World News

> Consumer group Which? has filed a £3 billion lawsuit against Apple, accusing the tech giant of forcing iCloud usage and overcharging customers.

Summary

Portugal and other Southern European nations are struggling with a "brain drain" as young professionals migrate to wealthier EU countries for better pay and career prospects.

To counter this, Portugal plans tax breaks and housing incentives for under-35s, though many doubt these measures will be enough.

The talent exodus threatens tax revenue and labor markets, heightening Europe’s economic challenges amid population decline and low productivity.

Similar efforts in countries like Italy have seen limited success, as young workers continue to seek stability abroad despite incentives.

> He said at least once or twice daily, there were "mass casualty incidents," meaning that 10 to 20 people were killed and up to 40 seriously injured. He estimated that at least 60 percent of the people treated at these times were women and children.

> The 62-year-old surgeon broke down three times during his testimony

Summary

Russia has cut compensation for troops injured in Ukraine, limiting full payouts of 3 million rubles ($30,000) to those with severe, life-threatening injuries.

Soldiers with minor wounds will now receive reduced payments between 1 million and 100,000 rubles.

This change comes as Russia faces escalating war expenses, with casualty compensation costs estimated at 2.3 trillion rubles ($26 billion) by mid-2024.

High personnel losses have led to recruitment efforts funded by regional social welfare budgets, diverting resources from vulnerable populations, raising concerns about future mobilization efforts and public discontent.

Summary

The European Commission fined Meta €797.72 million ($840.24 million) for antitrust violations, alleging Meta unfairly tied Facebook Marketplace to its social network and imposed restrictive conditions on competitors.

The EU argues that bundling Facebook with Marketplace gave Meta’s ad service an unfair advantage, a practice it has scrutinized since 2021.

Meta plans to appeal but will comply and seek a solution addressing EU concerns.

Meta disputes the findings, arguing that users can choose not to use Marketplace and that there’s no evidence of harm to competitors.

Summary

Putin’s actions after Trump’s election, including a delayed congratulations and a denial of a phone call, suggest a lack of respect for Trump’s personal relationship with him.

Russia’s intelligence chief’s statement that Trump owes them favors for their support in his election, along with hints that he is expected to “pay back” certain obligations, amounts to a bold threat of blackmail.

Trump’s foreign policy, which favors a realignment with Russia, may be challenged by Putin’s actions and the revelation of Russian interference in the election.

Consider this paradox: The New York Times ran the headline, “Israeli soccer fans injured in attacks linked to antisemitism in Amsterdam,” but the body article contained only verified evidence of anti-Arab racism.

Its lede emphasized antisemitic motivation, while the body of the article cited footage by Maccabi Tel Aviv fans chanting anti-Arab and racist slogans – footage that the New York Times had actually verified. The only basis at the time for claiming antisemitism came from a single tweet by the Dutch prime minister, while the linked Amsterdam police's own statement made no such attribution (subsequent police statements did condemn “antisemitic behavior”).

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The New York Times was not alone in minimizing Israeli fan violence and anti-Arab and anti-Palestinian racism. Other mainstream outlets like NBC, CBS, CNN, and the BBC, all ran almost identical headlines that read like Israeli press releases, emphasizing that Israelis had been “attacked.”

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Despite no Israelis being killed, a media system loathe to use the term genocide to describe the deaths of over 43,000 Palestinians seemed happy to use terminology redolent of the Holocaust. Suddenly, incidents of soccer hooliganism and anti-Israeli violence seemingly provoked by anti-Arab racism were being reduced to antisemitic pogroms.

Buried or omitted in most accounts was verified evidence of anti-Arab racism that had occurred prior to these events, including footage of Maccabi Tel Aviv fans tearing down Palestinian flags, attacking taxi drivers, and chanting explicitly racist slogans like “Death to the Arabs” and “Let the IDF fuck the Arabs.”

Summary

Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich endorsed President-elect Donald Trump’s victory, stating it’s “time” to extend full Israeli sovereignty over the occupied West Bank.

This comes as Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu highlighted his alignment with Trump on the “Iranian threat.”

Tensions in Gaza and Lebanon have escalated following recent Israeli airstrikes, with regional leaders gathering in Riyadh to address Israeli actions.

Israeli President Isaac Herzog is set to meet President Biden, though Biden’s influence on Israel may be limited following Trump’s win.

Edi Rama, Prime Minister of Albania, has gone off-script - he said he left behind his “well-prepared speech” after watching yesterday’s leaders make their statements on silent screens above comfortable couches in an adjoining room at the Cop29 venue in Baku yesterday.

