by Lowell
Here are a few international, national and Virginia news headlines, political and otherwise, for Wednesday, November 19.
- Trump’s anti-climate agenda could result in 1.3m more deaths globally, analysis finds
- Pope to bishops at COP30: We are guardians of creation, not rivals for its spoils (“Pope Leo XIV sends a videomessage to the bishops and cardinals of the Global South participating in COP30 in Brazil, urging cooperation and stressing that it is not too late if we choose deeds over words.”)
- 3 massive changes you’ll see as the climate careens toward tipping points
- Brazil pushes for early COP30 climate deal, though divisions persist
- WHO to lose nearly a quarter of its workforce – 2,000 jobs – due to US withdrawing funding (“Donald Trump’s administration withdrew from the World Health Organization in January, prompting the agency to scale back its work”)
Ultra-processed food linked to harm in every major human organ, study finds (“World’s largest scientific review warns consumption of UPFs poses seismic threat to global health and wellbeing”)- China doesn’t want to take lead on climate policies alone, senior adviser warns (“Exclusive: A top official in Beijing’s Cop delegation says China is committed to clean energy – but US’s absence is a problem”)
- Trump Calls Saudi Arabia a Major Non-NATO Ally in Boost to MBS
- Scoop: U.S. secretly drafting new plan to end Ukraine war (“The Trump administration has been secretly working in consultation with Russia to draft a new plan to end the war in Ukraine, U.S. and Russian officials tell Axios.” With RUSSIA???)
- Russian barrage kills 19 in Ukraine city as Zelenskyy heads for talks with Turkish leader
- At least 20 killed in one of Russia’s deadliest strikes on western Ukraine
- Trump calls for ABC’s license to be revoked after reporter asks about Jeffrey Epstein files (That’s blatant authoritarianism, Vladimir Putin/Viktor Orban style.)
- Trump attacks ABC reporter after question about killing of Saudi journalist Khashoggi
- ‘Things happen’ (“Setting the record straight about our murdered colleague” Wow, the Bezos Post actually stands up to Trump…)
- Snapshot: Trump Excuses Murder and Blames the Victim (“Saudi Prince Mohammed bin Salman, culpable for the brutal killing of Jamal Khashoggi, enjoyed a warm welcome to Trump’s White House” Trump is pure evil.)
- Trump justifies Jamal Khashoggi murder: ‘A lot of people didn’t like that gentleman’ (Did I mention that Trump is pure evil? Can’t say it enough times.)
- Trump Meets Business Partner In the Oval Office (“From ‘bad situation’ to ‘things happen’: How Saudi money changed Trump’s tune on Khashoggi’s murder.”)
- Saudi Arabia is in no hurry to join the Abraham accords (“Muhammad bin Salman no longer needs to recognise Israel to woo America”)
- Elon Musk spotted at White House dinner for Saudi crown prince (The worst people.)
- Once a Pariah, Saudi Prince Resets U.S. Relations on His Own Terms
- ‘Really Good Friends’: Trump Lauds Saudi Leader During Lavish Visit
- Saudi Arabia Wants American F-35s. Israel’s Success With Them Shows Why. (“Hated by some in the U.S., the warplane has tilted the balance in the Middle East”)
- What happened to Jamal Khashoggi? Trump resurfaces memories of journalist’s brutal murder (“President’s claim that Mohammed bin Salman had nothing to do with 2018 killing contradicts US intelligence”)
- The Saudification of America is under way (“Jamal Khashoggi’s plight and murder was a warning sign for the US, of the impending loss of freedom and censorship that would sweep the country”)
- Tehran’s water crisis is a warning for every thirsty city (“Why Iran’s capital is running out of water — and why it won’t be the last.”)
- Bodies Keep Turning Up in Syria, Haunting New Leaders (“In the months after the fall of the Assad regime, Syrians have continued to discover large-scale burial sites, sometimes by chance. ‘Everyone who’s missing now…they’re buried in the ground somewhere.’”)
- Trump Said to Authorize C.I.A. Plans for Covert Action in Venezuela (“The president has signed off on possible operations inside Venezuela but has also reopened back-channel communications with the government of President Nicolás Maduro.”)
- Pope Leo denounces “extremely disrespectful” treatment of immigrants in U.S.
