Family demands independent medical care for US teen detained by Israel
The family of Mohammed Ibrahim, a Palestinian American boy who has been detained by Israel since February, is demanding that an independent doctor assess the teenager’s condition amid alarming reports about his situation in prison. Mohammed’s uncle, Zeyad Kadur, said an official from the United States embassy in Israel visited the 16-year-old last week at Ofer Prison. Recommended Stories list of 3 itemsend of list The official told the family afterwards that Ibrahim had lost weight and dark circles were forming around his eyes, Kadur told Al Jazeera. The consular officer also said he had raised Mohammed’s case with multiple US and Israeli agencies. “This is the first time in nine months that they showed grave concern for his health, so how bad is it?” Kadur asked in an interview on Wednesday. Despite rights groups and US lawmakers pleading for Mohammed’s release, Israel has refused to free him, and his family said the administration of President Donald Trump is not doing enough to bring him home. Israeli authorities have accused Ibrahim of throwing rocks at settlers in the occupied West Bank, an allegation he denies. But the legal proceedings in the case are moving at a snail’s pace in Israel’s military justice system, according to Mohammed’s family. Rights advocates also say that the military court system in the occupied West Bank is part of Israel’s discriminatory apartheid regime, given its conviction rate of nearly 100 percent for Palestinian defendants. Adding to the Ibrahim family’s angst is the lack of access to the teenager while Mohammed is in Israeli prison. Unable to visit him or communicate with him, his relatives are only able to receive updates from the US embassy. Advertisement The teenager has been suffering from severe weight loss while in detention, his father, Zaher Ibrahim, told Al Jazeera earlier this year. He also contracted scabies, a contagious skin infection. The last visit he received from US embassy staff was in September. Israeli authorities have committed well-documented abuses against Palestinian detainees, including torture and sexual violence, especially after the start of Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza in October 2023. “We hear and see people getting out of prison and what they look like, and we know it’s bad,” Kadur said. “Mohammed is an American kid who was taken at 15. He is now 16, and he’s been sitting there for nine months and hasn’t seen his mom, hasn’t seen his dad.” He added that the family is also concerned about Mohammed’s mental health. “We’re requesting that he gets sent to a hospital and evaluated by a third party, not by a prison medic or nurse. He needs some actual attention,” Mohammed’s uncle told Al Jazeera. Mohammed, who is from Florida, was visiting Palestine when in the middle of the night he was arrested, blindfolded and beaten in what Kadur described as a “kidnapping”. The US Department of State did not respond to Al Jazeera’s request for comment on the latest consular visit to Mohammed. When Secretary of State Marco Rubio visited Israel last month, he appeared to have misheard a question about Palestinian prisoner Marwan Barghouti and thought it was about Mohammed’s case. “Are you talking about the one from the US? I don’t have any news for you on that today,” Rubio told reporters. “Obviously, we’ll work that through our embassy here and our diplomatic channels, but we don’t have anything to announce on that.” But for Kadur, Mohammed’s case is not a bureaucratic or legal matter – it is one that requires political will from Washington to secure his freedom. Kadur underscored that the US has negotiated with adversaries, including Venezuela, Russia and North Korea, to free detained Americans, so it can push for the release of Mohammed from its closest ally in the Middle East. The US provided Israel with more than $21bn in military aid over the past two years. Kadur drew a contrast between the lack of US effort to free Mohammed and the push to release Edan Alexander, a US citizen who was volunteering in the Israeli army and was taken prisoner during Hamas’s attacks on southern Israel on October 7, 2023. Alexander was released in May after pressure from the Trump administration on Hamas. “The American government negotiated with what they consider a terrorist organisation, and they secured his release – an adult who put on a uniform, who picked up a gun and did what he signed up for,” Kadur said of Alexander. Advertisement “Why is a 16-year-old still there for nine months, rotting away, deteriorating in a prison? That’s one example to show that Mohammed – and his name and his Palestinian DNA – [are] not considered American enough by the State Department first and by the administration second.” Adblock test (Why?)
