by Lowell
Here are a few international, national and Virginia news headlines, political and otherwise, for Monday, November 25.
- Cop29 climate finance deal criticised as ‘travesty of justice’ and ‘stage-managed’
- Inside the Frantic Maneuvers That Saved COP29 Talks at a Cost
- Half a loaf, at best, from the climate talks (“This year’s negotiations made very modest progress”)
- Drugs, hormones and excrement: the polluting pig mega-farms supplying pork to the world (Definitely do NOT eat pork, ham, etc.)
- Toxic Air Pollution in India and Pakistan Is “a National Disaster”
- Indonesia targets 75 GW of renewables as it aims to end fossil fuel generation by 2040 (“Indonesia, with the fifth biggest fleet of coal power plants in the world, vows to end fossil fuel generation by 2040 and commits to 75 GW of new renewables to take its place.”)
- Dollar falls after Donald Trump names Scott Bessent to Treasury role
- Angela Merkel defends ties with Russia and blocking Ukraine from Nato
- Russian food prices are soaring — but no one dares blame Putin and the war
- Ukraine Clings to Shrinking Sliver of Russia, Expecting Trump to Push for Peace Talks
- Russia-Ukraine war live: more than 20 injured in Russian attack on Kharkiv (“Casualties include 14 people who have been sent to hospital” Pure evil as usual by Putin.)
- Russia reportedly captures a Briton fighting for Ukraine as Russian troops advance
- Russia recruits Yemeni mercenaries to fight in Ukraine
- Trump’s national security pick: I’m on same page as Jake Sullivan about ‘our adversaries’
- Trump Pentagon pick attacks UN and Nato and urges US to ignore Geneva conventions (“Revealed: Pete Hegseth writes scathingly of key institutions and says ‘If you love America, you should love Israel’” This guy is completely bonkers.)
- Trump Wants Deals on Ukraine and Israel. Here’s Why He’ll Struggle.
- Ceasefire deal between Israel and Hezbollah is ‘very close,’ regional source says, as Lebanon death toll climbs
- Israel and Hezbollah Close to Ceasefire Deal, Says Israel’s Envoy to Washington (This falls into the “believe it if/when we see it” category.)
- Here’s where ceasefire talks in the war between Israel and Hezbollah have been stuck
- Georgian ruling party defies protests, boycott to re-open parliament after disputed election
- Romania election stunner: Unexpected hard-right candidate surges in presidential vote (“Hard-right Călin Georgescu comes from nowhere to claim victory as liberal Elena Lasconi closes in on second place ahead of seismic Dec. 8 runoff.”)
- Romania in shock after far-right populist enters presidential election’s runoff with most votes (“Romania’s political landscape is reeling after a little-known, far-right populist secured the first round in the presidential election, going from an obscure candidate to beating the incumbent prime minister and a reformist politician.” WTF?)
- How the Trump administration and congressional Republicans may crack down on pro-Palestinian protesters
- How Trump Could Upend Electric Car Sales (“Fewer people will be able to afford electric cars and trucks if President-elect Trump and Republicans in Congress eliminate a $7,500 federal tax credit.”)
- Biden must Trump-proof US democracy, activists say: ‘There is a sense of urgency’ (“President can secure civil liberties, accelerate spending on climate and healthcare, and spare death row prisoners”)
- Why Elon Musk can never balance the budget, in one chart (“The notion that the federal government is hopelessly bloated due to waste that every reasonable person wants to eliminate is an appealing myth, but it’s a myth. Government spending overwhelmingly goes to wildly popular programs like Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, veterans’ benefits, and the defense budget. You can’t make much of a dent in it without touching those areas, and once you touch them, you’re going to get immense backlash.”)
- Trump’s plan to dismantle DEI on day one is a “colorblind” path to Jim Crow 2.0
- Trump hoodwinked voters about his worst policy commitments
- Trump’s mass deportation plan could clog immigration courts for years
- Four ways Trump will undermine the authority of Congress (“The president-elect is setting the stage for a vast, dangerous and unconstitutional expansion of presidential power”)
- Pam Bondi’s road from Four Seasons Total Landscaping to AG pick should alarm America
- Trump’s determination to install controversial picks faces next test (The word “controversial” is a cowardly weasel word used by media that doesn’t want to call Trump’s picks what they are – extremist, nutjobs, etc.)
