Author: Rachel Maddow

Human Rights Watch urged Friedrich Merz to condemn Turkey’s crackdown on its opposition, including the detention of Istanbul’s mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu.During his first official visit to Ankara, Merz called on Europe to strengthen its strategic partnership with Turkey to meet global challenges.Speaking beside President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, he praised Turkey’s mediation in the wars in Ukraine and Gaza.His visit followed Turkey’s multi-billion-euro deal with the United Kingdom for 20 Eurofighter Typhoon jets.Germany, part of the consortium that builds the aircraft, recently dropped its long opposition to exporting them to Turkey. Defence Cooperation and Regional Disputes Reports indicated that Germany now…

Massive destruction across Gaza has hindered Hamas from retrieving the remaining Israeli hostages’ bodies buried beneath the rubble. On Saturday, Egypt sent its first convoy carrying excavators and bulldozers into the enclave to assist in recovery operations. The U.S.-brokered ceasefire deal requires Israel to return 15 Palestinian prisoners’ bodies for each Israeli hostage body recovered. So far, Israel has handed over 195 Palestinian corpses, while Hamas has returned 18 Israeli bodies. Earlier this month, Hamas released all 20 living hostages. U.S. President Donald Trump said he is “watching very closely” to ensure the bodies are returned within 48 hours. “Some…

The Louvre transferred part of its jewelry collection to the Bank of France’s underground vaults on Friday, French radio network RTL reported. The transfer followed last week’s theft of eight crown jewels, which caused national outrage and renewed scrutiny over museum security. Police escorted the jewelry discreetly through Paris to safeguard the pieces, including those once displayed in the Apollo Gallery. The Bank of France’s vault, located 27 meters beneath its headquarters, already holds 90% of the nation’s gold reserves. Officials said the move was a precaution to prevent further losses amid growing public pressure. Thieves Execute High-Value Robbery in…

The Pentagon confirmed on Friday that the U.S. will send the USS Gerald R. Ford to the waters off South America. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth ordered the carrier and its strike group to join U.S. Southern Command operations. Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell said the deployment aims to locate, monitor, and dismantle criminal networks threatening U.S. interests. The USS Gerald R. Ford, supported by five destroyers, currently operates in the Mediterranean Sea. The move signals a sharp rise in U.S. military activity across the Caribbean and near Venezuela. Deploying an aircraft carrier marks a significant expansion of American power in…

Two Russian military aircraft entered Lithuania’s airspace for 18 seconds on Thursday, according to the country’s military. Officials identified the aircraft as an Su-30 fighter jet and an Il-78 refueling plane. They reportedly crossed into Lithuania from Russia’s Kaliningrad region around 1600 CET during a refueling exercise. Spanish Eurofighter Typhoon jets from NATO’s Baltic Air Police immediately scrambled to patrol the area. Lithuania’s President Gitanas Nausėda denounced the incursion on X, calling it a “blatant breach of international law and territorial integrity.” In a video statement, Nausėda said he “strongly condemns the violation” and demanded a response. Moscow has not…

Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, is eliminating 600 jobs in its AI division, according to US media. The company confirmed on Wednesday that it will remove roughly 600 artificial intelligence roles while continuing to recruit for its superintelligence lab. FAIR and AI Infrastructure Teams Face Major Layoffs Axios first revealed the cuts, which impact Meta’s Fundamental AI Research (FAIR) unit, along with its product-focused AI and AI infrastructure teams. The newer TBD Lab remains unaffected. Axios cited a memo from chief AI officer Alexandr Wang, who urged affected employees to apply for other positions within Meta. Most…

European markets regained ground on Tuesday after a week of weakness and political uncertainty. Investors cautiously returned to equities, driving modest gains across major indexes. Asian markets extended their rally, while US futures slipped slightly. By midday, Milan’s stock exchange led the region with a rise of 0.80%. Italian heavyweights UniCredit, Intesa Sanpaolo, Eni, and defence firm Leonardo lifted the index. In Germany, defence shares supported trading activity, but the DAX still dipped 0.13%. Shipbuilder TKMS surged again after its Monday IPO, climbing 6.28% to nearly €64 per share. Rheinmetall AG rose 0.48% in Frankfurt, while BAE Systems in London…

AustralianSuper, Australia’s largest pension fund, announced plans to invest £500 million in the UK rental market. The fund aims to expand its property portfolio, starting with a student housing development in Bristol. The investment marks a significant step for AustralianSuper in diversifying its assets outside Australia. The UK rental sector, particularly student accommodation, has seen strong demand in recent years. Analysts say this makes the market attractive for long-term institutional investors. The Bristol development is the first in a series of planned investments. The project will focus on high-quality student housing, meeting growing demand from both domestic and international students.…

Afghanistan and Pakistan agreed to resume peace talks in Qatar to define terms for lasting stability. Both governments accepted a ceasefire after meetings with Qatari mediators in Doha, Qatar’s Foreign Ministry confirmed. The agreement ends a week of intense border clashes that killed dozens and injured hundreds. Afghan and Pakistani representatives will meet again soon to strengthen peace mechanisms and maintain the truce. Turkish envoys also helped negotiate the deal. Escalation and Retaliation Along the Border Violence surged earlier this month as both nations blamed each other for attacks. Afghanistan denied hosting militants who launch strikes across the frontier, a…

Thousands of protesters gathered in cities across the United States on Saturday to denounce President Donald Trump’s leadership during massive “No Kings” demonstrations. Organizers held more than 2,600 rallies from New York to Washington, D.C., marking the third major mobilization since Trump’s return to the White House. Crowds filled Times Square, Boston Common, Chicago’s Grant Park, and hundreds of smaller towns. Protesters waved signs reading “Nothing is more patriotic than protesting” and “Resist Fascism.” Bands played, and participants marched behind a giant banner featuring the U.S. Constitution’s preamble, “We The People.” By midday, thousands were chanting “Trump must go now!”…