Syria condemns Israeli PM Netanyahu’s ‘illegal visit’ to seized territory
Israel has kept troops in a UN-patrolled buffer zone in the Golan Heights since December’s ouster of Bashar al-Assad. Syria has denounced a trip by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other senior officials to the country’s south, where they visited troops deployed to Syrian territory they’ve occupied for months. Israel expanded its occupation of southern Syrian territory as the regime of former President Bashar al-Assad was overrun by rebel forces in December. Recommended Stories list of 4 itemsend of list “My government strongly condemns this provocative tour, which epitomises Israel’s ongoing aggression against Syria and its people,” Ibrahim Olabi, Syria’s ambassador to the United Nations, told the UN Security Council on Wednesday. “We renew our call on the UN and this council to take firm and immediate action to halt these violations, ensure their non-reoccurrence, end the occupation and enforce relevant resolutions, particularly the 1974 disengagement agreement” that followed the 1973 Arab-Israeli War. Since the overthrow of al-Assad, Israel has kept troops in a UN-patrolled buffer zone in the Golan Heights separating Israeli and Syrian forces. UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric described Netanyahu and other senior Israeli officials’ “very public visit” as “concerning, to say the least”. Dujarric noted that UN Resolution 2799, recently passed by the Security Council, “called for the full sovereignty, unity, independence, and territorial integrity of Syria”. Israel has previously said the 1974 agreement has been void since al-Assad fled, and it has breached Syrian sovereignty with air strikes, ground infiltration operations, reconnaissance overflights, the establishment of checkpoints, and the arrest and disappearance of Syrian citizens. Advertisement Syria has not reciprocated the attacks. ‘Zero signs of aggression’ During the Security Council meeting, Danny Danon, Israel’s ambassador to the UN, did not directly address Netanyahu’s visit but instead lectured Syria’s ambassador. “Show us that Syria is moving away from extremism and radicalism, that the protection of Christians and Jews is not an afterthought but a priority. Show us that the militias are restrained and justice is real and the cycle of indiscriminate killings has ended,” Danon said. Olabi responded: “The proving, Mr Ambassador, tends to be on your shoulders. You have struck Syria more than 1,000 times, and we have responded with requests for diplomacy … and responded with zero signs of aggression towards Israel. … We have engaged constructively. and we still await for you to do the same.” Netanyahu was accompanied to Syrian territory by Foreign Minister Gideon Saar, Defence Minister Israel Katz, army Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir and the head of the Shin Bet security service, David Zini Syria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates condemned “in the strongest terms the illegal visit, … considering it a serious violation of Syria’s sovereignty and territorial integrity”. This month, Israel’s army renewed its incursions into Syria, setting up a military checkpoint in the southern province of Quneitra. In September, Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa said Israel had conducted more than 1,000 air strikes and more than 400 ground incursions in Syria since al-Assad was overthrown, describing the actions as “very dangerous”. Reporting from the UN in New York, Al Jazeera’s Gabriel Elizondo noted Syria and Israel continue to negotiate a security pact that analysts said could be finalised before the end of the year. “The testy exchange between the two ambassadors likely won’t derail that. But it does show how little trust there is between both countries – and how Netanyahu and his government continue to try to provoke Damascus,” Elizondo said. Adblock test (Why?)
