The UN Security Council has approved a U.S.-proposed resolution to deploy an International Stabilization Force (ISF) in Gaza, aimed at restoring peace in the conflict-torn region. The proposal, introduced by President Donald Trump, passed with 13 votes in favor, while Russia and China abstained. Russia’s UN envoy, Vasily Nebenzya, criticized the plan as reflecting a ‘colonial-era mentality’ and warned that it could become a pretext for U.S. intervention under the guise of peacekeeping. He expressed concern over the lack of transparency and the exclusion of Palestinian voices in the decision-making process. The ISF, potentially including forces from the U.S., Turkey, Qatar, and Egypt, is expected to oversee Gaza’s reconstruction and security. Moscow cautioned that the force might act autonomously, disregarding the Palestinian Authority’s position. Meanwhile, Hamas rejected the plan as an imposed ‘international guardianship system,’ vowing not to disarm. Human rights groups also warned that the proposal undermines Palestinian rights and accountability for war crimes.

A major technical issue at Cloudflare caused widespread disruptions across numerous popular websites globally, including social media platform X and film review site Letterboxd. Users attempting to access affected sites encountered error messages stating that pages could not be loaded due to Cloudflare’s network problems. Cloudflare, a key internet infrastructure provider known for protecting against cyberattacks and managing heavy traffic, confirmed awareness of the issue and said investigations were underway. The outage also impacted Down Detector, a platform that tracks website disruptions, which later reported a sharp rise in outage reports worldwide. Although the exact number of affected websites remains unknown, this incident highlights the vulnerability of the internet ecosystem to single-point failures in essential infrastructure providers like Cloudflare.

Throughout history, several heads of state and government have faced execution following accusations of tyranny, corruption, or betrayal of their nations. England’s King Charles I was executed in 1649 after being convicted of treason for defying Parliament. In Turkey, Prime Minister Adnan Menderes was hanged in 1961 following a military coup and charges of constitutional violations and corruption. Pakistan’s former Prime Minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto was executed in 1979 after a controversial trial under General Zia-ul-Haq’s regime. Iran’s former Prime Minister Amir-Abbas Hoveyda was shot dead in 1979 following the Islamic Revolution, in a trial criticized for its lack of due process. Other notable leaders who met similar fates include France’s King Louis XVI, Hungary’s Imre Nagy, Romania’s Nicolae Ceaușescu, and Japan’s Hideki Tojo. These cases highlight how political downfall and authoritarian rule have often led to the ultimate punishment — death.

According to Swiss-based air quality monitoring organization IQAir, India’s capital Delhi has once again topped the global list of cities with the most polluted air. On the morning of November 16, Delhi recorded an air quality index (AQI) score of 559, placing it in the 'hazardous' category. Kolkata followed in second place with a score of 211, while Pakistan’s Lahore ranked third with the same score. Egypt’s Cairo took the fourth spot with a score of 202, and Bangladesh’s capital Dhaka ranked fifth with a score of 181, categorized as ‘unhealthy’. IQAir’s scale classifies air quality from ‘good’ (0–50) to ‘hazardous’ (above 300). The top ten most polluted cities recorded AQI scores between 160 and 180, reflecting widespread poor air quality across major urban centers in South Asia and beyond.

A total of 30 national teams from across the globe have officially secured their places in the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which will feature 48 teams in total. From Europe, France, England, and Croatia have qualified by topping their respective groups. South America will be represented by six teams—Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay, Colombia, Ecuador, and Paraguay—after dominant performances in the qualifiers. Host nation the United States and Mexico have confirmed their participation from North and Central America. Africa will send nine teams, including Algeria, Morocco, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Egypt, Senegal, Tunisia, Cape Verde, and South Africa. From Asia, Japan, South Korea, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Qatar, and Uzbekistan have secured their spots, while New Zealand will represent Oceania. With 18 places still open, the remaining teams will be determined through playoffs and final qualifying rounds in the coming months.