- ICE employee among 16 men arrested in Bloomington sex trafficking sting, police say
- ICE Is Coming to Bust a Church Near You This Holiday Season. Seriously. (“Nothing screams ‘Christmas cheer’ like an immigration raid.”)
- Obamacare tax credits look likely to expire as Trump rules out an extension (“Trump told Republicans not to ‘waste’ their time on extending the enhanced ACA subsidies set to expire, saying he’d only support ‘sending the money directly back to the people.'” Insane.)
- Many of US education agency’s powers reassigned to other federal departments (“Move marks further dismantling of the department and Democrats criticized administration for ‘slashing resources’” Illegal and unconstitutional.)
- Final Schedule F regulations to describe civil service protections as ‘unconstitutional overcorrections’ (“OPM officials told agency HR leaders Tuesday that President Trump has Article II constitutional authority to remove tens of thousands of career federal workers in jobs over potential ‘resistance to policy'” HELL NO.)
- Trump’s Capitol Hill dreams are at odds with GOP reality (“Passing major new Republican priorities would have been a tall order even before President Trump went to war inside his own party.”)
- Despite congressional action, quick release of Epstein files is in doubt
- Epstein files must be released within 30 days under the bill passed by Congress and backed by Trump (Suuuuure.)
- Johnson reveals MAGA strategy on Epstein files: Delay, deny, defend
- Senate sends bill to release Epstein files to Trump
- House overwhelmingly votes to release Epstein files
- A Washington humiliation leaves Trump more politically exposed on Epstein than ever before
- Exclusive: Trump approval falls to lowest of his term over prices and Epstein files, Reuters/Ipsos poll finds (“Trump’s approval rating falls to 38%, weighed down by cost of living concerns, Epstein; Only 26% approve of Trump’s handling of everyday expenses; Most Americans think government is hiding details on the Epstein files”)
- Thune denies Johnson’s demand for Epstein bill changes
- Exclusive: Coinbase explains donation to Trump’s ballroom
- Trump’s Eye-Popping Postelection Windfall (“Even though his campaign ended a year ago, the president hasn’t stopped fundraising.”)
- The MAGA Civil War: How the Monster Turned on Itself
- Trump Told a Woman, ‘Quiet, Piggy,’ When She Asked Him About Epstein (“The comment continues the president’s long-standing pattern of denigrating female journalists.”)
- Trump faces criticism for referring to female Bloomberg reporter as ‘piggy’ (“Critics accuse the US president of trying to ‘shut women journalists up’ with ‘demeaning language’”)
- “Quiet Piggy!” (“That’s how the President of the United States addressed a journalist who was just doing her job on Air Force One. Catherine Lucey, the White House correspondent for Bloomberg, asked Donald Trump about releasing the Epstein files. In response, Trump leaned forward, slashing an accusatory finger her direction and barked, ‘Quiet! Quiet Piggy,’ at her.”)
- MAGA TV on Trump’s Epstein cave: Masterful job, sir! (DISGUSTING.)
- Trump blows up at ABC News reporter over Epstein files question (Trump is DISGUSTING!)
- CNN shows that when media orgs fight Trump, they win (“Take this grift and shove it.”)
- Federal appeals court rejects Trump’s ‘meritless’ case against CNN
- Moral rot in elite journalism is killing the whole field (“The Nuzzi/RFK Jr. mess and the revelation of Epstein’s journo pals lay bare a profound moral absence at the heart of our free press.”)
- Republicans fear a midterm slump without Trump on the trail
- Trump’s Justice Department may have accidentally handed Democrats five House seats
- Trump’s Scheme to Give the GOP Extra House Seats Just Blew Up in His Face
- Republicans Are Suing to Kill California’s Pro-Democratic Gerrymander. They Have a Huge Problem.
- Federal court blocks Texas from using new congressional gerrymander in 2026 midterms
- The Charlie Kirk purge: How 600 Americans were punished in a pro-Trump crackdown
- Meta prevails in historic FTC antitrust case, won’t have to break off WhatsApp, Instagram
- Texas Governor Declares Muslim Civil Rights Group a ‘Terrorist Organization’ (“Gov. Greg Abbott said the state could now take steps to shut down the Council on American-Islamic Relations. The group said the declaration had no basis in fact or law.” Abbott is one of Youngkin’s role models, btw.)