Nvidia forecasts Q4 revenue above estimates despite AI bubble concerns
Analysts expect AI chip demand to remain strong. By Reuters Published On 19 Nov 202519 Nov 2025 Click here to share on social media share2 Share Nvidia has forecast fourth-quarter revenue above Wall Street estimates and is betting on booming demand for its AI chips from cloud providers even as widespread concerns of an artificial intelligence bubble grow stronger. The world’s most valuable company expects fourth-quarter sales of $65bn, plus or minus 2 percent, compared with analysts’ average estimate of $61.66bn, according to data compiled by LSEG. Recommended Stories list of 4 itemsend of list The results from the AI chip leader mark a defining moment for Wall Street as global markets look to the chip designer to determine whether investing billions of dollars in AI infrastructure expansion has resulted in towering valuations that potentially outpace fundamentals. “The AI ecosystem is scaling fast with more new foundation model makers, more AI start-ups across more industries and in more countries. AI is going everywhere, doing everything, all at once,” Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang said in a statement. Before the results, doubts had pushed Nvidia shares down nearly 8 percent in November after a 1,200 percent surge in the past three years. Sales in the data-centre segment, which accounts for a majority of Nvidia’s revenue, grew to $51.2bn in the quarter that ended on October 26. Analysts had expected sales of $48.62bn, according to LSEG data. Warning signs But some analysts noted that factors beyond Nvidia’s control could impede its growth. “While GPU [graphics processing unit] demand continues to be massive, investors are increasingly focused on whether hyperscalers can actually put this capacity to use fast enough,” said Jacob Bourne, an analyst with eMarketer. “The question is whether physical bottlenecks in power, land and grid access will cap how quickly this demand translates into revenue growth through 2026 and beyond.” Advertisement Nvidia’s business also became increasingly concentrated in its fiscal third quarter with four customers accounting for 61 percent of sales. At the same time, it sharply ramped up how much money it spends renting back its own chips from its cloud customers, who otherwise cannot rent them out, with those contracts totalling $26bn – more than double their $12.6bn in the previous quarter. Still, analysts and investors widely expected the underlying demand for AI chips, which has powered Nvidia results since ChatGPT’s launch in late 2022, to remain strong. Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang said last month that the company has $500bn in bookings for its advanced chips through 2026. Big Tech, among Nvidia’s largest customers, has doubled down on spending to expand AI data centres and snatch the most advanced, pricey chips as it commits to multibillion-dollar, multigigawatt build-outs. Microsoft last month reported a record capital expenditure of nearly $35bn for its fiscal first quarter with roughly half of it spent primarily on chips. Nvidia expects an adjusted gross margin of 75 percent, plus or minus 50 basis points in the fourth quarter, compared with market expectation of 74.5 percent. Adblock test (Why?)
Russia-Ukraine war: List of key events, day 1,364
Here are the key events from day 1,364 of Russia’s war on Ukraine. By Al Jazeera and News Agencies Published On 19 Nov 202519 Nov 2025 Click here to share on social media share2 Share Here is how things stand on Wednesday, November 19: Fighting Russian drones struck two central districts – Slobidskyi and Osnovyansk – in Ukraine’s second largest city Kharkiv, injuring five people in an apartment building and triggering a fire, authorities said. Kharkiv Mayor Ihor Terekhov said 22 residents had been evacuated from one section of the damaged apartment building while another drone struck an area outside a medical facility, injuring a doctor and damaging the building and nearby cars. The Kharkiv region’s governor, Oleh Syniehubov, said 11 drones were deployed in the attack and seven people were injured in total. Russia’s civil aviation authority said it was temporarily halting flights at Krasnodar International Airport in southern Russia on Wednesday morning, saying only that it was for flight safety. Russian air defences shot down four Ukrainian drones en route to Moscow on Tuesday, the city’s mayor said. Moscow’s two largest airports, Sheremetyevo and Vnukovo, stopped all air traffic for a time before later reopening, Russia’s aviation watchdog said. Ukrainian drone attacks have caused extensive damage to the power grid in the Russian-occupied part of the Donetsk region. Denis Pushilin, the Moscow-appointed head of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic, said about 65 percent of consumers were without power in the region. Ukraine attacked two thermal power stations in Russian-occupied Donetsk, according to a Telegram post by the commander of Ukraine’s drone forces. Major Robert Brovdi said the Starobeshivska and Zuivska power plants had been hit by his forces. Ukraine said it attacked military targets in Russia with United