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Ben Elgin

@benelgin.bsky.social
5.5K followers 923 following 89 posts

Climate reporter for Bloomberg News

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Reposted by Ben Elgin
Femke van Zeijl @femkevanzeijl.bsky.social · 16h
"From Niger Delta to the Omani desert to the arid plains of Patagonia, companies are trumpeting success even as their flares burn day in and day out" - Investigation Bloomberg News/The Examination: gas flaring increased worldwide despite oil industry's promises. www.bloomberg.com/news/feature...
bloomberg.com
The Oil Industry Won’t Stop One of Its Dirtiest Practices, Even After Pledges
Exxon, Occidental and Diamondback are among those touting efforts to end routine gas flaring, but their flames keep spewing pollution around the world.
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Reposted by Ben Elgin
Moms Clean Air Force @momscleanairforce.org · 06/10/2026
🔥 A grandma in West Texas keeps her granddaughters inside because of the 65-foot gas flare burning 500 feet away. Companies promised to end this by 2030. Global flaring is up 9% instead. www.bloomberg.com/news/feature...
bloomberg.com
Toxic Flames Next Door: Persistent Gas Flares Undercut Oil Industry Pledges
Exxon, Occidental and Diamondback are among those touting efforts to end routine gas flaring, but their flames keep spewing pollution around the world.
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Reposted by Ben Elgin
Dr. Genevieve Guenther (she/they) @doctorvive.bsky.social · 06/10/2026
"Flaring" is a major contributor to global heating. Flames at oil sites worldwide burn enough methane each year to supply about half of Europe’s annual gas consumption. The flares also spew soot, nitrogen oxides & benzine. Since oil majors pledged to end flaring, it's risen 9%. 1/2
Flares keep burning
By Will Evans and Ben Elgin Norma Lopez Cadena tries to keep her granddaughters indoors - out of sight
from the 65-foot flare burning excess gas from more than a dozen oil wells. At night, she says, the flare rattles the house from about 500 feet away and wakes her family. When the wind shifts, it smells like burnt rubber. The flare tormenting Lopez Cadena towers over the quiet West Texas neighborhood of South Ranchito, in the heart of the oil-producing Permian Basin, where it dances in the breeze day after day like an oversized lighter. When the gas flow
increases, it swells into a thick yellow and sounds like a blowtorch.
"Nobody wants to live next to that," she says.
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Sasha Chavkin @sashachavkin.bsky.social · 06/10/2026
"From the Niger Delta to the Omani desert to the arid plains of Patagonia, companies are trumpeting success even as their flares burn day in and day out" New investigation from @willevans.bsky.social @theexamination.org @bloomberg.com reveals the empty promises of the "Zero Routing Flaring" program
theexamination.org
Oil companies say they're ending routine gas flaring. Satellite data tell a different story.
Exxon, Occidental and Diamondback are among those touting efforts to end routine gas flaring, but their flames keep spewing pollution around the world.
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Reposted by Ben Elgin
The Examination @theexamination.org · 05/10/2026
Oil giants pledged to end routine flaring — burning off unwanted gas — by 2030. But satellites show they’re still flaring, and the World Bank said they could keep doing so if stopping wasn't profitable. Our investigation with Bloomberg News ⤵️
theexamination.org
Oil companies say they're ending routine gas flaring. Satellite data tell a different story.
Exxon, Occidental and Diamondback are among those touting efforts to end routine gas flaring, but their flames keep spewing pollution around the world.
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Reposted by Ben Elgin
Bloomberg News @bloomberg.com · 05/10/2026
The oil industry promised to slash one of its dirtiest practices — burning off excess gas. Satellite images show flares are still going strong worldwide. Read the investigation with @theexamination.org
bloom.bg
Toxic Flames Next Door: Persistent Gas Flares Undercut Oil Industry Pledges
Exxon, Occidental and Diamondback are among those touting efforts to end routine gas flaring, but their flames keep spewing pollution around the world.
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Reposted by Ben Elgin
Eric Lipton NYT @ericlipton.nytimes.com · 27/09/2026
What an odd moment in United States history. A U.S. president is running an overtly political camaign advertisement, right before midterm elections, paid for by the U.S. government. Trump appears to believe he is immune from any kind of legal limit. www.nytimes.com/2026/09/27/u...
nytimes.com
A Trump 2024 Campaign Ad Returns, Now Brought to You by the Government (Gift Article)
The ad, which ethics experts said could violate federal law, shows Mr. Trump vowing to “expel the warmongers” from the government and fight the “deep state,” even as he wages a war with Iran.