Global crude oil production is projected to increase in 2024, according to the US Energy Information Administration’s (EIA) Short-Term Energy Outlook. The report forecasts total global fuel production, including refined products, to average 106 million barrels per day, up by 100,000 barrels from earlier estimates. Global consumption is expected to reach 104.1 million barrels daily. Due to higher supply, global oil inventories are likely to continue rising through 2026, reaching 31.8 billion barrels by the end of that year. The EIA anticipates the average Brent crude price to fall to $68.76 per barrel in 2024, down from $80.56 last year, while West Texas Intermediate (WTI) may average $65.15 per barrel. US crude output is forecast to reach a record 13.59 million barrels per day this year before slightly declining in 2025 and 2026. Analysts note that the EIA’s monthly forecasts show only minor adjustments but maintain expectations of a supply surplus through next year.

Meta has announced that starting February 10, 2026, Facebook’s Like and Comment buttons will no longer function on external websites such as blogs, news portals, and e-commerce pages. The decision marks the end of an era for one of the internet’s most recognizable icons, introduced in 2009. Meta explained that the move is part of its effort to modernize and simplify developer tools, as the use of these plugins has declined significantly due to stricter privacy laws, evolving data-sharing policies, and the rise of new social media platforms. However, the Like button will remain active within Facebook’s own app and website, allowing users to continue reacting to posts, photos, and videos as usual. The change reflects Meta’s shift toward innovation and privacy-focused development rather than maintaining outdated web integrations.

Microsoft is developing a global 'supercluster' network that connects multiple data centers across vast distances to power next-generation artificial intelligence models requiring hundreds of trillions of parameters. The initiative, first launched in October, links facilities such as those in Mount Pleasant, Wisconsin, and Atlanta, Georgia, forming a unified high-performance computing system. Though Microsoft has not disclosed the exact technology behind the interconnection, it aligns with recent advances like Cisco’s 51.2 Tbps routers and Broadcom’s new high-bandwidth hardware. The company’s Fairwater data centers employ direct-to-chip liquid cooling to minimize water use. According to Azure CTO Mark Russinovich, the goal is to distribute AI workloads across multiple centers, enabling efficient training of massive models. Analysts say this approach will give Microsoft flexibility in choosing new data center locations with optimal climate, land cost, and energy availability.

A US proposal to establish a UN-mandated international stabilization force (ISF) in Gaza has encountered opposition from Russia, China, and several Arab nations. The draft resolution, part of President Donald Trump’s ceasefire plan, includes a 'Board of Peace' mechanism that Moscow and Beijing want removed. Arab countries have also expressed concerns about the lack of a clear role for the Palestinian Authority and an uncertain timeline for Israeli withdrawal. In response, Washington added language on Palestinian self-determination to the revised text. Despite US Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s call for swift passage, divisions within the UN Security Council persist. The UAE and others say the framework for the ISF remains unclear, while some warn the US might act outside the UN if talks fail. The debate underscores deep geopolitical rifts over Gaza’s post-war governance and statehood prospects.

Microsoft is developing a global network of interconnected data centers, dubbed 'superclusters', to support the next generation of artificial intelligence models that will use hundreds of trillions of parameters. The initiative began last October by linking data centers in Mount Pleasant, Wisconsin, and Atlanta, Georgia, enabling them to function as a single high-performance computing unit. The company aims to expand this model worldwide, using high-speed internet connections to integrate multiple centers for large-scale AI training. These facilities, called 'Fairwater', employ direct-to-chip liquid cooling to minimize water use. Microsoft Azure CTO Mark Russinovich said the company’s goal is to scale AI infrastructure across multiple centers for efficiency and flexibility. Analysts note that this approach will allow Microsoft to optimize data center locations based on cost, climate, and energy availability.

Scientists have warned that multiple geomagnetic storms are striking Earth this week, following several coronal mass ejections (CMEs) from the Sun. The U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) classified the event as a G4-level geomagnetic storm, indicating severe intensity. The storms have already caused temporary radio blackouts in parts of Africa and Europe and may disrupt satellite communications and power grids. However, they have also produced spectacular aurora displays visible across regions of the United States, Canada, and northern Europe. The solar activity is part of the Sun’s 11-year magnetic cycle, currently at its peak, which has led to frequent auroral sightings in recent months. While not directly harmful to humans, such storms can interfere with GPS navigation, aviation communication, and satellite operations.