honestly, this one surprised me the first time — a single October night at 34 °F turned a gorgeous ‘Prestige Scarlet’ bed into something that looked diseased. It wasn’t disease. It was cold, and the damage was irreversible.

The seed-setting stage nobody warns you about

Celosia blooms naturally darken, dry, and drop when the plant finishes its reproductive cycle. The flower head shifts color from the center outward, turns papery and brittle, and eventually releases tiny black seeds. This process is normal biology, not pathology.

The diagnostic difference: natural senescence produces dry, crumbly, lightweight flower heads. Pathological blackening produces mushy, heavy, often foul-smelling tissue. Squeeze the flower head gently. Dry and papery? The plant is simply done. Wet and squishy? Something else is wrong.

Sunlight starvation and heat stress

Celosia planted in partial shade grows leggy, and celosia flower heads in low light fade to pale tones, then brown, then blacken at the edges as cells die. The opposite extreme — sustained temperatures above 95 °F combined with drought — scorches celosia petal tips, producing crispy dark margins that can be mistaken for disease.

My personal rule of thumb: celosia wants hot, not scorching. Six to eight hours of direct morning-to-midday sun with light afternoon shade works best in zones 8–9 where summer heat gets brutal.

Pest damage that opens the door to blackening

Aphids, spider mites, and caterpillars wound celosia flower tissue. Wounded tissue invites fungal spores. The sequence is predictable: pests feed → micro-wounds form → Botrytis or leaf-spot fungi enter → blackening follows within days. Check the undersides of flower heads for aphid colonies or fine webbing. Sticky honeydew residue on the bloom surface is another telltale sign of active pest feeding.

How to diagnose your specific problem

Celosia blackening has at least five distinct causes, and each one leaves a slightly different fingerprint. Grab the affected flower head (wear gloves if you suspect fungus) and use this quick-reference table:

Visual clue Most likely cause First action Fuzzy gray coating on black tissue Botrytis gray mold Remove and bag infected flower heads immediately Uniform black across all exposed surfaces Frost or cold snap Check overnight low temps; cover remaining plants Mushy base, wilting stem, then black bloom Root rot / overwatering Stop watering; improve drainage Dry, papery, crumbly black flower head Natural seed-setting senescence Harvest seeds or deadhead — plant is finishing its cycle Sticky residue, tiny insects, patchy dark spots Pest damage + secondary fungal infection Blast pests with water; apply neem oil Crispy dark edges, dry soil, extreme heat Heat scorch / drought stress Water deeply at the base; add 2 inches of mulch

The “squeeze test” summarizes the whole diagnostic approach: mushy means fungal or rot, dry-crumbly means aging or frost, sticky means pests.

Saving your celosia — practical fixes that actually work Cut away the damage — how and where to prune

Celosia responds well to sanitation pruning. Sterilize your shears with rubbing alcohol, cut at least one inch below the blackened area into green, firm stem tissue, and drop every removed piece into a plastic bag — not onto the ground. Do not compost blackened celosia material. Fungal spores survive composting temperatures in most home compost bins.

Fix the water situation

Water celosia at the base, never overhead. Drip irrigation or a soaker hose keeps moisture off flower heads entirely. For container-grown celosia, ensure every pot has drainage holes and use a mix containing at least 30 % perlite. Raised beds solve most in-ground drainage problems in clay-heavy soils.

Fight fungal disease with targeted treatment

Apply copper-based fungicide — Bonide Copper Fungicide is widely available at US garden centers — at the first sign of botrytis spots. Spray early in the morning so foliage dries quickly. Daconil (chlorothalonil) works as a preventive when weather forecasts predict several humid, cool nights in a row. Neem oil handles light fungal pressure and also deters soft-bodied pests, giving you a two-for-one benefit. Reapply every 7–10 days during active infection.

Protect celosia from frost (or know when to let go)

Cover celosia plants with frost cloth when overnight temperatures drop below 40 °F. Anchor the cloth at the base so trapped warmth stays around the plant. But here’s the honest truth: celosia is an annual. Once a hard freeze arrives — sustained temps below 28 °F — the plant’s life cycle ends. Harvest healthy blooms before the first frost and hang celosia flower heads upside down in a dry room. Dried celosia holds color for months.

Boost airflow and spacing

Space celosia plants 10–12 inches apart at transplant time. Remove lower leaves once the plant reaches 8 inches tall — removing lower celosia foliage improves air circulation around the base where humidity concentrates. In my experience, this single habit prevents more fungal problems than any spray.