States-supplied ATACMS missiles, calling it a “significant development”. The military said in a statement that the “use of long-range strike capabilities, including systems such as ATACMS, will continue”. Russian Defence Minister Andrei Belousov conducted a regular inspection of troops fighting in eastern Ukraine, his ministry’s outlet, Zvezda, reported. Video posted by Zvezda showed Belousov presenting awards to military servicemen. Military aid Advertisement The Trump administration has approved a $105m arms sale to Ukraine to help it maintain existing Patriot missile air defence systems. The sale includes upgrading from M901 to M903 launchers, which can fire more missiles at once. Spain will provide Ukraine with a new military aid package worth 615 million euros ($710m), Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez announced on Tuesday. “Your fight is ours,” Sanchez said alongside Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, adding that Russian President Vladimir Putin’s “neoimperialism” seeks to “weaken the European project and everything it stands for”. Regional security The United Kingdom lacks a plan to defend itself from military attack, members of parliament warned while at least 13 sites across the UK have been identified for new factories to make munitions and military explosives, according to a report. Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said authorities have identified two Ukrainian nationals who had collaborated with Russia for “a long time” and were responsible for an explosion on a Polish railway route to Ukraine. “The most important information is that … we have identified the people responsible for the acts of sabotage,” Tusk told lawmakers. “In both cases, we are sure that the attempt to blow up the rails and the railway infrastructure violation were intentional and their aim was to cause a railway traffic catastrophe,” he said. The Kremlin accused Poland of succumbing to Russophobia after Warsaw blamed the explosion on a railway route to Ukraine on two Ukrainian citizens who it said were recruited by Russian intelligence. Soldiers from across the NATO alliance practised counterdrone skills in Poland on Tuesday with troops from the US, UK and Romania joining their Polish counterparts at the exercises in Nowa Deba in Poland’s southeast corner. The European Commission will propose a new initiative to help speed up the development and purchase of innovative defence technologies, according to a draft document seen by the Reuters news agency. US soldiers carry an AS3 interceptor, part of the US-made, AI-powered counterdrone system MEROPS, during a presentation in Nowa Deba, Poland [Kacper Pempel/Reuters] Ceasefire Zelenskyy said Ukraine will try to “reactivate” the diplomatic process to end the war with Russia. Zelenskyy later announced he planned to go to Turkiye on Wednesday to try to revive talks with Russia on how to end the war in Ukraine. No face-to-face talks have taken place between Kyiv and Moscow since they met in Istanbul in July. Steve Witkoff, a US special envoy, is expected to join the talks with Zelenskyy in Turkiye, another Ukrainian official involved in the meeting’s preparations told the AFP news agency. Ukraine plans to claim $43bn in climate compensation from Russia to help fund a planet-friendly rebuild after the war, Ukrainian Deputy Minister for Economy, Environment and Agriculture Pavlo Kartashov announced at the UN climate conference in Brazil. “We in Ukraine face brutality directly, but the climate shockwaves of this aggression will be felt well beyond our borders and into the future,” Kartashov said. Advertisement Politics and diplomacy One of Ukraine’s main opposition parties physically blocked lawmakers from holding a vote in parliament on Tuesday to dismiss two ministers over a corruption investigation, demanding the removal of the entire cabinet instead. Zelenskyy made a one-day visit on Tuesday to Spain and took the opportunity to view Pablo Picasso’s Guernica, a painting that depicts the horrors of war and specifically the bombardment of civilian targets in Spain by fascist German and Italian forces. Economy Russian state conglomerate Rostec said its defence exports have fallen by half since 2022 as domestic orders became a priority during the war in Ukraine. Until 2022, Russia held second place in the world after the US in defence exports, but the volumes dropped “due to the fact that we have had to supply most of our production to our army”, Rostec chief Sergey Chemezov told reporters. Russian lawmakers endorsed new tax hikes on Tuesday as Moscow
Single faulty wire led cargo ship to crash into Baltimore bridge: Report
