Author: Sarita Jena

On Tuesday, Meta announced that Dana White, the CEO of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), will join its board of directors. This move strengthens Meta’s ties to the incoming Republican administration. Dana White is a long-time friend of Donald Trump, the new president-elect, and he supported Trump at various Republican conventions.

Just days earlier, Meta promoted Joel Kaplan, a key Republican policy executive, to lead global affairs, replacing Nick Clegg. The company also brought in former Microsoft executive Charlie Songhurst and John Elkann, the CEO of Exor, which is linked to big European brands like Ferrari.

Mark Zuckerberg, the CEO of Meta, is friends with Dana White because they share an interest in mixed martial arts. In 2023, White even tried to set up a cage match between Zuckerberg and Elon Musk, the owner of Tesla and SpaceX, but Musk never went through with it due to an old injury.

These changes at Meta are seen as efforts to prepare for Trump’s second term as president. The company’s platforms, like Facebook and Instagram, have faced criticism from Republicans for supposedly censoring conservative voices. Many of Trump’s supporters want to hold Meta accountable.

In recent weeks, Zuckerberg met with Trump at Mar-a-Lago, Trump’s resort in Florida, to congratulate him on his election win. Zuckerberg has also said he regretted some past decisions that upset conservatives and praised Trump’s response to certain events. Many tech leaders, like Tim Cook from Apple and Sundar Pichai from Google, are also trying to build good relationships with Trump as they anticipate changes in government.

Seth Abramson, a Harvard Law School graduate and biographer of Elon Musk, is worried about Musk’s mental health. In a post on social media platform X, Abramson shared that he has watched Musk’s online behavior for two years. He stated, “I really believe Elon Musk may be losing his mind.” Abramson pointed out Musk’s past issues with mental health, drug use, and stress as reasons for his concern. He urged people to “Protect America from Elon Musk.”

With Musk taking a possible leadership role in the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) under the Trump administration and owning X, Abramson argues that this could be dangerous. He mentioned, “Musk’s influence in important industries and being a potential president is worrying because his behavior could put us all at risk.” Abramson called for action from the current government, like ending contracts with Musk and investigating him, although he felt such actions were unlikely.

He added that the administration could still act in the next 14 days to safeguard the country. Abramson warned that if nothing is done, the consequences of Musk’s actions could be serious for America, and those who ignore these warnings will share the blame.

On X, many users support Abramson’s worries. Some criticized Musk, calling him “a thin-skinned, drug-using villain,” while others wondered why he hasn’t just lived a simple life away from public scrutiny. One user defended Musk, suggesting that he wants to ensure Western civilization remains strong and innovative. This viewpoint emphasizes a belief in preserving certain cultural values against perceived threats.

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has been talking with Israel and the U.S. about helping to run Gaza after the war. This would happen until a new Palestinian Authority (PA) can take charge.

These secret talks, first reported by Reuters, suggest that the UAE and other countries might temporarily manage Gaza’s safety, governance, and rebuilding effort after Israel pulls out its troops.

The UAE is an ally of the U.S. and has ties with Israel, which gives it a unique position to influence the situation. However, there isn’t a detailed plan yet, just ideas being floated.

In these discussions, the UAE wants the PA to be stronger and better organized to lead Gaza, the West Bank, and East Jerusalem effectively. This is a tough request because Israel is against giving the PA control in its current state. A UAE official stated that they won’t support any plan that doesn’t focus on improving the PA.

The PA has been in charge of parts of the West Bank and Gaza for about 30 years but was forced out of Gaza by Hamas in 2007. The U.S. State Department has confirmed that they are in talks about how to manage Gaza post-war, but no specific details are available.

Additionally, the UAE suggested possibly using private military contractors to help oversee security in Gaza. However, this idea might worry many Western countries, as these contractors have faced criticism for their actions in past conflicts.

Rebuilding Gaza is expected to be a long and costly process, likely requiring about tens of billions of dollars. The UAE has criticized Israel’s military actions while still wanting to be involved in rebuilding efforts. Both the UAE and Israel oppose Hamas, which recently attacked Israel.

Any plans for a multinational mission in Gaza could only happen if invited by the Palestinian Authority, according to the UAE. Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu has expressed that he doesn’t support the current PA leading Gaza due to its history and issues, including corruption.

The UAE has suggested a new leader for the PA, someone like Salam Fayyad, who has experience and credibility. The current Palestinian Prime Minister is trying to reform the PA, which has faced financial problems for years.

Overall, the situation is complicated, and various nations are working hard to figure out a stable plan for Gaza’s future.

Justin Trudeau, the 23rd Prime Minister of Canada, announced that he is stepping down as the leader of his party and Prime Minister. He has been in office for almost ten years and is known for making many progressive changes. However, his time as Prime Minister has become more controversial, with more and more criticism from Canadians.

Jagmeet Singh, the leader of the New Democratic Party (NDP) and once an ally of Trudeau, expressed disappointment in Trudeau’s leadership. Singh criticized Trudeau for not addressing important issues like housing, grocery prices, and healthcare. He stated that the Liberal Party does not deserve another chance and called for support for the NDP instead. Singh mentioned that the Conservatives only care about helping wealthy CEOs and not everyday Canadians.

On X (formerly Twitter), Singh said, “Trudeau has let you down repeatedly. He has failed on housing and food costs and hasn’t fixed our healthcare. It doesn’t matter who leads the Liberals; they don’t deserve another chance.” He urged Canadians to stand with the NDP for more effective government.

Last year, Singh withdrew the NDP’s support for Trudeau’s Liberal government due to dissatisfaction with how the government was handling its promises, particularly regarding healthcare and affordability. Singh criticized Trudeau for prioritizing corporate interests over the public’s needs.

In a recent conference, Singh called Trudeau’s decision to pause Parliament wrong, stating that it’s not right for the Liberals to avoid working for Canadians when they are needed. He announced that the NDP would oppose the Liberal government, wanting to fight against cuts that would harm essential services for everyday people.

Singh made it clear that the NDP aims to build a government that listens to and fights for the middle class. He promised to focus on reducing grocery prices and making housing affordable. The NDP is ready to take action and provide a real choice for Canadians as they consider their next steps after Trudeau’s resignation.