Author: Rachel Maddow

Storm Amy swept across Europe, killing three people and leaving tens of thousands without electricity.Police reported a man died in Letterkenny, Ireland, during a weather-related incident.French officials confirmed two fatalities: one struck by a tree branch, another while swimming near Étretat.The storm disrupted road, rail, and ferry travel across the UK, Ireland, and Scandinavia. France and Belgium Brace for Impact Northern France issued orange alerts as winds reached 131 kph along the coast and 110 kph inland.Storm Amy left 5,000 Normandy homes without power, with outages continuing throughout the day.Belgium faced winds over 100 kph, prompting a Code Orange warning…

Donald Trump welcomed Hamas’s partial agreement, claiming they seemed ready to pursue lasting peace.He demanded Israel immediately halt bombing to allow safe and fast release of hostages.Trump posted updates on social media and released a video thanking Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Egypt, Turkey, and others. Leaders Respond to Peace Proposal Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu confirmed readiness to start the plan’s “first stage,” tied to hostages’ release.Netanyahu later emphasized Israel would follow its original war objectives, avoiding detailed response on Hamas’s position.Egypt and Qatar praised the developments and pledged to continue discussions on the proposed ceasefire plan.UN and French leaders encouraged…

Elon Musk urged his X followers to boycott Netflix over a transgender character in a cartoon.He called the campaign necessary to protect children’s wellbeing.Musk repeatedly criticized Netflix for promoting “woke” content and LGBTQ+ storylines. Social Media Sparks Controversy Musk reposted a Libs of TikTok clip, declaring, “this is not ok.”He labeled Netflix a Trojan horse threatening kids, using memes to amplify his message.Musk previously clashed with his daughter Vivian Wilson over her transition and medical treatment. Netflix Stays Silent Amid Debate Netflix has not responded to Musk’s calls or criticism on social media.The company previously defended its right to free…

OpenAI tapped SK Hynix and Samsung to supply high-bandwidth memory for its $500bn Stargate AI project.SK Hynix shares jumped nearly 10%, and Samsung Electronics rose over 3% after the announcement.Samsung dominates global DRAM and NAND production, while SK Hynix leads in HBM, critical for AI processing. Together, they control more than half of the global memory market, influencing prices, capacity, and innovation.Industry analysts predict the Stargate project will trigger unprecedented investment across the AI supply chain.The collaboration reinforces South Korea’s role as a central player in global semiconductor production. HBM Drives Next-Generation AI Performance High-bandwidth memory allows AI chips to…

Eurozone annual inflation rose to 2.2% in September, up from 2.0% in August, Eurostat reported.Services led the increase with a 3.2% yearly rise, while energy prices declined more slowly at 0.4%.Core inflation stayed steady at 2.3%, signaling that underlying price pressures remain contained. Estonia recorded the region’s highest inflation at 5.2%, followed by Croatia and Slovakia at 4.6%.Cyprus saw no annual change, and France posted a modest 1.1% increase.Italy and Portugal registered monthly price jumps of 1.3% and 1.0%, showing localised acceleration. ECB Maintains Rates Amid Rising Prices The ECB kept interest rates unchanged in September, holding the deposit facility…

Zhimin Qian, 47, tricked over 128,000 victims in China and converted their money into Bitcoin.UK authorities convicted Qian for leading a Bitcoin scam linked to a £5.5 billion seizure.Also called Yadi Zhang, Qian admitted at Southwark Crown Court that she illegally acquired and held cryptocurrency. Escape and Money Laundering Attempt Police said her guilty plea followed a seven-year investigation into international money laundering.From 2014 to 2017, Qian orchestrated a large-scale fraud, stealing funds from thousands of victims and storing them in Bitcoin.She fled China with fake documents and entered the UK, where she tried to launder funds through property purchases…

Researchers tested VER-01, an experimental cannabis extract, on patients suffering persistent lower back pain. Patients reported meaningful reductions in pain scores within months. Unlike smoking cannabis, the extract delivers controlled doses without creating a “high.” Scientists designed VER-01 to relieve pain while minimizing risks of addiction or serious side effects. Chronic lower back pain affects more than 619 million people globally and remains the leading cause of disability. Conventional treatments like opioids carry high addiction potential, and NSAIDs, such as ibuprofen, increase long-term heart and gastrointestinal risks. Effective, safe options remain limited, leaving many patients with inadequate relief. Clinical Trial…

Germany aims to make the Bundeswehr Europe’s strongest conventional army, Chancellor Friedrich Merz announced in May. The government must solve personnel shortages and equip troops quickly with modern weapons. Politico reports Berlin plans €83 billion in procurement, with most orders going to European manufacturers and only eight percent to the US. Germany schedules 154 major defense projects between September 2025 and December 2026 to reduce reliance on American systems. US Dependence Sparks Strategic Concerns Josef Braml warns Germany relied on US weapons as “tribute” for security Washington no longer guarantees. Germany still operates six Patriot air defense systems, though the…

Protesters flooded Berlin on Saturday to support Palestinians and call for an end to the Gaza war. Demonstrators shouted “free, free Palestine” and demanded relief for Gaza’s worsening humanitarian crisis. Police deployed 1,800 officers to monitor the roughly 50,000 participants marching from Alexanderplatz to the Victory Column. Protesters urged Germany to stop exporting weapons to Israel and called for European Union sanctions. Around 50 organizations, including Amnesty International and Die Linke, organized the demonstrations. Police broke up one protest in Kreuzberg over anti-Israel slogans. Counter-Protests and Clashes About 100 people held a pro-Israel rally condemning antisemitism, German broadcaster RBB reported.…

Interpol, the global policing network with 196 member nations, coordinated a major cybercrime crackdown across Africa.Authorities arrested 260 suspects involved in online romance and sextortion scams during July and August operations.The criminals targeted victims by creating fake romantic relationships and demanding money or threatening with explicit images.Investigators identified over 1,400 victims who lost nearly $2.8 million (€2.4 million) to these online fraud networks. Criminal Networks Exploit Digital Platforms Ghanaian authorities detained 68 suspects accused of using fake identities to trick victims into paying false shipment fees.Police said criminals secretly recorded explicit videos to extort money from their targets.Senegalese officers captured…