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Clara Jeffery @clarajeffery.bsky.social · 14/09/2026
1/ This @propublica.org story is just gobsmacking. As table stakes: why does a family of billionaires need help paying for weddings? And why would they accept from Russian oligarch with ties to Putin and FSB? www.propublica.org/article/dona...
propublica.org
Donald Trump Jr.’s Wedding Bankrolled by Putin-Linked Russian Oligarch
The oligarch, Umar Kremlev, spent hundreds of thousands on expenses like renting out a private island. He appears to have met Trump Jr. only recently, but he attended the intimate wedding with a large...
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Ben Elgin @benelgin.bsky.social · 31/08/2026
Luter seems a little surprising...he played pretty well last week
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Ben Elgin @benelgin.bsky.social · 20/08/2026
My brother's terrific art!
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Bloomberg News @bloomberg.com · 13/08/2026
European airlines surged ahead of US and Asian carriers in their use of sustainable aviation fuel last year, pushed by mandates in the EU and UK.
bloom.bg
Europe Widens Its Lead Over US, Asia in Switch to Cleaner Jet Fuel
The owner of British Airways, Aer Lingus and Iberia purchased more sustainable aviation fuel last year than all US airlines combined.
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Bill Grueskin @bgrueskin.bsky.social · 02/08/2026
This is one deeply reported, beautifully written (or edited) story, and you should find time this Sunday morning to read every word of it. 1/2 Gift link www.nytimes.com/2026/08/02/u...
nytimes.com
How a Top Law Firm Went From Standing Up to Trump to Bending the Knee (Gift Article)
Paul Weiss was a progressive stalwart for decades and led the legal resistance against President Trump in his first term. Then it surrendered without a fight. This is the inside story of its transform...
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Reposted by Ben Elgin
Shams Charania Tweets @shamsbot.bsky.social · 01/08/2026
Free agent Gary Payton II has agreed on a one-year, $3.9 million deal to return to the Golden State Warriors, sources tell ESPN. Payton returns to the Warriors for his seventh year in the Bay Area -- and his 11th NBA season.
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Steven T. Dennis @steventdennis.bsky.social · 29/07/2026
Bad news: The 30-year Treasury yield hit a 19-year high today. 🚨🚨🚨 America's going to have to pay more for its colossal debt, which will soon hit $40 trillion. Interest already tops $1T a year and is growing rapidly. Latest GOP/WH plans would increase the deficit. www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
bloomberg.com
Treasuries Jolted as Fed Hold Trims September Hike Bets
US bond traders lowered their expectations that the Federal Reserve will raise interest rates at its next meeting after officials kept their benchmark steady on Wednesday, while 30-year Treasury yield...
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Reposted by Ben Elgin
Peter Baker @peterbakernyt.bsky.social · 25/07/2026
Have been a member of the @whca.bsky.social almost continuously since the 1990s. Our mission is to defend the First Amendment rights of White House correspondents to report on the president without fear or favor. Unfortunately last night did not advance that cause. Time to rethink the dinner.
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The Associated Press @apnews.com · 17/07/2026
ICE officer who shot Colombian man in Maine has history of threatening behavior and mental illness, family and court documents say.
bit.ly
AP Exclusive: ICE officer in Maine shooting has history of violent behavior, family and records say
The Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer who shot a Colombian man in Maine this week is an Army veteran who has struggled with serious mental health issues since early childhood, according to close relatives who spoke to The Associated Press.
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Andy Kroll @andykroll.bsky.social · 15/07/2026
FCC Officials Took Pricey Gifts From Paramount as the Company Needed Approval for Billion-Dollar Deals www.propublica.org/article/para...
propublica.org
FCC Officials Took Pricey Gifts From Paramount as the Company Needed Approval for Billion-Dollar Deals
Accepting tickets to the Kennedy Center honors gala compromised the commissioners’ impartiality, ethics experts told ProPublica. FCC Chair Brendan Carr has been gifted at least $63,000 worth of ticket...
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Ben Elgin @benelgin.bsky.social · 12/07/2026
WNBA players, meanwhile, seem to have zero hesitancy to speak out on political grounds. Compared to male pro athletes, it is quite a contrast!
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Reposted by Ben Elgin
Walter Olson @walterolson.bsky.social · 09/07/2026
An American story, with remarkable reporting by Adrian Carrasquillo of The Bulwark. Should be a gift link.
open.substack.com
He Lived Here for 35 Years. Put Three Kids in College. ICE Killed Him.
Lorenzo Salgado Araujo was picking up a crew for a construction project when ICE shot him. It now claims he was the aggressor.
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Ben Elgin @benelgin.bsky.social · 08/07/2026
Yep, this is my biggest pet peeve when I'm driving.
