Saturday News: Gabbard “Likely a Russian Asset”; “Woman told House Ethics panel she witnessed Gaetz having sex with minor”; Hegseth “flagged by fellow service member as possible ‘Insider Threat’”; “This is no longer a post-electoral moment. It is a pre-catastrophic moment.”

by Lowell

Here are a few international, national and Virginia news headlines, political and otherwise, for Saturday, November 16.

• Fossil fuel bosses get ‘red carpet’ at Cop29 despite concerns over influence (“Revealed: more than 100 executives given special guest badges as activists challenge role of oil and gas firms at talks”)
• Move towards renewable energy is unstoppable, says Ed Miliband (“Exclusive: UK energy secretary says at Cop29 that people see the economic advantages of making the transition” Yes, but still not nearly fast enough!)
• To Protect Vast Expanses of Ocean Beyond All National Boundaries, 60 Nations Must Ratify the Treaty of the High Seas
• The Tug-of-War on This Climate Super Pollutant Has Big Implications for the Future
• What the Earth’s Recent Heat Uptick Could Mean for the Climate Fight (“And why one climate scientist still has reasons to hope.”)
• China faces crucial decisions on climate policy during second Trump term
• This 3GW Gobi Desert solar farm can power 2 million households
• At U.N. Climate Talks, Democrats Land With a Message: Don’t Panic (Or…maybe panic after all?)
• Global health experts sound alarm over RFK Jr., citing Samoa outbreak
• Will Tulsi Gabbard bring a pro-Russian bias to intelligence reporting? (Obviously.)
• Dem Rep. Says Tulsi Gabbard Is ‘Likely a Russian Asset’ (It’s very hard to explain her behavior otherwise.)
• Democratic senators call for federal probe into Musk’s contact with Russia (A little late for that!)
• Zelensky says war will ‘end sooner’ with Trump as president (“The Ukrainian president also said his country “must do everything” to ensure the war ends next year.”)
• Killer Robots Are About to Fill Ukrainian Skies (“Kyiv’s drone suppliers are ramping up production of computer-guided drones that are cheap to produce and can’t be electronically jammed.”)
• Germany’s Scholz discusses Ukraine with Russia’s Putin in first such call in 2 years
• Muslims who voted for Trump upset by his pro-Israel cabinet picks (Some of the most naive, clueless people in America – what did they THINK would happen if they voted for Trump???)
• Israel destroyed equipment Iran would need to develop nuclear weapon, officials say (“The sophisticated equipment that was destroyed is needed to design and test plastic explosives that surround uranium in a nuclear device and are needed to detonate it. It dates back to before Iran ended its military nuclear program in 2003.”)
• Trump’s Friends in Europe Welcome Return of a Kindred Spirit (Authoritarians, yes.)
• US Inflation on Strong Trajectory to 2% Goal, Fed’s Collins Says
• There’s never been a transition like this one (“Donald Trump Cabinet picks communicate his contempt for the job before him.”)
• Trump’s Top Team Sets Stage for White House Power Grab
• Meet Donald Trump’s Brick-Shittingly Scary New Cabinet, and Everyone Else Advising Him in a Second Term (“Stephen Miller at the border. Matt Gaetz running the DOJ. A Fox News host as Secretary of Defense. Welcome to the Trump administration 2.0”)
• The Disturbing Reason Senate Republicans Might Greenlight All of Trump’s Nominees
• Trump’s New Oligarchy Is About to Unleash Unimaginable Corruption
• Decapitation Strike (“Preserving America from Trump’s Appointments”; “This is no longer a post-electoral moment. It is a pre-catastrophic moment.”)
• Trump’s transition team caught off guard by Hegseth allegation (“Questions have been raised about the viability of Hegseth’s defense nomination, after little vetting and a sexual assault allegation surfaces”)
• The Tattoo That Got Hegseth Barred From Working at Biden’s Inauguration
• Pete Hegseth’s remarks about women in combat are met with disgust and dissent
• Trump Pentagon pick had been flagged by fellow service member as possible ‘Insider Threat’
• DNC War Room on Trump’s Picks of “Ultra-MAGA Loyalist” Matt Gaetz, “Misinformation Patient Zero” RFK Jr., “Fox & Friends Weekend Co-Host” Pete Hegseth, “Pocket of Big Oil” Doug Burgum
• How Radical Can RFK Jr. Be as Top U.S. Health Official?
• Trump allies lobby him to fire FBI director early and install loyalist Kash Patel (That would be a disaster.)
• This Unqualified MAGA Addict Might Become Trump’s FBI Director (“Kash Patel is an intellectual lightweight who spends all his time trying to please Dear Leader.”)
• Exclusive: Woman told House Ethics panel she witnessed Gaetz having sex with minor, lawyer says
• Speaker Johnson urges Ethics panel not to release Gaetz report (They should release it immediately – or someone should leak it. NOW.)
• House Ethics chair says meeting on Gaetz report has been postponed, not canceled
• Matt Gaetz, Once a Justice Department Target, Now Targets Justice Department
