Saturday, November 30
The final week of the United Nations climate conference, COP28, focuses on the future of fossil fuels in addressing the dangerously warming planet. Negotiators aim to finalize the Global Stocktake, a document evaluating climate change progress since the Paris agreement and necessary actions to limit warming. The draft of the Global Stocktake, brimming with possibilities, awaits global leaders' decisions on phasing out oil, coal, and natural gas. EU countries, small island nations, and progressive Latin American countries support fossil fuel phase-out, while poor nations and climate advocates pressure negotiators.
The Kremlin is rallying support for Putin's election campaign by portraying him as the defender of traditional Russian values against the 'liberal' West. This includes harsher persecution of LGBT people, calls for restrictions on abortion, and efforts to boost patriotic education in schools. The campaign will also highlight new schools and hospitals to show social conditions are improving. Putin's certain victory in the election will be presented as a public endorsement of his invasion of Ukraine.
In a disturbing incident at Farley's East, an Oakland coffee shop, a Jewish customer was denied restroom access after raising concerns about antisemitic graffiti. The video, posted by StopAntisemitism, quickly went viral. Three Farley's East employees prevented the customer from entering the restroom, citing private property rights. The staff expressed support for 'Free Palestine' and the male worker sarcastically remarked about history. StopAntisemitism called for the termination of the employees, while Farley's East acknowledged the incident and took corrective measures.
In a deepening standoff between House Republicans and Hunter Biden, the GOP warns of contempt charges if the president's son fails to appear for a closed-door deposition scheduled for December 13. Hunter Biden, facing pressure from an impeachment inquiry seeking ties to his father's business dealings, insists on public testimony, citing concerns about selective leaks. The exchange escalates as Republicans assert the non-negotiable nature of their subpoena, challenging Hunter's assertion of manipulation in closed-door sessions.
Former US president Donald Trump, along with his two eldest sons, returned to court for the New York civil trial on fraud allegations. Trump, a frontrunner for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination, has consistently criticized the trial, characterizing it as unfair. They are accused of inflating the value of their real estate assets to secure more favorable bank loans and insurance terms. Trump attended the trial as a spectator, expressing his discontent and describing the proceedings as a "very corrupt trial.
Overseas shipments edged up 0.5% on-year to $291 billion, the General Administration of Customs said, marking their first increase since April. The figure was much better than analysts' forecasts and followed a 6.4% slump in October. Chinese exports -- long a key growth driver -- have largely been in decline since last October except for a short-lived rebound in March and April. The world's second-largest economy expanded a moderate 4.9% in the third quarter, slightly less than Beijing's five percent target, which is one of the lowest in years.
Representative Jim Banks introduces the SAFE Adoption for Every (SAFE) Home Act to counter the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) rule prioritizing LGBTQI+ acceptance in adoptive homes. The bill aims to prevent child welfare agencies from denying prospective adopters based on their refusal to comply with a child's LGBTQ status. Banks criticizes the Biden administration for hindering children from finding loving homes and argues that the focus on a child's sexual orientation or gender identity overlooks the concerns of parents opposing irreversible sex change procedures on minors.
Biden highlighted the severe implications for Kyiv and the advantage it would provide to Russian President Vladimir Putin if Congress fails to approve the US funding package. He highlighted Putin's actions in Ukraine and warned of the Russian leader's broader ambitions, saying, "If Putin attacks a Nato ally, if he keeps going and then he attacks a Nato ally, when we've committed as a Nato member to defend every inch of Nato territory, then we'll have something that we don't seek and that we don't have today: American troops fighting Russian troops."
A professor, Anthony Polito, whose job application was rejected recently, carried out a shooting at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV), killing three people. The incident occurred in the Lee Business School building and was similar to the 2017 Mandalay Bay incident. The swift response from university police detectives neutralized the threat and prevented further loss of life. The victims' identities remain undisclosed, and investigations are ongoing to determine the motive behind the attack. The UNLV campus has canceled classes and a basketball game, raising concerns about campus safety and the need to address gun violence.