“People there eat, drink, meet and take photos together - while images of voiceless leaders play on and on and on in the background,” he said. “To me, this seems exactly like what happens in the real world every day. Life goes on, with its old habits, and our speeches - full of good words about fighting climate change - change nothing.”

“What does it mean for the future of the world if the biggest polluters continue as usual?” asked Rama. “What on earth are we doing in this gathering, over and over and over, if there is no common political will on the horizon to go beyond words and unite for meaningful action?”

Summary

Former UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson criticized the Republican Party’s “homoerotic fascination” with Russian President Vladimir Putin, contrasting it with Trump’s previous “tough” stance.

Johnson condemned GOP admiration for Putin’s “manly Christianity,” calling him a “tyrant” and “kleptocrat.”

Despite congratulating Trump on his 2024 win, Johnson warned of “dangerous” influences within Trump’s circle that could lead to a Ukraine peace deal unfavorable to democracy.

Johnson emphasized the global risk if Ukraine were to fall, as Trump claims he can swiftly end the war.

Summary

A teenager in British Columbia is critically ill with Canada’s first suspected human case of H5N1 bird flu, experiencing rapid deterioration and acute respiratory distress.

The teen, who had no farm exposure, developed symptoms on November 2 and was hospitalized on November 8.

Health officials are investigating the infection source and testing contacts, though no additional cases have been found.

While H5N1 transmission between humans remains rare, the virus is spreading in animals across North America, raising concerns of potential future outbreaks.

"Israel’s far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich has ordered preparations for the annexation of the occupied West Bank ahead of US President-elect Donald Trump taking office in January 2025."

Summary

Canada's Immigration Minister Marc Miller says the government is ready to cooperate with the U.S. as Donald Trump enacts stricter immigration measures, stressing that migrants must enter Canada through legal channels and noting that not everyone is welcome in Canada.

Concerns are rising over a potential influx of asylum seekers as Trump plans mass deportations, which could strain Canadian resources.

Immigration lawyers urge Ottawa to amend the Safe Third Country Agreement to prevent undocumented migrants from crossing illegally to claim asylum.

A Nanos poll shows most Canadians, especially in Quebec, favor reducing refugee intake due to concerns over housing and public services.

Summary

Ukraine’s military intelligence reported finding Western-made components inside Russian decoy drones, used in recent swarm attacks to overwhelm Ukrainian air defenses.

Dubbed “Parody,” these decoys are cheaper than Iran’s Shahed-136 drones but can mimic their radar signatures, creating fake targets to distract defenses.

Russia reportedly launched over 2,000 drones last month, half of which were decoys, with some crashing in Moldova, raising regional security concerns.

Despite sanctions, Western technology continues to appear in Russian weapons, complicating efforts to restrict Moscow’s drone capabilities.

> Since the Israeli war on Gaza began last year, the military has been imposing severe restrictions on movements across the occupied West Bank, including Hebron, the only Palestinian city alongside Jerusalem where Israeli settlers reside in the Old City.

> For decades, this has meant direct Israeli control over parts of Hebron’s Old City, where nearly 35,000 Palestinians and some 800 settlers live.

> The settlers are provided with protection by the soldiers, designated segregated roads and given full freedom of movement.

> On the other hand, the Palestinians are forced to go through 28 checkpoints and dozens of military barriers, often being subjected to humiliating and long searches, sexual harassment and even arrest without cause.

> The military restrictions and the settlers' violence spare no one, including pupils.

> Before Israeli settlements began growing in Hebron in the early 2000s, the Old City used to be a vibrant hub for Palestinians,

Summary

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz announced that Israel has “defeated Hezbollah” following a series of operations, including the assassination of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah.

The campaign included a September attack on Hezbollah communication devices, where thousands of pagers exploded in Beirut, killing 39 and injuring over 3,400.

Israeli media reported that Prime Minister Netanyahu personally approved the pager attack despite internal opposition.

Israel now hopes an international coalition encourage Lebanon to normalize relations with Israel.

Summary

Iran announced plans to open a “hijab removal treatment clinic” to provide “scientific and psychological treatment” for women defying the country’s mandatory hijab laws, sparking outrage from activists and human rights groups.

Critics, including UK-based Iranian journalist Sima Sabet, condemned the clinic as “chilling” and akin to social exclusion.

Human rights lawyer Hossein Raeesi noted the clinic is unprecedented under both Islamic and Iranian law.

The move follows increased arrests, forced disappearances, and alleged abuses in psychiatric facilities targeting women and protesters in breach of hijab laws.

