nice view caption Herbert tosses 3 TD passes and Chargers secure a playoff spot with a 40-7 rout of PatriotsThe AP Top 25 college football poll is back every week throughout the season! Get the poll delivered straight to your inbox with AP Top 25 Poll Alerts. Sign up here . AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Any Texas or Texas A&M player has heard the lore of the rivalry between the two schools, a grudge match that dates to 1894. But for more than a decade — two generations of college football players — that’s all it has been: Ghostly memories of great games and great plays made by heroes of the distant past. That changes this week when one of college football’s great rivalries is reborn. Third-ranked Texas (10-1, 6-1) and No. 20 Texas A&M (8-3, 5-2) meet Saturday night for the first time since 2011, with a berth in the Southeastern Conference championship game on the line . “Guys that have been in my position and bleed burnt orange, they have not gotten to play this game,” said Texas fourth-year junior safety Michael Taaffe, who grew up in Austin. “Remember them when you step on Kyle Field.” For Aggies fans, who have carried the misery of Texas’ 27-25 win in 2011, getting the Longhorns back in front of a frenzied crowd in College Station is a chance for some serious payback. “I was born and raised an Aggie, so I’ve been dreaming about playing in this game my whole life,” Texas A&M offensive lineman Trey Zuhn III said. RELATED COVERAGE AP Player of the Week: Devin Neal runs for 207 yards and totals 4 TDs in Kansas’ win over Colorado Auburn wins 43-41, four-OT thriller over playoff hopeful No. 15 Texas A&M No. 15 Texas A&M visits struggling Auburn with SEC title and playoff hopes on the line Zuhn played high school football in Colorado, but his parents and grandparents attended A&M. At SEC media days back in August, Zuhn said his family would turn Texas gear upside down in stores. He keeps a picture of a longhorn in his room, hanging upside down, of course. “It should be the most amazing atmosphere that I’ve ever experienced,” Zuhn said. “I can’t wait for that, and I feel bad for Texas having to play in that.” Texas players said they are ready. “That place is going to be rocking,” Texas senior cornerback Jahdae Barron said. “It’s good to go on the road and play in hostile environments.” The Longhorns have overcome big and loud road crowds before. They won at Alabama in 2023. They won at Michigan and Arkansas, another old rival, this year. The Longhorns have won 10 in a row on an opponent’s home field. “When the hate is on us, we love it. We enjoy it,” Taaffe said. But some former Texas players say the current group has faced nothing like what awaits them in College Station. Playing at Texas A&M is more than just noise and a lot of “Horns down” hand signals. The “Aggie War Hymn” fight song calls for Aggies to “Saw varsity’s horns off.” Beating Texas is their passion, said former Longhorns All-American offensive lineman Dan Neil, who won at Texas A&M in in 1995. He calls that win one of the best of his career. “I was done showering and getting ready to leave, and their fans were still standing outside the locker room screaming and throwing things,” he said. “The (Texas) players have no idea what they are walking into. They have no clue. No one on that team has walked into that stadium in burnt orange.” The rivalry broke up when Texas A&M left the Big 12 for the SEC in 2012. The Aggies have twice finished tied for second but have otherwise found little success there. Texas is in its first year in the SEC and has smashed its way to the top. Texas is the only SEC team with one loss this late in the season, which would make beating Texas that much sweeter for A&M. “The hype is definitely saying it’s a rivalry. History says it’s a rivalry, but for us, it’s the football game we have this week,” Texas senior center Jake Majors said. “It’s important for us to not let the environment, the game, get the best of us. ... I get to go out there and play not only for me and my team, but for the guys who came before me, so that’s a true honor to have.” Even though the game hasn’t been played since 2011, there has always been an element of the rivalry simmering under the surface, Texas A&M coach Mike Elko said. Elko is in his first year as the Aggies’ coach, but he was the Texas A&M defensive coordinator under Jimbo Fisher from 2018-2021. “Even though it hasn’t been played, it just doesn’t feel like it’s ever really left the fabric. I really don’t think it’s as removed from the psyche as maybe it feels,” Elko said. “I think our kids are very much aware of what this is all about.” ___ Rieken reported from College Station, Texas. ___ Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here . AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-football