Prevention checklist for next season

1. Choose a planting site with full sun and fast-draining soil.
2. Space celosia transplants 10–12 inches apart in every direction.
3. Water celosia at the base using drip irrigation or a soaker hose.
4. Apply balanced fertilizer (10-10-10) monthly — excess nitrogen promotes soft growth vulnerable to fungus.
5. Scout celosia plants weekly for aphids, spider mites, and caterpillars.
6. Deadhead fading celosia blooms before they become entry points for disease.
7. Monitor weather forecasts and cover celosia before any night below 40 °F.

A final thought

I’ve grown celosia for over fifteen years, and I still lose a plant now and then. The difference between my early seasons and now is that I understand why — and I catch problems three days earlier. Celosia is tough, generous, and forgiving when you give it warmth, sunshine, and dry flower heads. One bad week doesn’t have to ruin a whole season.

If you’re staring at a blackened cockscomb right now, take a breath, run through the diagnostic table, and start with the simplest fix. Most celosia plants bounce back faster than you’d expect. I’d love to hear what’s happening in your garden — drop a comment below with your cultivar, your zone, and what the flower heads look like. Let’s figure it out together.

FAQ — celosia blackening and bloom drop Can celosia recover once the flower heads have turned completely black?

Celosia cannot revive a fully blackened flower head — dead tissue stays dead. However, celosia plants often push new side shoots and secondary blooms after you remove the damaged inflorescence, provided the stem and roots remain healthy.

Is it safe to compost blackened celosia flowers?

Blackened celosia flowers may carry Botrytis spores or other fungal pathogens. Most backyard compost piles do not reach temperatures high enough to kill these spores. Bag and discard blackened celosia material with household waste instead.

Do all celosia types (crested, plumed, spicata) blacken equally?

Crested (cockscomb) celosia blackens most noticeably because crested flower heads trap moisture in their dense folds. Plumed and spicata types dry faster and resist botrytis somewhat better, though no celosia type is immune.

Could black celosia flowers indicate a soil nutrient problem?

Nutrient deficiencies rarely cause flower blackening directly. Severe phosphorus deficiency darkens celosia foliage to a purplish hue, but true black flower tissue almost always points to fungal infection, frost, or overwatering rather than a nutrient issue.

How do I tell celosia flower blackening from normal drying for seed saving?

Celosia flowers drying for seed saving turn brown, then tan, and feel papery and light. Pathological blackening produces dark, mushy, often foul-smelling tissue that feels heavy with moisture. The squeeze test — papery versus squishy — gives you the answer in seconds.

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How to keep your ageratum mother plant alive over winter (and why it’s worth the effort)

Last September, my phone buzzed with that dreaded first frost advisory, and I stood in the garden staring at a ‘Blue Horizon’ ageratum that had been blooming its heart out since June. Pulling the whole plant and tossing the remains on the compost pile felt criminal. So I didn’t. I dug the ageratum up, potted the root ball, and carried the entire sticky-stemmed, slightly pungent thing into my kitchen. That decision to keep my ageratum mother plant over winter changed the way I garden every fall — and five seasons later, I still maintain descendants of that original plant.

Here’s what most seed packets won’t tell you: ageratum is not a true annual. Ageratum houstonianum — commonly called floss flower — is a tender perennial native to Mexico and Central America. The plant thrives year-round in USDA zones 10–11 but dies at the first hard frost everywhere else. Because American gardeners overwhelmingly treat the floss flower as disposable, almost no mainstream guide explains how to overwinter a specific mother plant indoors. This article fills that gap with every step I’ve learned, tested, and occasionally botched.

Why bother overwintering ageratum?

Ageratum earns the label “tender perennial” because the plant’s roots, stems, and crown survive indefinitely in frost-free conditions. “Tender” simply means the plant lacks cold hardiness — not that the plant lacks longevity. That distinction matters, because the moment you understand ageratum can live for years, throwing one away in October starts to feel wasteful.

I genuinely believe overwintering makes sense for four practical reasons. First, gardeners preserve a specific variety or flower color they love. Tall cutting types like ‘Blue Horizon’ or ‘Red Flint’ aren’t always easy to source as transplants each spring, and seed availability fluctuates. Second, an overwintered mother plant gives you a six-to-eight-week head start on spring blooms compared to starting from seed. Third — and this surprised me the most — a single mother plant produces dozens of stem cuttings in late winter, multiplying your stock for free. Fourth, keeping a living plant simply beats adding another carcass to the compost bin.

