Author: Rachel Maddow

Strong demand for the iPhone 17 boosted Apple’s revenue in the July–September quarter, closing its fiscal year with record profits. The company reported higher-than-expected results despite trade tensions and fierce competition in artificial intelligence. Apple CEO Tim Cook announced a record September-quarter revenue of $102.5 billion, including all-time highs for iPhone and Services. Driven by iPhone sales, Apple earned $27.5 billion in profit, nearly double last year’s figure. Investors responded quickly, sending shares up 2% in extended trading. Apple refreshed its iPhone design with a “liquid glass” display while keeping prices stable despite $1.1 billion in tariffs on U.S.-bound devices…

Human Rights Watch urged Friedrich Merz to denounce Turkey’s repression of the opposition and the detention of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu. During his first official visit to Ankara, German Chancellor Merz called for a deeper strategic alliance between Europe and Turkey to face global challenges. He spoke beside Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, days after Turkey and the UK sealed a multibillion-euro deal for 20 Eurofighter Typhoon jets. Germany, part of the consortium that produces the jets, recently ended its long opposition to exporting them to Turkey. Reports also indicated German support for Turkey’s involvement in the €150 billion Security…

Massive destruction across Gaza has made it nearly impossible for Hamas to recover the bodies of Israeli hostages buried under rubble. On Saturday, Egypt sent its first convoy carrying excavators and bulldozers into Gaza to assist in the search. The US-brokered ceasefire deal requires Israel to return 15 Palestinian bodies for each Israeli body recovered. So far, Israel has handed over 195 Palestinian corpses, while Hamas has returned 18 Israeli bodies. Earlier this month, Hamas released all 20 living Israeli hostages as part of the agreement. US President Donald Trump said he is monitoring the situation closely to ensure the…

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…