Investigators say faulty wiring and two blackouts led the ship’s pilots to lose control of propulsion and steering. Published On 19 Nov 202519 Nov 2025 Click here to share on social media share2 Share A single loose wire on the Dali, a 300-metre (984ft) container ship, was responsible for the deadly collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore last year, according to a months-long investigation by the United States National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). Due to problems with the wiring, the Dali experienced two blackouts on March 26, 2024, before losing control of propulsion and steering, leading the container ship to crash into the bridge and kill six highway workers, the NTSB said in a statement on Tuesday. Recommended Stories list of 4 itemsend of list The bridge collapse created a global media sensation last year when a livestream video of the accident went viral. It was captured by a camera set up to monitor traffic through the Port of Baltimore but instead filmed the swift collapse of a major section of the bridge. NTSB Chairwoman Jennifer Homendy said finding the culprit behind the accident took months of diligent work from the agency’s investigators. “Our investigators routinely accomplish the impossible, and this investigation is no different,” she said. “The Dali at almost 1,000ft is as long as the Eiffel Tower is high with miles of wiring and thousands of electrical connections. Finding this single wire was like hunting for a loose rivet on the Eiffel Tower.” The investigation also found that the crew of the Dali tried and failed to steer the ship away from the bridge but was unable to do so due to electrical problems, the NTSB said. The agency praised the ship’s pilots for swiftly notifying local authorities of the problems, which led the Maryland Transportation Authority to stop traffic from crossing the nearly 4km-long (2.5-mile-long) bridge. Advertisement Seven workers were already on the bridge at the time, the NTSB said, and six were killed in the accident. The shipping channel fully reopened in June, but the Maryland Transportation Board said this week that the bridge will not reopen until 2030 and will cost $4.3bn to $5.2bn to repair, according to CBS News. Adblock test (Why?)
Scotland beats Denmark 4-2 to book first World Cup spot since 1998
Denmark needed just a draw for automatic qualification. Now they must fight for a spot through playoffs. Published On 19 Nov 202519 Nov 2025 Click here to share on social media share2 Share Scotland has qualified for the World Cup finals for the first time since 1998 after a hair-raising match against Denmark that saw the Scottish side secure a memorable 4-2 victory with most of the action taking place in the final minutes. Expectations hung heavy in the night air long before kickoff on Tuesday in Glasgow as Scotland’s date with destiny loomed. Recommended Stories list of 4 itemsend of list Despite qualifying for the last two European Championships, World Cup qualification has proved out of reach for Scotland since France 1998. Yet the Scottish side beat a 10-man Danish side 4-2 in a winner- takes-all match in Group C with Scott McTominay scoring with a bicycle kick just three minutes into the match, sending Scotland’s supporters at Hampden Park into raptures. The early cheers of the Scottish fans were dampened when Denmark’s Rasmus Hojlund levelled the score. Scotland’s Lawrence Shankland then put the home team ahead again, but that too was equalised by the Danes’ Patrick Dorgu in the 82nd minute. Scotland’s Scott McTominay celebrates scoring their first goal against Denmark on November 18, 2025 in Glasgow [Lee Smith/Reuters] A draw in the game would have given Denmark the group win, and the Danes were in a good position to achieve that result before Kieran Tierney put the Scottish side ahead again three minutes into added time. Kenny McLean then sealed Scotland’s World Cup qualification eight minutes into stoppage time when he chipped a shot over Danish goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel from the halfway line. “You would not believe it,” one match commentator said when Scotland scored their fourth goal, sending fans into delirium and ensuring the game will become part of the fabled folklore of Scottish football. Advertisement “We’ve been on a journey. I spoke to them about it pre-match, about how this is the opportunity we’ve waited for,” Scotland coach Steve Clarke said after the game. “This was the chance, one game. This was like a playoff final. We put everything on the line. There’s always one last step, and it’s always the hardest,” he said. Denmark’s Rasmus Hojlund shoots at the Scottish goal during the FIFA World Cup qualifier at Hampden Park [Russell Cheyne/Reuters] Denmark, which saw Rasmus Kristensen sent off in the 62nd minute, finished second in the group, two points behind Scotland. For much of the game, Denmark appeared to be the superior team. But after an already roller-coaster World Cup qualifying campaign for the Scots, including a 3-2 defeat in Greece on Saturday, the biggest twist was saved to the very end as the two goals in stoppage time sparked the loudest party the city of Glasgow has seen for years. “That just sums up this squad – never say die. We just keep going right to the end in one of the craziest games,” Scotland captain Andy Robertson said. “We put the country through it, but I’m sure it’s worth it. We’re going to the World Cup,” he said. Denmark, who only needed to avoid defeat to make sure of their third successive World Cup finals appearance, were left crestfallen. They will now join 11 other teams that finished second in their groups in a playoff competition: Only four of these 12 teams will qualify for the World Cup. Adblock test (Why?)