In today’s newsletter, Isaac Chotiner on the personal over the Presidency. And then: Amanda Petrusich on the best albums of 2024 John C. Reilly’s tears of a clown The meditative organ soundscapes of Kali Malone Biden’s Pardon of Hunter Further Undermines His Legacy By granting clemency to his son, the President put his family above the American people. In pardoning his son Hunter, Joe Biden “has once again forced Americans to ask whether he is acting in the national interest, or in response to private whims and grievances,” Isaac Chotiner writes . And the effects of his choice could very well outlast this moment in history. “Biden’s decision allows Republicans to engage in the same cynicism about the system being rigged and corrupt, and Trump being no different than any other politician, that they have engaged in for nearly a decade,” Chotiner adds. “This couldn’t be further from the truth—especially the part about Trump’s corruption and self-dealing being no different from the norm—but Biden is doing the work of people who want to wreck the best aspects of America’s democratic ethos.” Read the story » The Year in Review The Best Albums of 2024 It’s possible that I listened to more music this year than any other. I lost interest in podcasts. I lost interest in silence. There was too much extraordinary work out there, Amanda Petrusich writes . The Meditative Organ Soundscapes of Kali Malone John C. Reilly’s Lovelorn Alter Ego Daily Cartoon Link copied Play today’s challenging puzzle. A clue: Inscription hidden twice on Washington, D.C.,’s World War II Memorial. Thirteen letters. Sketchbook: Highly Successful Insomniacs P.S. Anyone can find twenty per cent off a blender on Cyber Monday. The real deal hunters are on the lookout for bigger game. In 2022, Adam Iscoe wrote about how New York’s municipalities were offering items at rock-bottom discounts , including fire hoses, a pair of Nikes given to Mayor Bloomberg as a gift, and a school bus without working brakes. 🚌China urges local governments to give cash handouts for New YearNICEVILLE, Fla. (AP) — Aaliyah Nye scored 15 points and No. 23 Alabama coasted to an 83-33 win over Alabama State on Monday at the Emerald Coast Classic. Sarah Ashlee Barker and Karly Weathers both added 12 points for the Crimson Tide (7-0). Zaay Green had 11. Barker, Weathers and Green combined to go 12 of 16 from the field as Alabama shot 51% and made 23 of 34 free throws. Cordasia Harris had eight points for the Hornets (2-3), who shot 27.5% and had 28 turnovers while being outrebounded by 17. Alabama entered ranked 17th in scoring offense through the first two weeks of the season, averaging 87.3 points per game. Barker opened the scoring and contributed another layup before her 3-pointer made it 14-0. The Tide led 26-8 after one quarter. Alabama also had a 13-2 run in the second quarter and Weathers had a buzzer-beating 3-pointer to lead 46-20 at halftime. Alabama plays the winner of UAB-Clemson on Tuesday and the Hornets face the loser. ___ Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here . AP women’s college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-womens-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/womens-college-basketball

No. 23 Alabama women beat Alabama State 83-33 at Emerald Coast Classic

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Herbert tosses 3 TD passes and Chargers secure a playoff spot with a 40-7 rout of PatriotsSri Lanka’s economic indicators including international ratings would be upgraded and people will start reaping economic benefits from the end of next year, said Deputy Minister of Economic Development, Anil Jayantha Fernando at a media briefing at the Finance Ministry on Thursday. “Economic stabilisation is key to take the country out of the abyss created by past regimes. At the time the Government assumed office those responsible for the crisis had unilaterally suspended external debt servicing in April 2022, entered into IMF program for Extended fund facility (EFF) of approximately USD 3 billion over a period of four years to be received in eight installments, and paddled through the IMF program and debt restructuring process connected to in in line with debt sustainability analysis connected to it,” he said. These efforts toward financial stability have been independently acknowledged by third parties, including rating agencies which have upgraded the ratings by several notches, which was only possible due to the correct prioritisation and implementation of economic stabilisation measures. “However, after, considering both pros and cons of the context prevailed at that time in terms of social, political and economic perspective, the government proceeded with the options in the best interest of the people of the country.” In the lead-up to the board approval from the IMF, the government is engaging with necessary stakeholders to obtain the next tranche of the EFF. It consists of domestic and external restructuring Domestic debt restructuring was completed in July 2023. External restructuring excludes multilateral creditors on various grounds and arguments. The rest consists of official bilateral debt and private ISB holders.