The right time to bring ageratum indoors

Ageratum suffers visible damage once nighttime temperatures dip below 40–45 °F. Gardeners don’t need to panic at the first cool evening, but they do need to act before a genuine frost. Timing depends on where you live.

Gardeners in zones 5–6 typically move their ageratum indoors by late September. Zone 7–8 gardeners usually have until mid-October. Zone 9 gardeners may only need protection during rare cold snaps — a frost cloth over the pot can be enough. And yes, I learned this the hard way: one year I waited until the forecast said 33 °F, rushed outside at 10 p.m. with a headlamp, and dug the plant in near-darkness. The ageratum survived. My back did not enjoy the experience. Check your USDA hardiness zone, watch the ten-day forecast starting in mid-September, and plan your move during daylight hours.

Step-by-step — preparing the mother plant for winter Dig, pot, and inspect

Gardeners growing ageratum in a garden bed should dig a wide circle around the root ball — roughly six inches from the main stem — to avoid slicing through feeder roots. Shake off excess garden soil gently. A healthy ageratum mother plant from the garden fits comfortably in a pot one to two inches wider than the root ball. I prefer a six-to-eight-inch terracotta pot because the clay breathes and reduces the risk of soggy roots.

Fill the pot with a well-draining mix: equal parts quality potting soil and perlite works well. Skip heavy garden soil entirely — the ageratum’s roots need airflow. Now comes the tricky part. Inspect every leaf surface, stem junction, and the soil surface for hitchhikers. Whiteflies and spider mites adore ageratum outdoors, and those populations explode in the warm, still air of a house. Flip leaves over. Look closely. One overlooked whitefly colony can infest your entire houseplant collection by December.

The quarantine period

One detail most guides skip: the ageratum needs isolation before joining your indoor plants. Place the freshly potted mother plant in a bright room away from other houseplants for seven to ten days. During quarantine, spray the entire plant — tops and undersides of leaves — with a dilute insecticidal soap solution or neem oil. Repeat the spray after five days. This two-round treatment catches pests that survived the first application as eggs or nymphs. I’ve watched a friend skip quarantine and spend all winter battling whiteflies on her fiddle-leaf fig. Not worth the risk.

Pruning before the move

Cut the ageratum back by one-third to one-half of its height using clean, sharp scissors. Remove all spent flower clusters, yellowing leaves, and any leggy or crossing stems. The mother plant looks rough after a hard prune — honestly, the first time I tried this, the result looked so pitiful by mid-October that I nearly composted the whole pot. Glad I didn’t. That aggressive haircut forces the ageratum to redirect energy toward roots and compact new growth, which is exactly what the plant needs for winter survival indoors.

Indoor care through the cold months Light requirements

Ageratum needs at least six hours of bright light each day indoors. A south-facing window handles this in most US homes from October through February. West-facing windows work as a second choice. Gardeners in northern states — Minnesota, Michigan, upstate New York — face brutally short winter days, and a windowsill alone may not provide enough light. A basic LED shop light positioned six inches above the ageratum for 12–14 hours a day solves the problem affordably. The mother plant responds to supplemental light within a week: new leaves emerge greener and stems stay compact instead of stretching toward a distant window.

Watering and humidity

Water the ageratum when the top inch of soil feels dry to the touch. The mother plant hates waterlogged roots — root rot kills more overwintering ageratum than cold ever does. But bone-dry soil stresses the plant too, causing leaf edges to crisp and lower leaves to drop. Find the middle ground. Indoor heating systems slash humidity to 20–30 %, and ageratum prefers 50 % or higher. Group the pot with other plants on a pebble tray filled with water to raise local humidity. Let’s be real: misting does almost nothing measurable for humidity. The water evaporates in minutes. A pebble tray or a small room humidifier delivers consistent results.

Temperature and feeding

Ageratum tolerates cool rooms down to about 50 °F at night but stops active growth below that threshold. Keep the room above 55 °F for the healthiest winter foliage. Avoid placing the pot near drafty doors, single-pane windows, or heating vents that blast dry air directly onto the leaves.

Feeding deserves a light touch. The ageratum rests during the shortest days of the year, so heavy fertilizer pushes weak, leggy growth. Apply a half-strength liquid fertilizer once a month from November through January, or skip feeding entirely until late February when increasing daylight triggers new growth. In my experience, under-feeding during winter causes zero problems; over-feeding causes pale, floppy stems that invite disease.

Common winter problems (and fixes)

• Leggy, pale growth signals insufficient light — move the ageratum closer to the window or add a grow light.
• Sudden leaf drop indicates overwatering or cold drafts — check soil moisture and relocate the pot away from exterior doors.
• Whiteflies appear as tiny white specks on leaf undersides — spray insecticidal soap every five days for three consecutive rounds.
• Crispy leaf edges suggest low humidity — place the pot on a pebble tray and group the ageratum with other plants.