Polish company accused of supplying explosives for Israel’s war on Gaza
A Polish state-owned company has been accused of playing a crucial role in aiding Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza, providing a key explosive used in bombs and artillery that have been widely deployed in the Strip. A report released on Tuesday by a group of pro-Palestinian organisations found the explosives maker Nitro-Chem to have supplied United States arms companies with trinitrotoluene (TNT) for use in military shells, bombs, and grenades that are exported to Israel, a top US ally. Recommended Stories list of 3 itemsend of list Poland, the only major TNT producer in the EU and NATO, was identified by the People’s Embargo for Palestine, Palestinian Youth Movement, Shadow World Investigations and Movement Research Unit as the source of the explosive used in the general-purpose Mk 80 series – among the most common air-dropped weapons in the world – as well as the penetrator BLU-109 bomb. “This report decisively implicates Nitro-Chem and the Polish government as a critical link in facilitating the supply chain of genocide,” Nadya Tannous, an organiser with the Palestinian Youth Movement, told Al Jazeera. Air-dropped bombs are typically filled with an explosive mix of TNT and aluminium powder. Ninety percent of TNT imported by the US – where there is no domestic production – comes from Poland, the report found. Nitro-Chem has also been selling explosives, including TNT, directly to Israel, according to the report. While UN experts have found Israel to be committing genocidal acts in Gaza and called on all states to fulfil their legal obligations under the Genocide Convention, the report is evidence of Poland’s role “in the massacre of hundreds of thousands of Palestinians”, said Tannous. Advertisement Surviving Israeli bombs in Gaza Since launching its latest war on Gaza in October 2023, following the Hamas-led incursion into southern Israel, the Israeli army has relied heavily on guided and unguided Mk 80 bombs sold by General Dynamics, the world’s fifth-largest weapons manufacturer. Video evidence of unexploded Mk 84 bombs – the largest of the series – with markings indicating that the bomb was produced by General Dynamics – confirms that they have been used in the Strip. Israel is known to have used unguided bombs of the Mk 80 series in the targeting of Gaza’s Jabalia refugee camp on October 31, 2023, which could amount to a war crime, according to the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights. These were also converted into guided Joint Direct Attack Munitions (JDAMs), such as the one used to strike civilian homes in Deir el-Balah on October 10, 2023. Amnesty International, which investigated that attack, called the strikes unlawful and tantamount to a war crime. According to the Euro-Med Human Rights Monitor, Israel dropped more than 25,000 tonnes of explosives on the Strip – equivalent to two nuclear bombs – in the first month of the war. As fighting intensified, Mahmoud (*not his real name) was sleeping alongside his wife and children in their home in southern Gaza when a loud explosion shook the earth. The walls collapsed on them, and a fire broke out among the rubble. The family was rescued and taken to the hospital. “After I left the hospital, I didn’t have any shoes, so I walked barefoot on the pieces of glass, rubble, cement and metal,” he said. “I didn’t feel anything, I just stood there for hours and stared at the pile of rubble that, a few hours ago, was our home.” Thirteen of his relatives were killed in the bombing, including seven children. Mahmoud has since been able to leave Gaza and relocate to Europe with the surviving members of his family. Footage from the scene shows shrapnel compatible with the Mk 80 bomb series, according to military analysts. Al Jazeera is withholding details of the incident, as well as of the survivor’s identity, to reduce the risk of reprisal or retaliation. While the family is now miles away, the memories of what they experienced in Gaza have followed them. “The bombing has been haunting our family every day since. It left all of us traumatised,” Mahmoud said. Finding out that Poland likely provided the explosive that tore his family apart has left him shaken. “I feel sadness and disappointment that a country, which advocates for human rights and humanitarianism, has forgotten that there are human beings in