Tributes pour in for 'beloved husband' of Councillor killed in horror Christmas crashNICEVILLE, Fla. (AP) — Aaliyah Nye scored 15 points and No. 23 Alabama coasted to an 83-33 win over Alabama State on Monday at the Emerald Coast Classic. Sarah Ashlee Barker and Karly Weathers both added 12 points for the Crimson Tide (7-0). Zaay Green had 11. Barker, Weathers and Green combined to go 12 of 16 from the field as Alabama shot 51% and made 23 of 34 free throws.

TORONTO (AP) — Prime Minister Justin Trudeau told Donald Trump that Americans would also suffer if the president-elect follows through on a plan to impose sweeping tariffs on Canadian products , a Canadian minister who attended their recent dinner said Monday. Trump threatened to impose tariffs on products from Canada and Mexico if they don’t stop what he called the flow of drugs and migrants across their borders with the United States. He said on social media last week that he would impose a 25% tax on all products entering the U.S. from Canada and Mexico as one of his first executive orders. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings. Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup. Error! There was an error processing your request. Get the latest need-to-know information delivered to your inbox as it happens. Our flagship newsletter. Get our front page stories each morning as well as the latest updates each afternoon during the week + more in-depth weekend editions on Saturdays & Sundays.MacroGenics to Participate in Upcoming Investor ConferenceThis was another busy week for Bayern Munich loanees with a few of their teams active in European competitions. Unfortunately the only team that won in European play this week was Sturm Graz, but Zvonarek has been missing from their squad the last few matchdays. On the women’s side, it was a relatively calm week, as only one loanee — Natalia Padilla — was called into their national team for this week’s international window, but she had a huge impact in an important game. FC Bayern Munich There are nine players on loan from the first team. Germany – Bundesliga There are five players on loan in the German Bundesliga: Alexander Nübel, Franz Krätzig, Paul Wanner, Armando Sieb, and Gabriel Vidović. Alexander Nübel – VfB Stuttgart Nübel and Stuttgart did not have a pleasant trip to Serbia this week. Against Red Star Belgrade, Nübel only produced two saves but gave up a total of five goals. He was also credited with an error that directly led one of the goals. Not a great night for Stuttgart, even after they took an early 1-0 lead in the fifth minute. Red Star’s five unanswered goals brought the final score to 5-1 in favor of the hosts. In the return to Germany and to league play, Stuttgart was away to Werder Bremen. Stuttgart started in goal and went the full 90 minutes. His stats were almost opposite of the midweek Champions League match — he saved four attempts on goal and only allowed two goals. Stuttgart equalized twice, but was unable to find a winner, so they split the points on the road with a 2-2 draw. Stuttgart will be on the road to Jahn Regensburg — who sit at bottom of the 2. Bundesliga table at the moment — in the DFB-Pokal on Tuesday. They will finally be back home on Friday to take on Union Berlin. Franz Krätzig – VfB Stuttgart Krätzig was not in the lineups for either of the games this week, nor did he appear for the second team in the 3. Liga. Paul Wanner – 1.FC Heidenheim Heidenheim had the pleasure of playing two matches at home this week, but neither of them went well. On Thursday, they hosted Chelsea in the Conference League. Although they held the once European champions scoreless through the first half, they fell 2-0. Wanner had three shots on goal throughout the 90 minutes he played and also had a shot blocked. He had one chance created, but missed a big chance to score in his attempts to help his team find a goal. Wanner (10) attempts to take the ball from Chelsea’s Jadon Sancho Photo by Alexander Hassenstein/Getty Images Wanner started again for Heidenheim on Sunday as they welcomed Frankfurt in league play. He was unable to get a shot off or create a chance for his teammates to shoot in the first half, and was subbed off at the break when his team was down just 1-0. Wanner would watch his team concede three more goals without scoring any to bring the final score to 4-0. Heidenheim — already out of the Pokal — will only travel to Munich to face Bayern