Taking cuttings from your winter mother plant

Ageratum cuttings root easily, and late January through February is the ideal window. Days lengthen noticeably by then, and the mother plant begins pushing fresh growth — perfect cutting material. Propagating ageratum from a mother plant produces genetic clones, so every cutting preserves the exact flower color, height, and branching habit of the parent. Seed-grown ageratum can vary. Clones don’t.

Snip three-to-four-inch stem tips from non-flowering shoots, cutting just below a leaf node. Strip the lower leaves, leaving two or three leaves at the top. Dip the cut end in powdered rooting hormone — a light tap to coat, not a heavy dunk. Insert each cutting about one inch deep into a small pot of moist perlite or a 50/50 peat-perlite blend. Cover the pot loosely with a clear plastic bag to hold humidity, and set the cuttings in bright indirect light at 65–70 °F. Ageratum cuttings typically root in two to three weeks. A gentle tug that meets resistance confirms new roots. I’d argue this propagation step alone justifies overwintering — one mother plant can yield fifteen to twenty rooted cuttings, enough to fill a border or share with every neighbor on the block.

Transitioning back outdoors in spring

Ageratum rebounds fast once nighttime temperatures stay above 50 °F, but the mother plant and rooted cuttings need a hardening-off period first. Start by placing the pots outdoors in full shade for one hour on day one. Increase sun exposure and outdoor time gradually over seven to ten days. Transplant the ageratum into garden beds or larger containers after your region’s last frost date passes. The mother plant — now a seasoned survivor — typically blooms weeks before any seed-started ageratum in the neighborhood.

Frankly, there’s a quiet thrill in watching a plant you carried through a Minnesota February explode into blue blossoms by late May while everyone else’s six-packs from the garden center are still adjusting to outdoor life.

Frequently asked questions Can ageratum survive winter outdoors in any US zone?

Ageratum survives outdoors year-round only in USDA zones 10–11 — parts of southern Florida, coastal Southern California, and Hawaii. Frost kills the above-ground growth everywhere else, so gardeners in zones 9 and below need to bring the plant indoors or treat the ageratum as an annual.

Will my overwintered ageratum look the same next year?

A mother plant that receives proper light and regular pruning produces the same flower color and growth habit the following season. Ageratum maintained clonally — through cuttings or direct overwintering — stays true to the parent, unlike seed-grown plants that sometimes show variation.

How long can I keep the same ageratum mother plant alive?

Gardeners report maintaining ageratum mother plants for three to five years with annual overwintering. The plant becomes woodier at the base over time. Taking fresh cuttings each February ensures vigorous replacement stock that blooms as heavily as a young plant.

Is it easier to just start ageratum from seed every spring?

Seed starting works, but ageratum seeds need six to eight weeks of indoor growing before transplant, and germination can be uneven. An overwintered mother plant or rooted cuttings bloom weeks earlier and guarantee the exact variety the gardener wants — no surprises, no waiting.

So — what variety are you overwintering this fall? Whether your ageratum is a compact lavender mound or a tall, wild ‘Blue Horizon’ swaying at the back of the border, that plant deserves a winter indoors and another summer in the sun. Carry the pot inside, give the ageratum decent light and restrained water, and by March you’ll have a mother plant ready to produce an army of cuttings. Spring always comes. Your ageratum will be ready for the occasion.

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Massive Florida-based power company NextEra Energy announced today its plan to acquire Virginia’s Dominion Energy, citing the growth of A.I. data centers as the impetus for the move. In response, Public Citizen Energy Program director Tyson Slocum issued the following statement:

“This absurd proposal to merge two massive, well-capitalized utilities should be dead on arrival for state and federal regulators. Household customers have everything to lose and nothing to gain by allowing two behemoths, NextEra and Dominion, to merge.

“The claim that the tie-up is needed to address data center demand is a false narrative; the merger will do nothing to increase generating capacity, let alone desperately-needed renewable generating capacity. These mega-utilities are merely using rising concern about data centers as an excuse to concentrate political and economic power of two giant utilities to maximize financial returns to shareholders. The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission and state regulators should reject this outlandish, unnecessary merger as completely contrary to the public interest.“

Fight for the Future, Access Now, the New York Civil Liberties Union (NYCLU), Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF), and other leading human rights organizations are demanding Meta immediately course correct and make good on promises to protect Instagram DMs with end-to-end encryption by default.