- Marjorie Taylor Greene Flips ‘Traitor’ Insult Back On Trump
- ‘He Should Resign’: Harvard Undergrads Take Hard Line Against Summers Over Epstein Scandal
- Harvard To Launch New Investigation Into Epstein’s Ties to Summers, Other University Affiliates
- Pardoned Capitol rioter tried to bribe child sex victim with promise of Jan. 6 payout, officials say (“Andrew Paul Johnson, 44, faces multiple charges in Florida, including lewd/lascivious molestation, according to the Hernando County Sheriff’s Office.”)
- No fish story: Time to drastically cut menhaden limits
- After House’s 427-1 Vote, Senators Warner, Kaine Call on Leader Thune to Quickly Bring Epstein Files Transparency Act to Senate Floor for Vote (To date, “President Trump and his subordinates have obfuscated, misdirected, and obstructed efforts in both the Senate and the House to secure release of the Epstein files.”)
- Rep. Suhas Subramanyam (D-VA10) Calls for “investigation into the likelihood of an AI bubble and what the impact would be on our economy if the AI bubble were to burst” (Recall that Sen. Mark Warner recently warned, “trust me, within the next year or so AI job dislocation is going to be one of the premier issues in our country.”)
- In Roanoke, Beth Macy announces run for US Congress
- “Dopesick” Author Beth Macy to Announce at 5:30 pm Today in Roanoke for the VA06 Democratic Nomination to Take on Far-Right/MAGA Rep. Ben Cline (R-VA06) (VA06 is ruby red at present, but could be redistricted next spring.)
- Macy rips Cline as she enters congressional race. There’s no guarantee that’s who she’ll be running against, though. (“Across Virginia there are 11 incumbents and more than 30 challengers. None of them know what districts next year will look like, so how do they know where to campaign or who to run against?”)
- Journalist Beth Macy enters race for 6th congressional district
- Author Beth Macy enters Sixth District race, will fight for those ‘left behind’
- Broadband expansion in Virginia can continue under federal program, Trump administration says (“States had to rewrite their proposals for federal funding after the Commerce Department changed the program rules to put satellite internet companies on equal footing with fiber-optic cable providers.”)
- Spanberger hears state budget challenges at House retreat (“Gov.-elect Abigail Spanberger said her priority will be protecting Virginia’s AAA bond rating and balancing the budget to bring spending in line with revenues.”)
- Virginia Senate Democratic Caucus Releases First Bills on Legislative Agenda Focused on Affordability ($15/hour minimum wage, Paid Family Medical Leave, Child Care Employee Assistance, Reproductive Freedom, Marriage Equality, etc)
- Virginia Democratic legislators plan to start 2026 with bills to lower costs, raise wages (“The General Assembly convenes on Jan. 14 for its 2026 legislative session.”)
- Democrats prioritize legislation increasing the minimum wage and providing paid leave
- Virginia Dem introduces bill to repeal anti-union ‘right-to-work’ law
- Spanberger appoints former state education secretaries to transition team (“Former secretaries of education Jim Dyke, who served under former Democratic Gov. L. Douglas Wilder’s administration, and Anne Holton, under former Democratic Gov. Terry McAuliffe’s administration, highlighted the list of appointments.”)
- Democrats brace for quick special election in deep-blue Senate District 15 (“Party expects firehouse primary to replace Lt. Gov.-elect Ghazala Hashmi as Republicans weigh whether to compete in solidly Democratic seat.”)
- Flooding board recommends legislation aimed at fighting rising seas
- Residents voice opposition to Hanover data center proposal
- Hampton Roads takes gamble on a second casino. Will it pay off? (“With the anticipated opening of a hotel at Rivers Casino Portsmouth in 2027 as well as casino earnings showing no signs of slowing down, the financial outlook for Portsmouth looks good despite the new competition across the water in Norfolk.”)
- Norfolk housing authority director fired by board in surprise vote
- Alicia Silverstone offers reward of up to $50,000 for information on baby giraffes missing from Natural Bridge Zoo (“A judge has ruled that the two missing animals belong to the state. The actress is a longtime advocate for PETA.”)
- Solar spreads across Roanoke schools
- CWG Live: Cool with considerable clouds before rain chances return late Friday (“Rain chances return Friday afternoon into Saturday as we trend a bit warmer.”)