on Saturday. Armando Sieb – 1. FSV Mainz 05 Two early goals were enough to give Mainz a home win against Hoffenheim. Sieb was on the bench, but did not come onto the pitch until one minute into stoppage time. Even with a 2-0 lead Sieb was hungry. With just three touches, he shot three times — one was on target and the other two went just wide. The match ended with a 2-0 win. Mainz will travel to face Wolfsburg in league play on Sunday. Gabriel Vidović – 1. FSV Mainz 05 Vidović is still on the injury list with his ankle injury, but last week’s prognosis was probably too positive. It was hopeful that he could return mid December, but now he is listed to be out until late February. Spain – LaLiga Bryan Zaragoza is the only player on loan to Spain’s LaLiga. Bryan Zaragoza – CA Osasuna Osasuna has not played since last writing. They will travel to face Sevilla on Monday. They will also be on the road to AD Cueta FC in the Copa del Ray before hosting Deportivo Alaves in league play on Sunday. Austria – Bundesliga Lovro Zvonarek is the only player from the first team on loan to the Austrian Bundesliga. Lovro Zvonarek – Sturm Graz Zvonarek was not on the matchday squad for Sturm Graz’ Champions League 1-0 win over Girona — the first win in over 20 years and the first points earned in this campaign. He was also missing in action for the 1-1 road draw against Altach. Sturm Graz will be on the road against WSG Tirol on Saturday. Germany – 2. Bundesliga Maurice Krattenmacher is the only player from the first team on loan to the 2. Bundesliga Maurice Krattenmacher – SSV Ulm 1846 Krattenmacher started for Ulm against Greuther Fürth on Sunday. Former Bayern product, Julian Green started the scoring for Fürth from the penalty spot. Though Krattenmacher was unable to record a short or create a chance for his teammates to shoot, he was taken down in the box to earn a penalty, which his teammate converted in stoppage time of the first half. Krattenmacher was subbed off in the 88th minute. The final score was 1-1 from the first half penalties. Ulm have drawn the last five matches and are winless in seven matches. They will face Lee’s Hannover 96 on the road on Saturday. Germany – 3. Liga Gibson Nana Adu is the only player on loan from the first team in the 3. Liga. Gibson Nana Adu – Unterhaching Adu started for Unterhaching against league leaders Energie Cottbus on the road. He and his teammates were unable to find a goal in the first half, but went down 1-0 in the first half. An Unterhaching own goal made it 2-0 just before Adu was subbed off. The final score would be 2-0. Unterhaching will host Hannover 96 II on Saturday. FC Bayern Munich II There are twelve players on loan from the second team. Germany – 2. Bundesliga Hyun-ju Lee is the only player from the second team loaned out to the 2. Bundesliga Hyun-ju Lee – Hannover 96 Lee was on the bench to see his team go down a goal and a man before rescuing a point on the road via a Köln own goal in the 88th minute, but never made it onto the pitch for the 2-2 draw. Hannover will host Ulm and Krattenmacher on Saturday. Germany – 3. Liga Max Scholze is the only player from the second team on loan to the 3. Liga Max Scholze – SC Verl Scholze was on the bench for SC Verl’s 5-2 road win against Erzgebirge Aue, but did not make it onto the pitch. Verl will host Saarbrücken on Friday. Germany – Regionalliga There are six players Regionalliga teams: Lukas Schneller and Marko Popović in Regionalliga Bayern, Luka Parkadge and Robert Deziel Jr in Regionalliga Nordost, and Yousef Qashi and Benedikt Wimmer in Regionalliga West. Lukas Schneller – Schweinfurt 05 Schneller started in goal and played the full 90 minutes as usual for Schweinfurt. He kept the clean sheet, but unfortunately his teammates were unable to score and they split the points with a 0-0 draw. Schneller and Schweinfurt go into the winter break atop Regionalliga Bayern with 45 points and a goal differential of 26. They are ahead by three points and have a four point lead over Bayern II. It has been a very successful first half for Schneller and his team. They will return to play in March. Marko Popović – Türkgücü München A match this weekend between Hankofen-Hailing and Türkgücü was postponed. In a stark contrast to Schneller and Schweinfurt, Popović and Türkgücü sit in dead last place with only ten points and a -22 goal differential. They have one more game on Saturday, against Greuther Fürth II. Luka Parkadze – Altglienicke The match between Altglienicke and FSV 63 Luckenwalde was postponed this weekend. Robert Deziel Jr – Altglienicke Altglienicke will travel to Leipzig to take on league leaders, 1.FC Lok Leipzig. Yousef Qashi – Wupertaler SV Qashi was on the bench for the start of the match between Wupertaler SV and FC Gütersloh. He entered the match in the 64th minute with his team already up two goals and the scoreline would not change. Benedikt Wimmer – Wupertaler SV Wimmer started for Wupertaler and played the full 90 minutes. He was able to help the defense keep the shutout, while the attack scored two goals and together earned a 2-0 win for the home team. Wupertaler will host Türkspor Dortmund on Saturday. Austria – Bundesliga Matteo Pérez Vinlöf is the only player on loan to the Austrian Bundesliga from the second team. Matteo Pérez Vinlöf – Austria Wien Vinlöf started for Austria Wien away to LASK. He completed 86% of his passes — misplaying just three passes. He had created one chance for his teammates to shoot. His only shot came from outside the box — but was blocked — and was recorded just a minute before he was subbed out. Austria Wien earned a 3-1 road win. Austria Wien will host Altach on Sunday. Austria – 2. Liga Tom Hülsmann is the only player on loan to the Austrian 2. Liga from the second team Tom Hülsmann – SKN St. Pölten Hülsmann started in goal for St. Pölten at home against SV Laffnitz. He faced five shots on goal and saved all five of them to keep a clean sheet. His teammates scored two goals and benefited from a own goal to win 3-0. St. Pölten will host Florisdorfer AC on Friday. Netherlands – Kampioen Divisie David Jonathans is the only player on loan to the Dutch Kampioen Divisie. David Jonathans – FC Den Bosch Jonathans was on the bench for Den Bosch’s 2-3 home loss, but did not make it onto the pitch. Den Bosch will travel to face Helmond Sport on Friday. Portugal – Liga Potugal Taichi Fukui is the only player on loan in Liga Portugal. Taichi Fukui – FC Arouca Fukui was on the bench, but did not make it onto the pitch for Arouca’s 2-0 home loss against Benfica. Arouca be on the road against Estrela da Amadora on Monday, December 9. FC Bayern Frauen There are five players on loan from FC Bayern’s Frauen team. Germany — Frauen-Bundesliga Karólína Lea Vilhjálmsdóttir is the only player on loan in the Frauen-Bundesliga. Karólína Lea Vilhjálmsdóttir – Bayer 04 Leverkusen Vilhjálmsdóttir was not with her national team for this international window. Bayer Leverkusen will host league leaders Wolfsburg on Friday. England – Women’s Super League Jill Baijings is the only player on loan to the Women’s Super League. Jill Baijings – Aston Villa Baijings was not with the Netherlands for international duty this week. Villa will travel to London to face Arsenal on Sunday. Spain – Primera División Femenina Natalia Padilla is the only player on loan to the Primera División Femenina. Natalia Padilla – FC Sevilla Padilla is with the Polish National Team for the final round of W Euro 2025 Qualification. The first leg against Austria was Friday in Poland. Padilla started and scored the match’s lone goal in the 57th minute to give them the win and the advantage going into the second leg. Padilla (19) celebrates her goal with her teammates Photo by Mateusz Slodkowski/Getty Images The next leg will be on Tuesday in the Generalli Arena in Vienna. Just four days later, her club, Sevilla, will travel to take on Real Madrid in a return to club action. Italy – Serie A Cecilía Rán Rúnarsdóttir is the only player on loan to Serie A Cecilía Rán Rúnarsdóttir – Inter Milan Rúnarsdóttir was not with Iceland this international break. Inter are “away” to AC Milan on Sunday. Looking for an extended breakdown of Bayern Munich’s DFB-Pokal showdown with Bayer Leverkusen? Then check out our latest Bavarian Podcast Works Show on Patreon , Spotify , or below: Support Bavarian Podcast Works on Patreon! If you like our podcasts and want more, or just want to listen our episodes ad-free, then support us on Patreon! Every single dollar will be used to help boost the coverage of the team we all love. Mia San Mia. DONATE NOW! Related How will Bayern Munich replace Harry Kane? Vincent Kompany hints that some squad players will do so Manuel Neuer says “focused”, “analytical” Vincent Kompany made difference for Bayern Munich in second half vs. BVB Injury Update: Bad news — Bayern Munich star Harry Kane’s hamstring issue could sideline him for two weeks

