Author: Rachel Maddow

Trump met Zohran Mamdani on Friday and found an unexpectedly friendly tone.He had previously called Mamdani a “100% Communist Lunatic” and a “total nut job.”Mamdani had criticized Trump’s administration as “authoritarian” yet greeted him warmly.Both leaders emphasized shared goals to improve New York rather than highlight disagreements.Trump praised Mamdani, saying he might surprise conservative voters.The mayor-elect stood beside him as Trump expressed admiration in the Oval Office.The meeting gave both politicians political exposure and influence.Mamdani, once little-known, gained a platform to engage the nation’s most powerful leader.Trump gained a chance to highlight affordability issues amid rising political pressure.Supporters on each…

The European Commission launches infringement proceedings against Italy for applying its golden power rule during UniCredit’s attempted takeover of Banco BPM.The rule lets the Italian government examine, halt, or condition banking-sector deals.Commission officials argue the measure, designed to protect national security, instead enables unjustified interference that restricts free establishment and capital movement across the single market.They also claim the legislation conflicts with the European Central Bank’s exclusive authority under the Single Supervisory Mechanism.The Commission gives Italy two months to address the identified issues. Italy Responds to Commission Concerns Italy’s economy minister Giancarlo Giorgetti states that officials will answer the objections…

A large power outage struck parts of Paris and Hauts-de-Seine on Thursday morning.The blackout initially cut electricity to 55,000 homes before the number dropped to a few thousand.The outage shut down traffic lights, streetlights, and several metro and suburban train lines.Enedis, the electricity grid operator, said the blackout lasted about five minutes for most areas.Some households, however, continue to experience extended outages. Cause Identified by Grid Operators Enedis reported that a technical incident at the RTE substation in Issy-les-Moulineaux triggered the blackout.RTE oversees France’s high-voltage electricity transmission network and confirmed the substation failure.The incident disrupted power distribution across several neighbourhoods…

Anti-capitalists, climate activists, women’s rights groups, and anti-migrant organisations plan protests, highlighting poverty and inequality in South Africa.Police and army held a parade on Wednesday with helicopters, K-9 units, and motorcycles to show force before the G20 summit.Officials deployed 3,500 extra police officers and placed the army on standby under the National Joint Operational and Intelligence Structure.Lieutenant General Tebello Mosikili told reporters authorities expect protests in Johannesburg and other major cities.She confirmed that citizens can protest, but only within legal boundaries.Police designated specific areas near the exhibition centre beside the country’s largest soccer stadium for protesters to gather.Airports Company South…

Major Construction Push Reshapes the Energy Landscape Czechia aims to produce up to 60 percent of its electricity from nuclear power by 2050. The massive cooling towers at the Dukovany power station rise over an expanding construction zone where crews prepare for two additional reactors. Mobile drilling rigs pull samples from 140 meters underground and verify the site’s suitability for a $19 billion project. Officials plan to at least double national nuclear output and strengthen Czechia’s role as one of Europe’s most nuclear-reliant nations. South Korea’s KHNP won a tender over France’s EDF to build the plant. Engineers will install…

Thousands of young Mexicans took to the streets of Mexico City on Saturday, protesting corruption, violence, and government neglect. The march spanned 52 cities nationwide and extended to international locations, including the United States, Canada, Germany, and the Netherlands. In the capital, clashes at the Zócalo left 20 civilians and more than 100 police officers injured, with around 20 arrests reported. The movement ignited after the 1 November assassination of Uruapan mayor Carlos Manzo. Manzo had repeatedly appealed to federal authorities to confront organized crime in Michoacán. His murder fueled widespread anger among young citizens who feel ignored by Mexico’s…

Activists described climate impacts in their home countries and demanded stronger youth participation in UN negotiations. Thousands of protesters returned to the gates of the COP30 climate conference in Belem, Brazil, blocking the entrance in a peaceful standoff. Brazilian youth groups, activists, and Indigenous communities marched together to pressure leaders during the critical UN climate meeting. Members of Fridays for Future urged negotiators to include young people in formal discussions. Rachelle Junsay from Climate Action Philippines voiced frustration, saying youth will inherit a damaged planet. She said decision-makers talk comfortably inside negotiation rooms while real victims remain excluded from the…

Russian forces struck Kyiv early Friday, killing four and wounding 27, Mayor Vitali Klitschko said. Fires engulfed several districts, and rescue teams could not reach two bodies trapped in rubble. Emergency crews responded across the city as at least 11 residential buildings suffered severe damage. Zelenskyy Denounces Attack on Civilians President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called the assault a “deliberately calculated attack” targeting civilians and infrastructure. He said Russia used 430 drones and 18 missiles, including ballistic and aeroballistic types. Nine people required hospitalization, including a pregnant woman. Two children, aged seven and ten, suffered injuries during the strikes. Falling debris sparked…

Switzerland’s reputation for financial discretion is once again under scrutiny. UBS AG, the country’s largest bank, now finds itself at the center of a global controversy following reports that it may still hold assets linked to Jewish victims of the Nazi regime. A series of international investigations—by Eric Frey in Der Standard (link), Riva Pomerantz in Ami Magazine (link), and Peter Hell in BILD (link)—has reignited a debate long thought settled. Hidden Archives, New Exposure The controversy stems from recently uncovered archives at Credit Suisse, which merged with UBS in 2023. These documents, numbering in the tens of thousands, appear…

Amid an escalating water shortage, the Audit Office of Cyprus urged swift reforms to safeguard the nation’s dwindling reserves. The report stressed that effective water management has become critical as climate change intensifies scarcity across the island. The Water Development Department (DWD), responsible for overseeing water distribution and sustainability, now carries an even greater responsibility to ensure the Republic’s resources remain secure and efficiently managed. Weak Oversight and Mounting Debt Auditors found major flaws in supply monitoring, billing accuracy, and data control. Two key intake points, responsible for 64% of Nicosia’s consumption, were rarely inspected. The DWD lacked access to…