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Alex Ip 葉清霖 @alexip718.com · 07/07/2026
BREAKING: in June 2026, *every single one* of the 1,062 refugees admitted in the U.S. were white South Africans. In FY 2026, the U.S. has admitted a total of 7,727 white South Africans, three Afghans (back in November), and nobody else. For reference, the U.S. admitted 100,060 refugees in 2024.
rpc.state.gov
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Pablo Maurer @mlsist.bsky.social · 06/07/2026
US president Donald Trump has done the whole of American soccer a disservice by involving himself in the Balogun red card saga. It's an unsusprising overreach that confirms the negative perceptions many already have about the USA. Me, on @us.theguardian.com: www.theguardian.com/football/202...
theguardian.com
Unwelcome and undue: Trump’s red-card intervention hurts the US’s World Cup more than it helps | Pablo Iglesias Maurer
In pushing Fifa to reverse Folarin Balogun’s suspension, the president did the most American thing possible: assert unasked-for power to get his way
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Reposted by Ben Elgin
Jennie Coughlin @jenniecoughlin.bsky.social · 02/07/2026
Gov. Jared Polis of Colorado on Wednesday fired two members of his clemency board after they spoke out against his decision to commute the prison sentence of the election denier Tina Peters.
nytimes.com
Colorado Governor Fires Officials Who Opposed Freeing Election Denier
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Ben Elgin @benelgin.bsky.social · 25/06/2026
This is just terrific reporting by @themadstone.bsky.social, @amywestervelt.bsky.social and @katieworth.bsky.social Beyond Denial: How Oil Execs Shaped a Landmark Climate Study www.propublica.org/article/wedg...
propublica.org
Beyond Denial: How Oil Execs Shaped a Landmark Climate Study
BP sponsored an elite Princeton research center to address the climate problem without getting off fossil fuels. Its key work, a paper known as “Wedges,” guided climate discourse for a generation.
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Ben Elgin @benelgin.bsky.social · 22/06/2026
So heartbreaking. I spent an entire day w/ my kid at UC Irvine trying to find a safe bike route for her 3-mile journey to campus. It was so unsafe. We ended up riding on sidewalks at least half the time.
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Ben Elgin @benelgin.bsky.social · 10/06/2026
It seems that many years an undrafted rookie makes the final 53-man roster, from Kendrick Bourne a decade ago to Jordan Mason to your guy Evan Anderson. Who's your way-too-early prediction for having the best shot this year? - Ben E.
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Reposted by Ben Elgin
Jon Steinberg @jonsteinberg31.bsky.social · 07/06/2026
The most expensive public school in SF history, Willie Brown Middle was a "shitshow" when it opened in 2015. Today, it's one of SF's most coveted schools, and its turnaround can be credited to one great principal. ✍️by @sarahlacy.com for @sfstandard.com. sfstandard.com/2026/06/06/s...
sfstandard.com
The middle school miracle: How one San Francisco school went from ‘carnage’ to a waitlist
The $54 million Willie Brown Middle School was to be the pride of SFUSD. Then it cracked apart. Now its principal has led a once-unthinkable turnaround.
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Reposted by Ben Elgin
Bill Grueskin @bgrueskin.bsky.social · 18/05/2026
The thesaurus really got a workout on this headline
    U.S.
    Law

Justice Department Creates Unusual $1.8 Billion ‘Anti-Weaponization Fund’
The move comes as Trump drops his lawsuit against the IRS
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Mississippi Free Press @mississippifreepress.org · 02/05/2026
Jack Thornell, a 26-year-old photojournalist for the Associated Press, captured the haunting moment James Meredith pulled himself across the pavement after a surprise shotgun blast sent him to the ground in Hernando, Mississipi, on June 6, 1966. See our gallery of Thornell's Mississippi photos:
buff.ly
Photos | Jack Thornell’s Historic Images of Mississippi During Civil Rights, Camille and More
Associated Press photojournalist Jack Thornell captured Mississippi history. Here are some of his most stunning photos from the 1960s to 1980s.
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Ben Elgin @benelgin.bsky.social · 25/04/2026
Whoa, this is rough. An up-and-coming linebacker (who started very capably all year) for a 5th rounder??
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Ben Elgin @benelgin.bsky.social · 18/04/2026
Pete Hegseth may dismiss it as that "climate change crap," but the Pentagon is still spending gobs of money adapting to a warming planet. Great reporting by @amandakhurley.bsky.social www.bloomberg.com/news/feature...
bloomberg.com
Hegseth Says Climate Change Is ‘Crap.’ The Military Is Still Bracing for It
Climate is now a verboten topic in the Pentagon, but the battle against storms, fires, floods and rising seas hasn’t stopped.
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Ben Elgin @benelgin.bsky.social · 16/04/2026
Great writing, @timkawakami.bsky.social. Love that opening scene.
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Climate Adaptation and Restoration Team @clubadaptation.bsky.social · 14/04/2026
Delta Waters Down Net-Zero Target to an ‘Aspiration’. The airline also erased its green fuel pledge—Delta generated about 60 million tons of heat-trapping emissions in 2024… www.bloomberg.com/news/newslet... @benelgin.bsky.social @bloomberg.com
bloomberg.com
Delta Waters Down Net-Zero Target to an ‘Aspiration’
The airline also erased its green fuel pledge.
