Author: Rachel Maddow

Storm Amy swept across Europe, killing three people and causing widespread power outages and infrastructure damage. France and Belgium Suffer Heavy Losses Authorities in northern France reported two deaths and thousands of homes lost power.Belgium faced winds over 100 kph, forcing breakwater closures and emergency service alerts. Scandinavia Struggles with Floods and Gusts Norway saw 120,000 homes lose electricity, roads blocked, and heavy rainfall across Vestfold and Telemark.Sweden recorded hurricane-force winds and issued multiple weather alerts across southern and central regions.

Donald Trump welcomed Hamas’s partial agreement, claiming they seemed ready for lasting peace.He urged Israel to halt its bombing of Gaza to ensure safe hostage release.Trump emphasized ongoing discussions to finalize plan details before implementing any actions.He thanked Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Egypt, Turkey, and other countries for supporting negotiations.“This is a big day,” Trump said, stressing the need to solidify agreements in concrete terms. Netanyahu Responds, Mediators Back Talks Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed readiness to implement the plan’s first stage, focusing on hostages.Israel later clarified it would pursue its existing war principles, without addressing Hamas’s compliance gaps.Egypt…

Elon Musk urged his 250 million X followers to boycott Netflix over LGBTQ+ content.He criticized the animated show Dead End: Paranormal Park for featuring a transgender character.Musk claimed the boycott protects children’s wellbeing, calling Netflix a Trojan horse in a viral meme. Family History Shapes Controversy Musk has publicly clashed over transgender issues, including his fallout with daughter Vivian Wilson.He previously supported trans rights but criticized pronoun use as an “aesthetic nightmare.”He called his daughter’s medical transition a “sterilization” during a family dispute. Netflix Stays Silent Netflix has not responded to Musk’s boycott appeal.The company has defended its creative freedom…

OpenAI enlisted SK Hynix and Samsung to supply high-bandwidth memory for its $500bn Stargate project.Investors drove SK Hynix shares up 10% and lifted Samsung Electronics over 3% in Seoul trading.Both companies now play key roles in powering OpenAI’s supercomputer network across multiple continents. Samsung dominates global DRAM and NAND flash production, powering servers, smartphones, and data centers worldwide.SK Hynix ranks second in DRAM output and leads the high-bandwidth memory market for AI processors.Together, they control over half of the world’s memory market, shaping prices, capacity, and technology. High-Bandwidth Memory Powers AI Expansion High-bandwidth memory moves massive data volumes at ultra-fast…

Eurozone inflation climbed to 2.2% in September, driven by rising services and energy costs.Core inflation remained steady at 2.3%, signaling persistent underlying price pressures.Eurostat reported prices increased 0.1% month-on-month, matching August’s pace and economist predictions. Services posted the highest growth at 3.2% annually, up slightly from 3.1% in August.Food, alcohol, and tobacco prices rose 3.0%, easing from 3.2%, while non-energy goods stayed at 0.8%.Energy costs fell 0.4%, a slower decline than August’s 2.0%. Estonia reported the highest national inflation at 5.2%, followed by Croatia and Slovakia at 4.6%.Cyprus showed no annual change, and France rose modestly by 1.1%.Italy and Portugal…

Zhimin Qian, 47, tricked more than 128,000 victims in China and tried to hide stolen cryptocurrency in UK property.UK courts convicted Qian for leading a Bitcoin fraud tied to the world’s largest cryptocurrency seizure worth £5.5 billion.Qian, also called Yadi Zhang, admitted at Southwark Crown Court that she illegally acquired and held the cryptocurrency. Escape and Money Laundering Police said her guilty plea followed a seven-year international investigation into money laundering.Between 2014 and 2017, Qian defrauded thousands in China and converted stolen funds into Bitcoin assets.She fled China with forged documents, entered the UK, and attempted to launder her ill-gotten…

Researchers tested VER-01, a cannabis-based extract, on patients with persistent lower back pain. Patients reported clear pain relief over several months. Scientists designed VER-01 to provide therapeutic effects without the addiction risks or serious side effects associated with opioids. Chronic lower back pain affects an estimated 619 million people worldwide and represents the most common cause of disability. Traditional treatments, including NSAIDs and opioids, either fail to relieve pain fully or carry significant health risks. Experts say new therapies like VER-01 could fill a crucial gap in treatment options. Clinical Trial Demonstrates Significant Benefits The trial enrolled 820 adults with…

Germany will build Europe’s strongest conventional army, Chancellor Merz announced in May. The government must address troop shortages with new service programs and quickly supply modern equipment. Berlin plans 154 major defense procurements between September 2025 and December 2026, spending up to €83 billion. Most contracts will go to European firms, with only eight percent sourced from the United States. US arms exports to Europe tripled from 2020 to 2024, with Germany increasing imports by 334 percent. Berlin now prioritizes “Buy European” to reduce dependence on American defense systems. Risks of Relying on US Weapons Josef Braml, US security expert,…

Tens of thousands of people marched through Berlin on Saturday, demanding an end to the Israel-Hamas conflict. Protesters chanted slogans like “free, free Palestine” and called for urgent action to stop Gaza’s humanitarian crisis. Police deployed 1,800 officers to monitor the 50,000 demonstrators who marched from Alexanderplatz to the Victory Column. Demonstrators urged Germany to halt arms exports to Israel and pressured the European Union to impose sanctions. Fifty organizations, including Amnesty International and Die Linke, coordinated the rally, while some smaller protests faced police intervention. Clashes and Counter-Demonstrations About 100 people rallied in Berlin to support Israel and oppose…

Interpol, coordinating 196 member countries, directed a large-scale crackdown on cybercrime across Africa.Authorities arrested 260 suspects involved in romance scams and sextortion during operations in July and August.Criminals built online romantic connections, extorted money, and threatened victims with intimate images.Investigators reported over 1,400 victims lost nearly $2.8 million (€2.4 million) to these digital fraud schemes. Fraud Schemes Exploit Trust and Technology Interpol officials said scammers used fake identities to trick victims into paying shipment fees and sharing private videos.Ghanaian authorities detained 68 suspects involved in scams and blackmail operations.Senegalese police captured 22 individuals who posed as celebrities to defraud over…