UN Climate Deal, Diabetes Study, & Thanksgiving Meal Cost

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Adam Rogers
November 24, 2025

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Negotiators at UN climate talks in Brazil reached an agreement that boosts funding to help vulnerable countries adapt to worsening extreme weather, tripling the goal to $120 billion a year. However, the deal omits any commitment to phase out fossil fuels or strengthen weak national emissions plans, omissions that dozens of countries had demanded.
Colombia and several others blasted the final text for excluding references to fossil fuels and ignoring scientific warnings. Delegates from the EU, Canada, and Latin America also objected to last-minute changes that weakened climate-adaptation benchmarks, saying they weren’t allowed to raise concerns before the deal was pushed through.
Many nations said the package offers only modest progress at a moment when global warming is on track to exceed the 1.5°C Paris goal. Vulnerable countries warned that delaying key funding timelines leaves them exposed to worsening storms, heat, and flooding.

Stanford researchers developed a treatment that prevented and reversed type 1 diabetes in mice by creating a hybrid immune system using cells from both patient and donor. The transplanted cells coexisted without immunosuppressive drugs for at least four months, much longer than current approaches.
Type 1 diabetes occurs when the immune system attacks insulin-producing cells in the pancreas. Transplanted healthy cells typically face the same attack. The new treatment prepares the patient's immune system with radiation and antibodies, then transplants both blood stem cells and insulin-producing cells from a donor. This combination teaches the body to accept the donor cells as its own.
The method could eventually help people with type 1 diabetes or those needing organ transplants, though challenges remain. The required cells can only be donated after death and must come from the same donor. Researchers are exploring lab-grown stem-cell alternatives to address the supply limitation.

Three major internet outages in one month disrupted services for millions. Cloudflare, Amazon Web Services, and Microsoft Azure each crashed in recent weeks, affecting everything from X and Discord to Roblox, airline check-ins, and Ring cameras.
Each outage stemmed from minor software glitches that caused widespread disruptions because so many businesses rely on a handful of cloud providers. As more critical infrastructure moves to the cloud, future failures could affect healthcare systems, emergency services, and financial networks.
Policymakers and tech insiders say dependence on a few cloud providers has become a market and national-security risk. Sen. Elizabeth Warren and consumer advocates are pushing for investigations and stronger oversight of what they call an increasingly fragile digital backbone.

Kilauea volcano sent fresh lava flows across Hawaii Volcanoes National Park over the weekend, as scientists warn another eruption is imminent. The activity poses no threat to homes. (More)

Florida Republicans are breaking with Trump after his administration proposed reopening offshore drilling in the eastern Gulf, saying it threatens the state’s tourism, environment, and military training. (More)

The "Department of Government Efficiency," created to cut federal spending, has been dissolved eight months early after officials confirmed it "doesn't exist.” (More)

Colombia seized 14 tons of cocaine at its main Pacific port, the country's largest bust in a decade. The $388 million capture will prevent 35 million doses from reaching markets. (More)

Pope Leo XIV changed Vatican law to let women and non-cardinals lead Vatican City administration after Sister Raffaella Petrini's appointment as the first woman in the role faced legal barriers. (More)

Israel struck Beirut Sunday, killing Hezbollah commander Haytham Ali Tabatabai, its first attack there in five months. (More)

US stock markets closed higher on Friday (S&P +0.98%, Nasdaq +0.88%, Dow +1.08%). Stocks rebounded after New York Federal Reserve President John Williams said the Fed could cut interest rates in December. (More)

Crypto brokers must now report transactions to the IRS starting in the 2025 tax year, making tax avoidance harder. (More)

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the US won't face recession in 2026 despite current struggles, though polls show two-thirds of voters think Trump's economic policies have fallen short. (More)

Dak Prescott became the Dallas Cowboys' all-time passing yards leader during Sunday's 24-21 win over Philadelphia, surpassing Tony Romo's 34,183 yards. (More)

Universal's "Wicked: For Good" made $150 million domestically, breaking Broadway adaptation records and landing 2025's second-biggest debut behind only April's "Minecraft Movie" at $163 million. (More)

Rose Lavelle scored in the 80th minute as eighth-seeded Gotham FC upset Washington Spirit 1-0 to win their second NWSL championship, becoming the first eighth seed to capture the title. (More)

Waymo got approval to operate robotaxis across most of California, expanding beyond its current San Francisco and LA service, with San Diego rides launching mid-2026. (More)

Archaeologists found a 1,500-year-old board game built into a Mayan floor in Guatemala using 478 ceramic pieces. (More)

A study of 12,000 kids found heavy screen time at ages 9-10 worsens ADHD symptoms by age 11-12. Brain scans showed that screens shrink areas controlling attention and reward processing. (More)

Watch: What happens in your brain when you can’t remember a word.

The average cost of a Thanksgiving meal for 10 people is down to $55.18.

A pocket watch from the Titanic sold for $2.3M.

Gen Z may be more prepared for retirement than baby boomers.

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