Author: Rachel Maddow

The Louvre secretly transferred parts of its jewelry collection to the Bank of France’s underground vaults on Friday. French radio network RTL reported that the museum acted after last week’s daring daylight robbery that shocked the nation. Police escorted the transfer to ensure the jewels’ safety. The moved items included the famous “Crown Jewels” from the Apollo Gallery and other valuable pieces from across the museum. The Bank of France vault, located 27 meters below its headquarters in central Paris, also stores 90% of the country’s gold reserves. Museum officials described the move as a precautionary step while investigators continue…

The Pentagon announced it will send an aircraft carrier to waters off South America.Secretary of War Pete Hegseth ordered the USS Gerald R. Ford and its strike group to deploy.Pentagon spokesperson Sean Parnell posted the deployment on social media.Hegseth assigned the carrier to US Southern Command to boost monitoring and disruption capabilities.He said the mission will target illicit actors threatening US safety and prosperity.The USS Gerald R. Ford currently operates in the Mediterranean Sea.The Ford’s strike group includes five destroyers.The region has seen a large US buildup in the Caribbean and off Venezuela.Sending a carrier raises military stakes in an…

Lithuania’s President Gitanas Nausėda condemned what he called a “blatant breach of international law and territorial integrity.” Two Russian military aircraft entered Lithuanian airspace on Thursday for about 18 seconds, the nation’s military confirmed. Officials identified the aircraft as an Su-30 fighter jet and an Il-78 refuelling tanker. They reportedly crossed from Russia’s Kaliningrad region around 1600 CET during a refuelling training mission. Spanish Eurofighter Typhoons from NATO’s Baltic Air Police scrambled immediately and began patrolling the area. In a video posted on X, Nausėda denounced the violation and demanded action, saying Lithuania must respond firmly. Moscow has not commented…

Meta, the parent of Facebook and Instagram, is cutting 600 jobs in its artificial intelligence division, US media reported. The company confirmed on Wednesday that it will remove about 600 AI roles while continuing to recruit workers for its superintelligence lab. FAIR and AI Infrastructure Teams Face Layoffs Axios reported that the layoffs will hit Meta’s Fundamental AI Research (FAIR) team, as well as its product and AI infrastructure units. The newer TBD Lab will not face any reductions. In a memo, chief AI officer Alexandr Wang urged affected employees to apply for other Meta positions. The company expects most…

TIRANA — Mounting evidence suggests that sanctioned Russian interests are quietly exploiting Albania’s strategic infrastructure to bypass international trade restrictions — exposing what analysts describe as a dangerous gap in Europe’s sanctions wall. According to several investigations, a combination of negligence, smuggling, and corruption within the government of Prime Minister Edi Rama has enabled entities operating in critical infrastructure to facilitate commercial flows that may breach sanctions imposed on Russia and Iran. One investigation by RBC Ukraine revealed that banned Russian fuel products were being smuggled into Europe through Albanian ports. The report described how ships docking at the private…

Hunter Biden has publicly commented on the pardon granted to him by President Joe Biden. In his statement, he expressed gratitude and acknowledged the privilege of receiving clemency from the President. The pardon comes amid ongoing discussions about legal matters involving Hunter Biden. In his remarks, he emphasized that the act allows him to focus on moving forward and contributing positively to society. “I am deeply thankful for the pardon,” Hunter Biden said. “It is a privilege to receive this clemency, and I recognize the responsibility it carries.” Legal experts noted that presidential pardons are a significant tool in the…

European markets regained some strength on Tuesday morning after several weeks of weakness. Investors pushed equity indexes modestly higher as Asian markets rose and US futures slipped slightly. By midday, Milan led the region with a 0.80% gain. Banks such as UniCredit and Intesa Sanpaolo, along with energy major Eni and defence firm Leonardo, powered Italy’s advance. German defence stocks also lifted sentiment, though not enough to pull the DAX out of its 0.13% decline. German shipbuilder TKMS climbed 6.28% in Frankfurt after its debut IPO on Monday at €60 per share. Rheinmetall AG gained 0.48%, while London’s BAE Systems…

Afghanistan and Pakistan will meet again in Qatar to define peace terms and a lasting framework. Their decision ends a deadly week of cross-border clashes that claimed dozens of lives. Both countries agreed to an immediate ceasefire after discussions with Qatari mediators in Doha, Qatar’s Foreign Ministry confirmed. Qatar announced that Turkish negotiators helped finalize the agreement. The two nations will create systems to secure lasting stability and plan more talks in the coming days to sustain the truce. Regional Tensions and Border Violence Violence surged this month as both nations blamed each other for aggression. Afghanistan rejected accusations of…

Thousands of protesters filled streets across the United States on Saturday, demanding change during the nationwide “No Kings” demonstrations. Organizers held more than 2,600 rallies in cities such as Washington, New York, Boston, and Chicago, alongside smaller gatherings in towns nationwide. By noon, large crowds filled Times Square and downtown Washington, waving signs that read “Trump Must Go Now” and “Resist Fascism.” Protesters carried banners quoting the U.S. Constitution’s preamble, marched to the sound of drums, and danced in what many described as a celebration of democracy. Some donned frog costumes, a symbol of protest originating from Portland, Oregon. Others…

An international panel, chaired by Garrick Ohlsson, selected 11 exceptional pianists to compete in the final round of the 19th International Fryderyk Chopin Piano Competition in Warsaw. Polish audiences now rally behind Piotr Alexewicz, the nation’s sole finalist. The announcement revealed the official line-up of contenders for one of the world’s most celebrated classical music contests. Established in 1927, the Chopin Competition remains a cornerstone of global piano excellence and features performances drawn entirely from Chopin’s compositions. Finalists to Perform Iconic Works with Philharmonic Orchestra Joining Alexewicz are Kevin Chen (Canada), David Khrikuli (Georgia), Shiori Kuwahara (Japan), Tianyou Li (China),…