the Gaza Strip bombed every day – humans no different than people in Europe,” he said. Advertisement “These bombs are used mainly to [target] residential homes, tents made out of plastic sheets, civilian infrastructure … They have a wide effect, they are not precise, and they destroy everything around,” Mahmoud continued. The Mk 84 has enormous destructive capacity, with a lethal radius of about 360 metres (about 1,180 feet) and an injury radius of up to 800 metres (2,625 feet) from the point of detonation. “How is it possible that Poland agrees to produce and sell explosive material, knowing it will be used against civilians?” he said. Al Jazeera has contacted Nitro-Chem and representatives of the Polish government for comment. Polish TNT for American bombs General Dynamics has been sourcing TNT for Mk 80 series bomb production from Nitro-Chem since at least 2016. Polish-made TNT also ended up in the penetrator BLU-109 bomb, which can destroy underground and heavily fortified targets, according to information provided to the authors of the report by the bomb’s US manufacturer, General Dynamics Ordnance and Tactical Systems (GD-OTS), the Polish company Nitro-Chem and US government databases. The company’s dealings with the US and Israel have continued despite the International Court of Justice (ICJ) ordering emergency measures in January 2024 to prevent genocidal acts and recognising genocide as a plausible risk. In April 2024, Nitro-Chem signed a contract with Paramount Enterprises International to supply TNT for Mk 80 series bombs and, shortly after, the US government approved the transfer of 1,800 Mk 84 bombs to Israel. Most recently, in April 2025, the company signed its largest contract yet – worth $310m – for the delivery of 18,000
Survivors denounce Trump’s attempts to block Epstein files vote
NewsFeed US Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene and survivors of Jeffrey Epstein’s abuse sharply criticised President Donald Trump for previously attempting to block a House vote on the release of files related to Epstein. Trump on Sunday dropped his opposition and the measure now is expected to overwhelmingly pass. Published On 18 Nov 202518 Nov 2025 Click here to share on social media share2 Share Adblock test (Why?)
WFP warns of deepening hunger crisis amid funding shortfall
UN agency said an estimated 318 million people will face acute food insecurity in 2026. Published On 18 Nov 202518 Nov 2025 Click here to share on social media share2 Share The World Food Programme (WFP) has said that funding cuts will worsen a deepening hunger crisis around the world, warning that more than 300 million people will face acute food insecurity next year. “Food insecurity is expected to remain at alarming levels,” the organisation said in its 2026 Global Outlook report released on Tuesday. Recommended Stories list of 3 itemsend of list The UN agency said an estimated 318 million people will face acute food insecurity in 2026, which equates to “crisis” level or worse, and is more than double the number in 2019. Of these, around 41 million are estimated to be in the “emergency” phase or worse, which is the equivalent of an IPC 4 or higher classification on a globally accepted hunger monitoring system. The WFP anticipates being able to feed about 110 million people in 2026, leaving much of the global population in need of food help without its assistance. The organisation said it estimates its operational requirement to stand at $13bn for 2026, with most going to crisis response and other expenses, including resilience building and addressing root causes. Current forecasts suggest that the WFP may receive only about half that amount. “The world is grappling with simultaneous famines, in Gaza and parts of Sudan. This is completely unacceptable in the 21st century,” WFP Executive Director Cindy McCain said in a statement. “Hunger is becoming more entrenched. We know early, effective solutions save lives, but we desperately need more support.” In Gaza City and its surrounding areas, the IPC declared famine in August, months after the Israeli military imposed a monthslong total blockade on Gaza. The hunger crisis across the Palestinian territory remains dire as Israel continues to impose restrictions on supplies of food, fuel, water and medicines. Advertisement Famine conditions were confirmed in Sudan’s el-Fasher and Kadugli earlier this month, as well as 20 other