Five & One: November 29, 2025
Politics & Policy offers a shortened version of things you need to know.
5. Former House Majority Leader convicted of money laundering
A Travis County, Texas jury found former Republican House Majority Leader Tom DeLay guilty of money laundering Friday. Prosecutors argued that DeLay funneled money to Texas legislative candidates through the Republican National Committee, which in turn received money from a DeLay-founded, Texas-based political action committee. The sentencing portion of DeLay’s trial is set to begin December 20, with a possible punishment ranging from 5 to 99 years.
4. Iranian government shows signs of fracture
The Iranian parliament, after proposing impeachment proceedings against President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, has halted them at the direction of the Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei. This attack on Ahmadinejad demonstrates the fractious nature of the Iranian government and may indicate potential for future instability.
3. Irish banks receive record bailout
The European Union is likely to approve a 85 billion Euro plan to help a troubled Irish banking system this week. The European bailout, which will strengthen an Irish government weakened by its September bank guarantees, is larger than the bailout provided to the Greek government in 2008. The Irish government will also receive money from the IMF, making this bailout the largest that the international community has provided in the ongoing global financial crisis.
2. South Korea shows aggression toward the North
The recent North Korean artillery attack on a South Korean island has sparked a firestorm of protest in the South. These protests coincide with increasingly aggressive rhetoric from South Korean officials. This posturing is unusual, as the South has tended to display a more conciliatory attitude in confrontations with the North.
1. Wikileaks releases diplomatic correspondence
Thousands of secret U.S. diplomatic cables obtained by Wikileaks were published by major papers around the world Sunday. The Department of State has been working overtime to control the possible diplomatic damage caused by the publication, while the Pentagon has announced new initiatives to prevent leaks of sensitive and classified information. The Wikileaks website itself was temporarily down on Sunday, which Wikileaks claims was due to a denial-of-service attack motivated by the release of the classified cables.
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0. Color-coded threat levels discontinued
After 8 years of using a color-coded terrorist alert system, the Dept. of Homeland Security has decided to do away with the system. Secretary Napolitano has said that “they don’t tell people what they can do”. The rejection of the largely ignored system will mean little for American security.
