MicroWave

Summary

In response to North Korea’s recent intercontinental ballistic missile test, the U.S., South Korea, and Japan conducted a joint air drill, flying a U.S. B-1B bomber near the Korean Peninsula. South Korean and Japanese fighter jets escorted the bomber, showcasing their readiness to counter North Korea’s growing threats.

The drill followed North Korea’s launch of the Hwasong-19 missile, reportedly capable of reaching the U.S. mainland, signaling the allies’ commitment to regional security amid rising tensions.

Summary

Malaysia remains the second-largest EU plastic waste importer despite pledges to limit imports. In 2023, EU plastic exports to Malaysia rose by 35%, with over a fifth of 8.5 million tons of waste directed there.

Critics argue EU exports have surged, while Malaysia struggles with inadequate recycling infrastructure, leading to pollution. Stronger regulatory measures are needed to combat illegal waste shipments and ensure proper disposal.

• Russian drone strikes damaged buildings, roads, and power lines in Kyiv, with no reported injuries.
• Ukrainian air defense downed 66 of 96 drones and an X-59/69 missile aimed at various regions.
• Ukraine braces for winter energy challenges as recent Russian strikes have impacted half of its power capacity.

Summary

Texas’ top elections official informed the U.S. Department of Justice that federal election monitors are not permitted inside polling places or counting locations under Texas law. The Justice Department plans to send monitors to eight Texas counties to ensure compliance with federal voting rights laws. Despite the monitors’ presence outside polling places, Texas Democrats had previously requested their deployment to the state’s five most populous counties.

A Florida school board candidate who lost his race in a county south of Jacksonville will get a seat on the board anyway, after Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis tapped him to fill a vacancy.

Derek Barrs will take an open seat on the Flagler County School Board in northeast Florida, succeeding a member who resigned in September, allowing DeSantis to appoint a replacement rather than the seat going on the ballot for voters to decide.

Plaintiffs accuse America Pac of several violations during its operation to support Orange county’s Michelle Steel

Elon Musk’s troubled canvassing operation on behalf of Donald Trump and the Republican party is now facing a lawsuit in southern California filed by two women who say they were cheated out of wages and expenses as they knocked on doors for an embattled Republican congresswoman.

The suit accuses Musk’s America Pac, which has poured more than $100m into this year’s election campaign, of “willful violations of the California labor code” by paying the plaintiffs less than it promised and refusing to make up the difference.

The women, Tamiko Anderson and Patricia Kelly, say they were hired last month and promised an hourly wage – about $25, according to their lead lawyer – to help turn out votes for Michelle Steel, who represents a closely contested swing district in Orange county, south of Los Angeles.

Donald Trump is reportedly losing sleep, battling anxiety, and obsessing over his polling numbers as the GOP nominee hopes to hang his hat on any sign that he will return to the White House.

A campaign official told Axios that Trump is asking more questions and pushing his staff to work even more to ensure that he will come out ahead of Vice President Kamala Harris come Election Day.

"Trump's anxiety is evident in his late-night and early morning calls to aides in which he peppers them with questions on how things are going---and whether they think he'll win," Axios reported.

Ukrainian president calls on countries to step in before troops sent to Russia by Pyongyang reach battlefield

Ukraine’s president urged allies to stop “watching” and take steps before North Korean troops deployed in Russia reach the battlefield, while the army chief said his troops were facing “one of the most powerful offensives” by Moscow since the full-scale war began.

Volodymyr Zelenskyy raised the prospect of a pre-emptive Ukrainian strike on camps where the North Korean troops are being trained and said Kyiv knows their location. But he said Ukraine can’t do it without permission from allies to use western-made long-range weapons to hit targets deep inside Russia.

“But instead … America is watching, Britain is watching, Germany is watching. Everyone is just waiting for the North Korean military to start attacking Ukrainians as well,” Zelenskyy said in a post late on Friday on the Telegram messaging app.

Summary

TGI Fridays filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. The once-popular sit-down restaurant has faced declining customer interest, reflecting a broader trend impacting casual dining. With just 163 U.S. locations—down from 269 last year—the chain has closed numerous outlets and seen U.S. sales drop to $728 million in 2023. While TGI Fridays operates only 39 U.S. locations directly, global franchised locations remain unaffected, with independent operators managing 461 restaurants across 41 countries under a separate franchising entity.

Summary

Amidst the devastation of the floods in Valencia, Spain, an outpouring of solidarity has emerged, with thousands of volunteers assisting in cleanup efforts. However, anger is growing over the slow response from authorities, with many residents feeling abandoned and criticizing the lack of adequate warning systems. The Spanish government has deployed additional troops and police to aid in relief efforts.

Summary

Kim Jong Un’s alignment with Putin, bolstered by reported North Korean support for Russia’s Ukraine invasion, complicates China’s regional strategy, raising fears of instability at its borders.

Xi Jinping seeks control over North Korea but faces challenges as Kim favors Russia over China, heightening tensions in East Asia.

With South Korea considering nuclear options and U.S. interests intensifying, Beijing is caught between strategic ambitions and the destabilizing effects of the Putin-Kim alliance.