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(All times Eastern) Schedule subject to change and/or blackouts Sunday, Dec. 29 COLLEGE BASKETBALL (MEN’S) Noon BTN — Indiana St. at Ohio St. 1 p.m. PEACOCK — Penn at Penn St. 1:30 p.m. PEACOCK — Northeastern at Northwestern 2 p.m. BTN — Chicago St. at Illinois PEACOCK — Morgan St. at Minnesota 3 p.m. ESPNU — Buffalo at Temple PEACOCK — NJIT at Washington 4 p.m. BTN — Winthrop at Indiana 6 p.m. BTN — Toledo at Purdue 8 p.m. ACCN — Campbell at North Carolina BTN — W. Kentucky at Michigan COLLEGE BASKETBALL (WOMEN’S) Noon ACCN — Virginia at Notre Dame, Noon SECN — Alabama A&M at Vanderbitl 1 p.m. ESPN2 — South Florida at Rice 2 p.m. ACCN — Louisville at Boston College SECN — Wofford at South Carolina 4 p.m. ACCN — North Carolina at Miami SECN — Texas Rio Grande Valley at Texas 6 p.m. ACCN — Clemson at NC State 10 p.m. BTN — Michigan at Southern Cal HORSE RACING 3 p.m. FS1 — NYRA: America’s Day at the Races IIHF HOCKEY (MEN’S) Noon NHLN — World Junior Championship Group Stage: Switzerland vs. Sweden, Group B, Toronto 2:30 p.m. NHLN — World Junior Championship Group Stage: U.S. vs. Finland, Group A, Ottawa, Ontario 5 p.m. NHLN — World Junior Championship Group Stage: Czechia vs. Slovakia, Group B, Toronto 7:30 p.m. NHLN — World Junior Championship Group Stage: Canada vs. Germany, Group A, Ottawa, Ontario NBA G-LEAGUE BASKETBALL 2 p.m. NBATV — Osceola at Raptors 905 NFL FOOTBALL 1 p.m. CBS — Regional Coverage: N.Y. Jets at Buffalo, Carolina at Tampa Bay, Tennessee at Jacksonville FOX — Regional Coverage: Las Vegas at New Orleans, Indianapolis at N.Y. Giants, Dallas at Philadelphia 4:05 p.m. CBS — Miami at Cleveland 4:25 p.m. FOX — Green Bay at Minnesota 8:20 p.m. NBC — Atlanta at Washington PEACOCK — Atlanta at Washington NHL HOCKEY 8:30 p.m. ESPN — Dallas at Chicago SOCCER (MEN’S) 10 a.m. USA — Premier League: Nottingham Forest at Everton 12:15 p.m. USA — Premier League: Liverpool at West Ham United 12:40 p.m. CBSSN — English League Championship: Leeds United at Derby Country TENNIS 6 a.m. TENNIS — Brisbane-ATP/WTA Early Rounds 6:30 p.m. TENNIS — United Cup: Britain v. Argentina; Brisbane-ATP/WTA Early Rounds; Hong Kong-ATP, Auckland-WTA Early Rounds 6 a.m. (Monday) TENNIS — Brisbane-ATP/WTA Early Rounds The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive TV listings provided by LiveSportsOnTV .One of my favorite open-ear headphones just hit an all-time low price

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Contentious COP29 deal shows climate cooperation fraying at edges BAKU: When COP29 President Mukhtar Babayev stepped to the podium at the closing meeting of the Baku climate summit on Sunday morning, hoping to clinch a hard-fought agreement on global climate finance, he carried with him two speeches. One was crafted around a hoped-for deal being struck, while the other for the possibility of a summit-collapsing impasse, according to two sources familiar with the matter who spoke to Reuters on condition of anonymity. “Yes, we had prepared different variations of the speech for various scenarios, but as we stepped onto the stage, we were confident in our success,” said one of the sources, an official in the COP29 presidency. In the end, Babayev managed to gavel through the $300 billion finance plan to help developing nations cope with the soaring costs of global warming over the next decade before critics had time to object, allowing him to read the more positive speech.He praised the agreement as a breakthrough and shamed the deal’s doubters as “wrong”, even as many of the climate deal’s intended recipients slammed it as woefully inadequate. Babayev’s preparation for different outcomes at the divisive summit in the Caspian Sea nation of Azerbaijan reflected what many in the audience had already known before it began: the Baku climate talks were never going to go smoothly. Expectations for a deal were depressed by worries of a looming US withdrawal from global climate cooperation, geopolitical turmoil, and a rise of isolationist politics that had shunted climate change off much of the world’s top priorities list. Those obstacles loomed large in Baku and will continue to overshadow global climate efforts in the months ahead as Brazil prepares for next year’s much broader conference in the Amazon rainforest city of Belem -- where the world will plot a years-long course for steeper emissions cuts and building resilience in the fight against climate change. “Multilateralism as a whole is under threat,” said Eliot Whittington, chief systems change officer at the Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership. “Indeed, the UNFCCC is probably the bright spot -- proving that even in the face of incredibly hostile geopolitics and on fundamentally difficult questions, a deal can be made,” he said, referring to the UN body sponsoring the annual climate summit. But the slow pace of progress, with global emissions still rising, has raised tensions and calls for reform.