Led by Fight for the Future, 50 human rights groups are expressing outrage over Meta’s decision to discontinue “opt-in” end-to-end encryption for Instagram messages, as well as its apparent reversal of plans to protect Instagram messages with end-to-end encryption by default. The groups sent a letter to Meta calling on the company to immediately course correct and follow through on promises to ensure users’ direct messages (DMs) are safe from third-party access.

For the communities represented by the organizational endorsers of the letter, including activists, LGBTQ+ people, abortion seekers, journalists and other targeted groups around the world, privacy online is not “optional.” It’s a matter of life and death.

Meta’s removal of “opt-in end-to-end encryption” for direct messages on Instagram—a feature only available to users in certain regions—took effect on May 8, 2026. Meta has claimed the move was driven by “lack of interest from users.”

The decision and rationale represent a complete reversal of Meta’s well-established commitments to end-to-end encrypted communications, as well as its promises to make end-to-end encryption the default setting for Instagram messages.

”Meta has repeatedly articulated the importance of end-to-end encryption, sometimes mirroring the exact language our organizations have used for years to explain why online messages must be protected and private. Does Meta expect us to simply forget this history? Does the company expect us to accept the absurd justification that ‘users aren’t interested in E2EE’ when Meta knows very well we shouldn’t be forced to opt-in to life-saving privacy features?” said Leila Nashashibi, Campaigner at Fight for the Future. “Meta has defended E2EE in the past, even when it wasn’t politically convenient. Clearly the company’s political calculus has shifted. Is Meta axing its E2EE plans in order to curry favor with Trump, who wants unfettered access to our messages so his administration can spy on us and target us? Or does the company believe that the profit potential of violating our privacy and harvesting our most sensitive information—our private messages—is simply too great to pass up? We deserve to know the truth behind this total betrayal of users’ safety and privacy. We’re calling on organizations and users all over the world to reject this shameful move. If Meta wants to keep its Instagram users, it must make DMs safe NOW.”

”Secure E2EE messaging is a BASIC digital need and right. Several years ago, we joined in asking Meta to encrypt DMs. As Meta has acknowledged, privacy online is actually critical to people’s safety online AND offline. Now, Meta says they’re rolling this safety measure back after offering E2EE as a difficult to find optional setting? That’s so disingenuous and disappointing,” said Maya Morales of WA People’s Privacy. “If Meta wants people to use its platforms, it has to ensure that using them doesn’t actively endanger us. Without encryption, our personal conversations have been fed straight to government agencies or officials we might critique, to DHS/ICE, to data brokers, into AI models, you name it. This is not a trivial issue. Unsecured DMs can—and have—resulted in people’s entire lives being destroyed. E2EE should be the default setting for all apps that offer messaging, and AI should never be used in ANY messaging service without non-coerced, opt-in consent. If Meta’s not going to keep users safe, is it prepared for a mass-exodus?”

Fight for the Future and a coalition of civil society organizations strongly applauded Meta’s implementation of default end-to-end encryption on Facebook Messenger in December 2023. The move came after public outcry and pressure in response to Meta handing over unencrypted Messenger direct messages between a Nebraska teenager and her mother to law enforcement—messages that led to the teen’s prosecution for choosing to have an abortion.

In the months preceding the December 2023 announcement, Rob Sherman, VP and Deputy Chief Privacy Officer for Policy at Meta, sent a letter to Fight for the Future stating: “We remain committed to rolling out default end-to-end encryption for private conversations on Messenger in 2023, and shortly afterwards for Instagram.”

In the the letter, Mr. Sherman notes:

People expect technology companies to provide the best security to protect their personal information, and we believe end-to-end [encryption] is an important component of building trust with our users because it:

• Promotes a fundamental right to privacy, which allows loved ones to communicate without fear.
• Helps prevent both serious and common crimes like hacking and identity theft.
• Enables journalists, civil society, religious groups, scholars, and artists to exercise their rights to free and private speech without surveillance or retaliation.

Meta’s backtracking on its end-to-end encryption commitments comes on the heals of yet another disappointing decision: On May 5, Meta announced that the company will be “developing” a tool that can determine a user’s age based on visual, physical characteristics. Under the guise of kids safety, this will mean scanning every single picture posted on the platform to determine people’s ages, with no guardrails. Fight for the Future has been warning for years that online ID checks in all of its forms, regardless of the public relations term in use (age assurance, age verification, age estimation) is a censorship and privacy nightmare that will lead to Big Tech companies cobbling together even more information about users of all ages.