• Kennedy’s Views Mix Mistrust of Business With Unfounded Health Claims
• Putting RFK Jr. in charge of health breaks the first rule of medicine
• Washington’s lobbyists are stunned Trump chose RFK Jr.
• The main reason RFK Jr. is unqualified to serve as HHS secretary (“RFK Jr is an activist, not a scientist. That should be disqualifying to head HHS.”)
• What RFK Jr’s War on Vaccines Could Look Like (“Plummeting trust in vaccines could be lethal on its own. But there are also ways Trump’s nominee for Health and Human Services could reduce vaccine availability, as well.”)
• Environmental groups alarmed as Doug Burgum picked for US interior secretary (“Several groups say North Dakota governor will sacrifice public lands on the ‘altar of the fossil fuel industry’s profits’”)
• Gabbard’s lack of judgment and flights from reality are disqualifying
• Trump Considers Fox Business Host Larry Kudlow for Top Economic Jobs (Kudlow SUCKS!)
• Karoline Leavitt returns to Trump’s White House as press secretary (“She unsuccessfully ran for Congress in New Hampshire in 2022 before joining his campaign.”)
• Trump to tap campaign spokesperson Steven Cheung as communications director (“A veteran of all three campaigns, he’s known for his slashing statements on Trump’s behalf.” Appalling.)
• Elise Stefanik’s audience of one: How anti-woke showboating got her the UN job (Stefanik is repulsive.)
• Republicans Are Starting to Ask a New Question: Do They Need to Be More Like Trump to Win?
• Biden and his team struggle to escape questions about Trump’s return
• The Democrats’ Refusal to Break With a Broken System Cost Them Dearly (“The party has followed its affection for Beltway institutions and their stodgy norms to its logical endpoint—getting locked out of power. It’s time for a rethink.”)
• Democrats Draw Up an Entirely New Anti-Trump Battle Plan (“The party’s early preparations to oppose the next Trump administration are focused on legal fights and consolidating state power, rather than street protests.”)
• Centrist Dems seize opening at the DNC: ‘I don’t want to be the freak show party’ (“Recriminations over Kamala Harris’ defeat are shaping the early stages of the race for DNC chair.”)
• “People are scared”: Activists brace for “unprecedented assault on human rights” under Trump (“Trump’s win sparked fear and anxiety. Progressive advocates are preparing to fight back”)
• Scoop: House Dems sick of Pelosi (“Making scattershot comments is not just unhelpful, it’s damaging”)
• Of Misogyny, Musk, and Men (“Women are not okay. We’re furious.”)
• Democratic jockeying for the 2028 presidential election is already underway (“Nearly two dozen Democrats are seen as possible contenders ahead of an invisible primary that will be shaped partly by Trump and his second term.”)
• FBI: Racist post-election texts also reported in Hispanic and LGBTQ+ communities
• The boys in our liberal school are different now that Trump has won (“Subtle high-fives were exchanged and remarks about the impending success of the next four years were whispered around”)
• What to Do Before the Trump Administration Takes Office in January
• Scoop: McCaul’s exit from Foreign Affairs leadership sets up succession race
• ‘We’ve become distrustful of each other’: Braiding Sweetgrass author Robin Wall Kimmerer on Trump, rural America and resistance
• Rudy Giuliani makes a down payment on $148M judgment
• The Washington Post Is Taking a Dive
• X users jump to Bluesky – but what is it and who owns it?
• Senator to Valve: what’s with all the Nazis on Steam? (“Senator Mark Warner’s letter follows an ADL report about extremist content on the platform.”)
• ‘Shocking and disturbing’: New report on Virginia Department of Health highlights years of financial mismanagement
• Pope & Schapiro: Election fallout and looking ahead to 2025
• A special election will determine control of the Virginia Senate
• WHAT TO KNOW: Loudoun County’s Saturday firehouse primary for Senate District 32
• FOIA Friday: PETA threatened litigation when George Mason University delayed sending records
• Report: Virginia now 8th worst in the country for mail
• With all Lynchburg votes in, Republicans secure larger majority
• Norfolk election results: Carlos Clanton wins Superward 7 race by just 92 votes, but opponent plans to request recount
• An incumbent and 2 challengers win Chesapeake City Council seats, but a recount is still possible
• Something in the Water organizers sign contract after Virginia Beach mayor threatens cancellation (“After missing a Nov. 1 deadline to sign the city’s sponsorship contract, the festival organizers regrouped this week and signed the contract Friday, according to a city spokesperson.”)
• Clinchport had no candidates on the ballot. Then there was a tie among the write-ins. (“Election officials drew the winner’s name from an Easter egg basket that they keep for this very purpose.”)
• D.C.-area forecast: Mainly clear and mild this weekend