“This is something that needs to be looked at, when just a handful of countries, based on their own economic interests, can almost wreck the entire process,” Sierra Leone Environment Minister Jiwoh Abdulai told Reuters. TRUMP EFFECT Among the biggest factors clouding the negotiations in Baku was the looming return of climate sceptic Donald Trump as president of the US, the world’s biggest economy, largest historical emitter of greenhouse gases, and top producer of oil and gas. Trump, who takes office in January, has pledged to withdraw the US from the global Paris Agreement on climate change, as he did during his first 2017-2021 term in the White House, and has called climate change a hoax. Negotiators at the Baku conference said that while the US delegation had helped in coming up with the climate finance deal, the country was unable to take a high-profile leadership role like it has in past climate summits, and it could not provide assurances the next administration would honour its pledges. “With the United States, well, the voters have voted and that’s the way it is. What they’re going to do, we do not know,” South African Environment Minister Dion George said. US officials at the COP29 conference sought to reassure global partners that market forces, existing federal subsidies, and state mandates would ensure continued renewable energy deployment even if Trump disengages from the global process. The war in Ukraine and rising conflict in the Middle East, meanwhile, have diverted global attention to security and energy availability, and led many governments to tighten their purse strings, experts said. That made getting a bigger climate finance number hard, observers to the talks said. “Even maintaining climate finance at current levels in the current political environment is a huge fight,” said Joe Thwaites, senior advocate on international climate finance at the Natural Resources Defense Council, an environmental group. The agreement to provide $300 billion annually by 2035 would theoretically triple rich countries’ previous commitments to provide $100 billion by 2020. That earlier goal was reached in full only in 2022, and expires in 2025. The unwillingness of wealthy countries to offer more money and the pressure to conclude even a weak deal ahead of more political turbulence became a major source of frustration for the Least Developed Countries and small island states, who told the Baku conference they felt sidelined in the negotiations. At one point in the summit’s final stretch, negotiating blocs representing both groups walked out of talks in protest, delaying a deal by hours.“We came in good faith, with the safety of our communities and the well-being of the world at heart,” Tina Stege, the climate envoy for the Marshall Islands, said at the closing plenary. “Yet, we have seen the very worst of political opportunism here at this COP, playing games with the lives of the world’s most vulnerable people.”India’s envoy, Chandni Raina, used her time to roundly reject the climate finance deal gaveled through by Babayev. “We are disappointed in the outcome which clearly brings out the unwillingness of the developed country parties to fulfil their responsibilities,” she told the summit. Climate advocates said that, while the deal is better than an outright impasse, the rifts exposed by the conference as well as the loss of trust in the process among poorer countries will pose a problem for Brazil as it prepares for COP30. “I think this is a toxic chalice for Belem, and it’s going to be up to Brazil how they’re going to restore the trust,” said Oscar Sorria, director of the Common Initiative, a think tank focused on global financial reform.I visited UK’s strictest pub... there’s a no phone policy & coats go on a hook – but one rule went too farIran takes first steps toward easing its broad social media bans