Author: Rachel Maddow

Massive devastation across the Gaza Strip has prevented Hamas from locating and recovering the remaining Israeli hostages’ bodies buried beneath rubble. On Saturday, Egypt sent a convoy with heavy equipment, including bulldozers and excavators, to assist recovery efforts inside Gaza. The US-brokered ceasefire requires Israel to return 15 Palestinian bodies for every Israeli hostage body. So far, Israel has returned 195 Palestinian bodies, while Hamas has handed over 18 Israeli remains. Earlier this month, Hamas released all 20 living Israeli hostages under the agreement. US President Donald Trump said he is “watching very closely” to ensure all bodies are returned…

The Louvre transferred part of its jewelry collection to the Bank of France vaults on Friday following last week’s audacious robbery. French broadcaster RTL reported that police discreetly escorted the priceless items from the museum to the secure facility. The transfer included pieces from the Apollo Gallery, where the “Crown Jewels” were displayed, as well as gems from other museum sections. The Bank of France’s underground vault, located 27 meters below its headquarters in central Paris, holds nearly 90% of the country’s gold reserves. Museum officials ordered the move as a precaution after the heist triggered public anger and renewed…

The Pentagon confirmed Friday that the U.S. military will deploy the USS Gerald R. Ford near 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 move will strengthen efforts to detect and disrupt criminal networks.The USS Ford, accompanied by five destroyers, currently operates in the Mediterranean Sea.Sending a carrier marks a sharp increase in U.S. military power in a region already crowded with forces. Pentagon Steps Up Deadly Strikes Against Drug Cartels Hours before the deployment announcement, Hegseth said the military carried out its tenth…

Two Russian military aircraft entered Lithuanian airspace for about 18 seconds on Thursday, the Lithuanian military reported. Officials identified the aircraft as an Su-30 fighter jet and an Il-78 refuelling tanker. Both appeared to be conducting a refuelling training mission when they crossed from Russia’s Kaliningrad region into NATO territory around 1600 CET. Spanish Eurofighter Typhoon jets from NATO’s Baltic Air Police immediately scrambled and began patrolling the area. Lithuania’s President Gitanas Nausėda condemned the intrusion on X, calling it a “blatant breach of international law and territorial integrity.” He said Lithuania must respond firmly to the provocation. Moscow has…

Meta confirmed plans to eliminate 600 positions within its artificial intelligence division, US media reported. The company continues to hire for its superintelligence lab while reducing roles elsewhere. FAIR and AI Infrastructure Units Face Reductions Axios reported that the cuts target Meta’s Fundamental AI Research (FAIR) unit, product-related AI, and AI infrastructure teams. The newer TBD Lab division remains unaffected. Chief AI officer Alexandr Wang told staff in a memo that affected employees should apply for other Meta roles, and most will likely find new positions. Wang explained that a smaller team enables faster decisions, stronger individual accountability, and broader…

TIRANA — Mounting evidence suggests that sanctioned Russian and Iranian networks are exploiting Albania’s weak oversight and opaque infrastructure deals to evade international restrictions — turning the Balkan nation into an unexpected pressure point in Europe’s sanctions regime. Reports from multiple investigative outlets indicate that through negligence, smuggling, or outright corruption among officials within the government of Prime Minister Edi Rama, companies operating in Albania’s critical infrastructure sectors have facilitated trade that appears to violate sanctions targeting Moscow and Tehran. A recent investigation by RBC Ukraine found that banned Russian fuel products were being smuggled into Europe via Albanian ports.…

European markets climbed cautiously on Tuesday morning after weeks of weakness and ongoing geopolitical uncertainty. Most European equity indexes opened higher following gains in Asia, though U.S. futures dipped slightly. By midday, Milan’s stock exchange led Europe with a rise of 0.80%. Gains came from UniCredit, Intesa Sanpaolo, Eni, and Leonardo, Italy’s top aerospace and defence company. German defence stocks also advanced, but not enough to push the DAX index out of its 0.13% decline. Battleship and submarine manufacturer TKMS extended Monday’s strong IPO debut. The stock opened at €60 per share and surged 6.28% in early trading. Rheinmetall AG…

President Donald Trump has labeled Colombia’s president an “illegal drug leader” and announced the end of U.S. aid to the country. The statement came amid growing concerns over drug trafficking and corruption in Colombia. Trump criticized Colombia’s leadership for allegedly failing to control drug cartels and the flow of illegal narcotics to the United States. He said continued U.S. support is no longer justified if the government cannot combat drug operations effectively. The decision to cut aid marks a significant shift in U.S.-Colombia relations. Colombia has long been a partner in counter-narcotics efforts, receiving military and economic assistance to help…

By Rachel Maddow | Texas RepublicanAdapted from an interview originally published by the Abu Dhabi Times A global lawsuit is reigniting outrage over Switzerland’s UBS Group AG, with new allegations that the bank deliberately concealed Jewish-owned assets dating back to the Holocaust. In an interview with the Abu Dhabi Times, Dr. Gerhard Podovsovnik, Vice President of AEA Justinian Lawyers, described a “systematic effort” to block families from reclaiming accounts originally created to protect their wealth from Nazi seizure. Representing Rabbi Ephraim Meir, Dr. Podovsovnik leads one of the largest restitution cases ever filed against a financial institution. The lawsuit claims…

Afghanistan and Pakistan agreed to hold new peace talks in Qatar to define terms for lasting peace. These talks aim to end a week of intense border violence that killed dozens. Both nations accepted an immediate ceasefire after discussions with Qatari mediators in Doha, Qatar’s Foreign Ministry confirmed. The agreement concluded the deadliest confrontation between the two countries in recent years, which left many dead and hundreds wounded. Qatar announced that both parties will create mechanisms to maintain long-term stability and meet again soon to preserve the truce. Turkish diplomats also helped mediate the deal. Violence between the neighbours has…