Summary

Russian lawmakers passed a controversial bill banning “child-free propaganda” to reverse a demographic slump and promote traditional family values.

The bill targets materials that promote a conscious rejection of having children and includes fines and deportation provisions.

It comes alongside existing bans on LGBTQ+ relationships and gender reassignment.

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, on Nov. 7, looked confident.

Budapest was hosting the European Political Community gathering, with Orban hugging it out with the continent's leaders whose standing at home leaves them little leeway to challenge the Russian-friendly prime minister.

Orban's standing at home, practically unchallenged since 2010, has for quite some time allowed the prime minister to dictate his will to Brussels, Paris, and Berlin, with mixed success.

Yet, Orban's grip on Hungary looks weaker than ever, with a formidable challenger, Peter Magyar, set to pose a threat come election time in April 2026.

MBFC Archive

Summary

South African authorities have cut off food and water to force up to 4,000 illegal miners, known as “zama zamas,” to surface from an abandoned mine shaft in Stilfontein.

The government, calling these miners “criminals,” has pledged not to assist them, with Minister Khumbudzo Ntshavheni warning, “We are going to smoke them out.”

Over 1,000 miners have resurfaced and been arrested under the “Vala Umgodi” operation.

Illegal mining, fueled by declining gold production, often involves violent crime and hazardous conditions in abandoned mines.

Summary

The UK’s oldest satellite, Skynet-1A, launched in 1969, has mysteriously shifted from its original orbit over Africa to a high-risk position over the Americas.

It’s suspected that in the 1970s, Skynet-1A was intentionally moved west, possibly by U.S. controllers, but records confirming who made this decision and why are missing.

Now inactive, the satellite poses collision risks to active satellites, as it occupies a congested orbit at 105 degrees West longitude.

The UK may eventually need to consider relocating Skynet-1A or removing it altogether to mitigate risks from space debris.

Nadhmi al-Nasr, who has managed Neom’s construction since 2018, departed from his post in recent days, leaving while the project is plagued with uncertainty.

Nasr earned a chilling reputation managing Neom. He bragged that he drove everyone “like a slave”, adding, “When they drop down dead, I celebrate. That’s how I do my projects.” In one incident, after two video game companies cancelled their sponsorship deals with Neom, Nasr threatened his communications team, saying that he would “take a gun from under my desk and shoot you” unless he was told who was responsible for the deals falling through.

According to the WSJ report, two other controversial foreign executives have also left Neom.

Borg was known for his tirades, in which he reportedly disparaged Islam, made lewd references about sexual positions and said women from the Arabian Gulf looked like “transvestites”.

He also called South Asian migrant workers at Neom "fucking morons" and said that “white people are at the top of the pecking order".

Summary

NATO’s Military Committee head, Admiral Rob Bauer, stated that NATO troops would likely be in Ukraine countering Russian forces if Russia lacked nuclear weapons.

Speaking at the IISS Prague Defence Summit, Bauer emphasized that Russia’s nuclear arsenal deters direct NATO involvement, contrasting Ukraine’s situation with past NATO interventions in non-nuclear states like Afghanistan.

Although NATO nations provide military aid to Ukraine, direct troop deployment has been avoided, with leaders like U.S. President Biden ruling it out due to nuclear escalation risks highlighted by Russian threats and rhetoric.

The State Department said Israel needs to take more steps to improve the situation among Palestinians. The United States had given the country 30 days to meet aid criteria.

The State Department said on Tuesday that it did not plan to decrease weapons aid to Israel, as a 30-day deadline set by the Biden administration passed without the country substantially improving the humanitarian situation in war-devastated Gaza.

Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd J. Austin III had warned in a letter dated Oct. 13 that the United States would reassess its military aid to Israel if it failed to increase the amount of aid allowed to enter Gaza within 30 days.

The letter said that the humanitarian situation for the two million residents of Gaza was “increasingly dire” and that the amount of aid entering Gaza had fallen by 50 percent since April.

By law, the U.S. government cannot give aid to foreign military forces deemed by the State Department to be committing “gross violations of human rights.”

MBFC Archive

Summary

India's Supreme Court ruled that authorities cannot carry out instant property demolitions, often labeled "bulldozer justice," against individuals accused of crimes without due process.

The court emphasized that only the judiciary has the authority to determine guilt, mandating a 15-day notice and a personal hearing before any demolition.

Critics argue that Prime Minister Modi’s BJP uses these "anti-encroachment" drives to disproportionately target Muslim communities under the pretext of removing illegal structures, raising concerns about religious discrimination and punitive actions.