- Trump team barred from agencies amid legal standoff (“Federal agencies have yet to hear from their future bosses.”)
- Trump Is Running His Transition Team on Secret Money (Massively corrupt!)
- Business donors overwhelmingly bet on the GOP. Here’s where it paid off. (Speaking of corrupt…)
- Musk and Ramaswamy race to build a ‘DOGE’ team for war with Washington
- What the Broligarchs Want from Trump (“Tremendous power is flowing to tech and finance magnates.”)
- Tech CEOs sell out Democrats in rush to curry favor with Trump (“Trump’s victory marks the end of Democrats’ alliance with Big Tech”)
- Trump’s Cabinet: Many Ideologies Behind the Veil of ‘America First’
- Feeling betrayed by increased minority support for Trump, Black women say they’re stepping back
- Trump reportedly plans to kick trans troops out of the military within days of inauguration (That’s completely nuts and counterproductive.)
- U.S. Sen. Roger Marshall of Kansas introduces bill to deny transgender identity
- McBride says House Republicans’ bathroom ban is ‘attempt to distract from what they are actually doing’
- Fox News Contributor Slams Pete Hegseth For Sexual Assault And Adultery Allegations
- Tammy Duckworth Says Pete Hegseth ‘Inordinately Unqualified’ To Lead Pentagon
- I Just Listened to Steve Bannon’s Show for a Week. What’s Coming Is Clear.
- GOP senator argues Americans ‘don’t care’ who conducts background checks for Trump Cabinet picks
- Resignation shouldn’t prevent the release of Gaetz report — it didn’t stop us last time
- Trump should fire DOJ workers involved with his cases, GOP senator says
- Sen.-elect Adam Schiff says he won’t let Trump ‘intimidate’ him: Full interview
- Sherrod Brown won’t rule out running for Senate again
- Harris is telling her advisers and allies to keep her political options open (“She could run again for president — or California governor.” The latter makes the most sense politically for her at this point, I think.)
- Elon Musk Muses About Buying MSNBC: “How Much Does It Cost?” (“The billionaire and buddy to the president-elect jokes about buying the liberal network. At least we think he’s joking.”)
- As Musk Assumes Deregulation Role, Tesla Racks Up Pollution Violations
- Two members of Virginia’s Congressional delegation want to address drug shortages
- A model for Democrats’ comeback? Spanberger vies for Virginia’s top job. (“A talk with Rep. Abigail Spanberger, whose bipartisanship might aid her bid for governor.”)
- Trump wants federal workers back in the office. However, many of them appear to have moved to rural Virginia.
- Virginia housing groups look to 2025 for legislative, funding solutions
- 472 Virginia schools to receive millions in safety equipment and tools grants
- Virginia water regulators begin process of identifying PFAS sources
- KURTZWEIL: The truth about nuclear power in Northern Virginia (“Youngkin claims that these plants would help keep energy prices stable, but in reality, his real aim is to encourage more data centers to move into the area. While the goal of building the plants, the increase of data centers and the commitment to efficient energy sources are all laudable, the way that Youngkin has sold this idea to the public is misleading — most of the benefit will be felt by larger corporations…SMRs are certainly innovative, but they come with an expensive, inherent risk of failure — something that Youngkin conveniently forgets to mention in his address on the future of Virginian energy. “)
- Appalachian Power proposal sparks concern among home solar advocates (“Appalachian says solar panel owners earn too much credit for their excess electricity, which unfairly shifts costs onto other customers. Solar proponents say the utility’s proposal to lower that credit for new solar owners could hamper adoption of the technology.”)
- Virginia inmate fears she will die from inadequate medical care. Her doctor agrees.
- Broadband expansion project breaks ground in eastern Hanover (Thanks in large part to Democrats, although the article doesn’t mention that fact.)
- Roanoke celebrates 75 years of its landmark star
- D.C.-area forecast: Mild start to week but cold finish; rain possible on Thanksgiving
