“Swiss bank UBS said on Thursday it had successfully piloted a blockchain-based payment system it has developed to improve efficiency of cross-border transactions known as UBS Digital Cash. In the pilot, transactions were carried out with multinational clients and banks, including domestic transactions in Switzerland and cross-border payments in U.S. dollars, Swiss francs, euros and Chinese yuan, UBS said in a statement.” (11/07/24)
“Germany’s Christian Democratic Union (CDU) opposition party has called on Chancellor Olaf Scholz to seek a vote of confidence next week after the ruling coalition fell apart Wednesday night with Scholz’s shock dismissal of his finance minister. Scholz had promised to put his government to a confidence vote by January 15, 2025.” (11/07/24)
“One of Russia’s youngest political prisoners has lost an appeal to overturn a five-year jail sentence. Arseny Turbin was only 15 when he was arrested in the summer of 2023. Authorities accused him of joining the Freedom of Russia Legion – a paramilitary unit composed of Russian volunteers fighting for Ukraine against the Russian army. The Freedom of Russia Legion is designated as terrorist organisation by Russia, and Arseny was sentenced to five years in a juvenile colony. On Thursday, the court of appeal reduced his five-year term – but only by 24 days. Arseny is one of nine minors who have faced politically motivated criminal charges since the start of the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the subsequent crackdown on civil liberties, according to Russian human rights organisation OVD-Info.” (11/07/24)
“Fire danger and strong winds in Southern California prompted authorities to issue evacuation orders for thousands in Ventura County — where staff at the National Weather Service’s Oxnard office were among those having to flee on Wednesday. Hundreds of firefighters were battling the fast-moving Mountain Fire in Ventura County that injured several people who had to be hospitalized and impacted numerous structures as it burned out of control on Wednesday, the county fire department said.” (11/06/24)
“Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said Thursday his government will introduce legislation to ban children under 16 years of age from social media. Specifics of how the ban would work were not made public during the press conference Thursday when Albanese called the ban ‘world leading.’ He said the ban will not include exceptions for children already on social media or those with parental consent, and that the onus will be on social media platforms to prevent access — not on parents.” [editor’s note: So Albanese is both evil and delusional. Color me unsurprised – TLK] (11/07/24)
“Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Thursday he is re-establishing a special Cabinet committee on Canada-U.S. relations to address his administration’s concerns about another Donald Trump presidency. Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland, who is also the country’s finance minister, will chair the committee, which also will include other top officials including ministers of foreign affairs, public safety and industry. ‘Following the election of President Donald Trump for a second term, the Cabinet Committee will focus on critical Canada-U.S. issues,’ Trudeau’s office said in a statement Thursday. Canada is one of the most trade-dependent countries in the world, and 75% of Canada’s exports go to the U.S. During Trump’s first time, his move to renegotiate the North American Free Trade Agreement, or NAFTA, and reports that he was considering a 25% tariff on the auto sector were considered an existential threat in Canada at the time.” (11/07/24)
“A military judge has ruled that plea agreements struck by alleged Sept. 11 mastermind Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and two co-defendants are valid, voiding an order by Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin to throw out the deals, a government official said Wednesday. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because the order by the judge, Air Force Col. Matthew McCall, has not yet been posted publicly or officially announced. The plea agreements would spare Mohammed and the others the risk of the death penalty in exchange for guilty pleas in the long-running 9/11 case.” (11/06/24)
“The Israeli parliament has given its final approval to controversial legislation that allows the government to deport the family members of so-called ‘terrorists,’ including its own citizens, to the Gaza Strip and other locations. As the bill cleared the two required final plenum readings on Thursday, lawmakers in the Knesset approved the law – which would apply to Palestinian citizens of Israel as well – by 61 votes in favour to 41 against. … The parents, siblings or spouses of a so-called ‘terrorist’ can be sent away from Israel in case they are deemed to have ‘expressed support or identification’ or have failed to report information about ‘an act of terrorism or a terrorist organisation.’ It would also apply to residents of occupied East Jerusalem, but it was still unclear if it would apply in the occupied West Bank.” (11/07/24)
“U.S. stocks completed a momentous trading session on Wednesday, with investor optimism over Donald Trump’s presidential-election victory fueling the biggest post-election jump in the Dow Jones Industrial Average in more than 100 years. Wednesday’s advance in all three major U.S. stock indexes came despite a spike in Treasury yields, led by a 15.3-basis-point rise in the 30-year rate. The Dow Jones Industrial Average finished up by 1508.05 points, or 3.6%, at a new record close of 43,729.93, based on preliminary data. The S&P 500 closed up by 146.28 points, or 2.5%, at 5,929.04. The Nasdaq Composite ended up by 544.29 points, or almost 3%, at 18,983.47.” (11/06/24)
“Hurricane Rafael slammed into Cuba as a Category 3 hurricane Wednesday afternoon before losing some strength as it passed over the island and entered the Gulf of Mexico. The storm is moving away from western Cuba as a Category 2 hurricane, and conditions on the island were expected to improve overnight, with winds, rain, and storm surge diminishing. The hurricane, which caused the island’s power grid to crash, is the fifth major hurricane of the year in the Atlantic and the strongest this late in the year since 2020. … Rafael is expected to turn to the west and slow on Thursday, likely meandering along the southern Gulf of Mexico into the weekend. It is unlikely at this time that this storm will impact the northern Gulf of Mexico with the hurricane center only warning that the southern and southwestern Gulf of Mexico should keep up to date on Rafael.” (11/07/24)