areas in Darfur and Kordofan – battlegrounds between the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces and the Sudanese army – at risk of sliding into famine. Families reaching this camp near El Fasher arrive exhausted and hungry. WFP’s @FaithAwino3 explains how WFP is rushing emergency food and nutrition support to over half a million people and scaling up help to surrounding areas. pic.twitter.com/cX4iqGUFhh — WFP Sudan (@WFP_Sudan) November 17, 2025 Afghanistan, Yemen, Syria, South Sudan, the Sahel region of East Africa, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Haiti and Nigeria are some of the other hotspots of concern. Conflict remains the dominant driver of hunger globally, with more than two-thirds of all acute food insecurity attributable to conflict-driven crises. Climate shocks, economic instability, and food and energy price inflation further exacerbate the situation, according to the WFP. Yet the agency said last month that it expected to receive 40 percent less funding next year. The United States has been the largest and wealthiest country to announce hugely impactful funding cuts for the WFP and other UN and international agencies following President Donald Trump’s “America-first” return to the White House earlier this year. Adblock test (Why?)
Trump hails lower prices amid rising discontent over cost of living
US president defends economic policies as polls show growing angst among voters over prices. Published On 18 Nov 202518 Nov 2025 Click here to share on social media share2 Share United States President Donald Trump has defended his administration’s record on lowering prices as he faces growing discontent from Americans over the cost of living. In a speech to McDonald’s franchise owners and suppliers on Monday, Trump claimed credit for bringing inflation back to “normal” levels while pledging to bring price growth lower still. Recommended Stories list of 4 itemsend of list “We have it down to a low level, but we’re going to get it a little bit lower,” Trump said. “We want perfection.” Returning to his regular talking point that Democrats had mismanaged the economy, the Republican president blamed cost pressures on former US President Joe Biden and insisted Americans were “so damn lucky” he won the 2024 election. “Nobody has done what we’ve done in terms of pricing. We took over a mess,” Trump said. Trump, whose 2024 presidential campaign focused heavily on the cost of living, has struggled to win over Americans with his protectionist economic message amid persistent affordability concerns. In an NBC News poll released this month, 66 percent of respondents said Trump had fallen short of their expectations on affordability, while 63 percent answered the same for the economy in general. Voter angst over prices has been widely identified as a key reason Republicans suffered a shellacking in off-year elections held early this month in multiple states, including New Jersey and Virginia. Despite repeatedly playing down the effects of his tariffs on prices, Trump on Friday signed an executive order lowering duties on 200 food products, including beef, bananas, coffee and orange juice. Advertisement Trump has also floated tariff-funded $2,000 rebate cheques and the introduction of 50-year mortgages as part of a push to address affordability concerns. While inflation has markedly declined since hitting a four-decade high of 9.1 percent under Biden, it remains significantly above the Federal Reserve’s 2 percent target. The inflation rate rose to 3 percent in October, the first time it hit the 3 percent mark since January, although many analysts had expected a higher figure due to Trump’s trade salvoes. Trump, who is well known for his love of McDonald’s, spent a considerable portion of Monday’s speech praising the fast-food chain and casting the company as emblematic of his economic agenda. “Together we are fighting for an economy where everybody can win, from the cashier starting her first job to a franchisee opening their first location to the young family in a drive-through line,” he said. Trump also offered “special thanks” to the fast-food giant for rolling out more affordable menu options, including the reintroduction of extra value meals, which were phased out in 2018 and are priced at $5 or $8. “We’re getting prices down for this country, and there’s no better leader or advocate than McDonald’s,” he said. Adblock test (Why?)