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Congresswoman Sara Jacobs @sarajacobs.house.gov · 07/04/2026
The President just threatened genocide. The Joint Chiefs of Staff must disregard any such military orders that violate federal and international law. Republicans in Congress can't hide anymore: we must consider all options – including impeachment – to stop Trump.
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Al Jazeera English @aljazeera.com · 05/04/2026
US satellite firm Planet Labs announces blackout on war on Iran images aje.news/fnp5w7
US satellite firm Planet Labs announces blackout on war on Iran images
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Mike Masnick @masnick.com · 31/03/2026
It was just 24 days between when Zuck went on Rogan and talked about how "never again" would he suppress info based on gov't demands (misrepresenting those demands) and when he texted top gov't employee Elon Musk to say "we're all set up to take down info you want removed." I wrote about it here.
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Carl Quintanilla @carlquintanilla.bsky.social · 30/03/2026
Four-byline alert: 🚨 “.. A broker for Pete Hegseth, the US defence secretary, attempted to make a big investment in major defence companies in the weeks leading up to the US-Israeli attack on Iran, according to three people familiar with the matter.” www.ft.com/content/744e...
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Bill McKibben @billmckibben.bsky.social · 30/03/2026
This looks like a complicated chart, but in fact it's some of the simplest and best news imaginable: batteries are quickly turning night into noon. Worth a read if I say so myself open.substack.com/pub/billmcki...
open.substack.com
Night Into Day
The thing changing the world this year is...batteries.
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Dana Hull @danahull.bsky.social · 30/03/2026
Oakland friends: AMY HILLYARD has been missing since Wednesday. She was last seen near her home in Cleveland Heights--if you have a camera, check your footage!
amy hillyard missing
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Bloomberg News @bloomberg.com · 29/03/2026
US government officials and Wall Street analysis are starting to consdier the prospect that oil prices might surge to an unprecedeted $200 a barrel.
bloom.bg
The Strait of Hormuz Energy Shock Is About to Head to the West
US government officials and Wall Street analysis are starting to consdier the prospect that oil prices might surge to an unprecedeted $200 a barrel.
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Amanda Kolson Hurley @amandakhurley.bsky.social · 20/03/2026
"If a very blue state like New York moves backwards on climate change as well, that’s a negative sign for the country. If you can’t do it here, can you do it anywhere?"-- @michaelgerrard.bsky.social [gift link]
bloomberg.com
Hochul Moves to Weaken Aggressive New York State Climate Law
Citing concerns about affordability, New York Governor Kathy Hochul has proposed revising the state’s 2019 climate law, asking to delay regulations to implement it and to adopt a different greenhouse-...
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Kyle Clark @kylec.bsky.social · 19/03/2026
NEW: President Trump makes four false claims in a 43-word post about Tina Peters. Peters is 70 (not 73), does not have cancer, was sentenced by a judge in Mesa County (not the Governor), and did not expose fraud in the 2020 presidential election.
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Elizabeth Kolbert @elizkolbert.bsky.social · 17/03/2026
Your tax dollars at work: the Trump Administration wants to pay Total $1 billion NOT to build wind farms.
nytimes.com
Trump Officials Weigh New $1 Billion Deal to Stop Offshore Wind Farms
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Brad Lander @bradlander.bsky.social · 12/03/2026
I can't even find the words to express how repugnant and despicable this post is. People who spew such Islamophobic bile don't belong in the United States Congress. The job of elected officials is to combat hate, not fan its flames. (1/2)
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The New York Times @nytimes.com · 11/03/2026
Breaking News: The U.S. was responsible for a missile strike on an Iranian elementary school, an ongoing military investigation found. The inquiry said the strike — which Iranian officials said killed at least 175 people, most of them children — was the result of a targeting mistake.
nyti.ms
U.S. at Fault in Strike on School in Iran, Preliminary Inquiry Says
Outdated targeting data may have resulted in a mistaken missile strike, according to the ongoing military investigation, which undercuts President Trump’s assertion that Iran could be to blame.
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James Fallows @jfallows.bsky.social · 09/03/2026
Imagine the reaction in the US if ~175 schoolgirls had been killed by a targeted Iranian missile. (Or anyone's missile.) This is an atrocity.
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Gregg Levine @greggjlevine.bsky.social · 09/03/2026
The Iranian girls’ school was hit by a US tomahawk cruise missile. NPR has confirmed the footage.
npr.org
Video appears to show U.S. cruise missile striking Iranian school compound
The seven-second video was released by Iranian state media and directly contradicts statements made by President Trump, who said Iran was responsible for the strike.
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