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Tesla Shareholders Approve Musk's $1 Trillion Pay Package
Tesla shareholders on Thursday approved a $1 trillion pay deal for Elon Musk by a 75% majority. The package is structured in 12 tranches tied to ambitious performance milestones, including growing Tesla's valuation to $8.5 trillion from around $1.4 trillion.
The compensation plan requires Musk to meet specific operational goals, including — for his first tranche — delivering 20 million Tesla vehicles, deploying a million robotaxis for commercial operation, and securing 10 million full self-driving subscriptions over the proposed timeframe.
The nod came at Tesla's annual shareholders meeting in Austin, Texas, and increases Musk's ownership from about 13% to 25%, giving him more voting power.
Narrative A
Musk's compensation package is essential for Tesla's future as the company transitions from a traditional automaker to an AI-focused technology leader. Without Musk's visionary leadership, Tesla risks losing significant value and falling behind in critical areas like full self-driving and robotics. The pay structure only rewards Musk if he creates enormous shareholder value, making it a smart investment.
Narrative B
This pay package represents corporate excess at its worst, with Tesla's current valuation only justified by blind faith in Musk. Tesla's EV sales are declining, while Musk's political controversies have damaged the brand globally. Yet shareholders are being asked to reward him. Institutional investors and Norway's sovereign wealth fund rightly recognize this is too much dependence on a distracted leader.
Nerd narrative
There's a 25% chance Musk will become the first trillionaire, according to the Metaculus prediction community.
Trump Agrees to Comply After Judge Orders Admin to Pay Full SNAP Benefits
U.S. District Judge John McConnell Jr. in Rhode Island ordered the Trump administration on Thursday to provide full SNAP benefits for November by Friday, rejecting plans to pay only 65% of benefits using $4.65 billion in contingency funds.
The Trump administration, which initially decided not to distribute SNAP benefits during the government shutdown and later agreed to partial funding after Democracy Forward sued the Department of Agriculture (USDA), informed states that the USDA will fully issue SNAP benefits during litigation. It's possible that the funds could become available as soon as the end of Friday (U.S. time).
Judge McConnell criticized the administration for failing to use Section 32 Child Nutrition Program funds and ordered their use alongside contingency funds to ensure full payments, stating that 16 million children were at immediate risk of hunger.
Republican narrative
Federal judges have no business dictating spending priorities during a government shutdown caused by Democrats. The court ruling forcing full SNAP funding represents dangerous judicial overreach that undermines executive authority. Democrats should end their shutdown so the administration can adequately fund programs without judicial interference.
Democratic narrative
Trump deliberately chose to abandon 42 million hungry Americans by cutting SNAP benefits after already slashing $186 billion from the program. The administration finds billions for foreign allies and lavish parties but refuses to feed struggling families. This signifies a moral failure to address hunger in the world's wealthiest nation.
Nerd narrative
There's a 50% chance that the U.S. president will sign a continuing resolution or omnibus spending bill ending a government shutdown by Nov. 22, 2025, according to the Metaculus prediction community.
Sudan's RSF Agrees to Humanitarian Ceasefire
Sudan's paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) announced Thursday its agreement to a humanitarian ceasefire proposed by the United States, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and the United Arab Emirates, while the Sudanese army has not yet responded to the proposal.
The RSF's ceasefire announcement follows its capture of El Fasher, the army's last major stronghold in Darfur, in North Darfur on Oct. 26 after an 18-month siege, consolidating the group's control over the entire western Darfur region and displacing over 70,000 people.
The RSF stated that it had agreed to the humanitarian ceasefire to address the "catastrophic humanitarian consequences of the war" for the civilian population, adding that it looked forward to immediately beginning "discussions on the arrangements for a cessation of hostilities."
Pro-SAF narrative
The RSF cannot be trusted, and their brutal massacre in El Fasher exposed their true nature as genocidal killers who celebrate mass murder. Videos show fighters laughing at rows of dead bodies, executing civilians in cold blood, and turning the city into a ransom-based prison where families pay to survive. This paramilitary force systematically tortured captives, blocked humanitarian aid, and committed war crimes that demand justice, not negotiation.
Pro-RSF narrative
The RSF's acceptance of the humanitarian truce demonstrates a genuine commitment to ending civilian suffering and addressing the catastrophic humanitarian crisis. While the so-called Sudanese army continues pledging to eliminate enemies and pursue war, the RSF shows a willingness to engage in peace talks and protect civilians. Their agreement to the Quad-proposed ceasefire creates the foundation for lasting peace that Sudan desperately needs.
Pro-Trump narrative
The RSF's commitment to the ceasefire is the direct result of U.S. President Trump taking the lead where others have stalled. Instead of empty condemnations and endless summits, Washington is driving quiet but determined diplomacy — pressing both sides toward a verifiable ceasefire and the opening of humanitarian corridors. By combining pressure with pragmatism, Trump's approach shows that peace comes not from hesitation, but from strength and resolve backed by clear American leadership.
Establishment-critical narrative
Despite cautious optimism, the United Arab Emirates' support for the genocidal RSF militia must not be ignored. British weapons are being used for mass killings via the UAE's supply chains, highlighting how Western arms sales enable atrocities. The UAE has systematically armed and financed the RSF's brutal campaign, while Western allies look the other way to protect lucrative defense contracts and investment flows from the Gulf region.
Nerd narrative
There is a 22% chance that any of Sudan's seven neighboring countries will officially announce a complete border closure with Sudan, citing conflict spillover or security concerns before July 1, 2026, according to the Metaculus prediction community.
Senate Rejects Resolution Requiring Approval for Military Action Against Venezuela
Senate Republicans rejected a bipartisan resolution on Thursday that would have required President Donald Trump to seek congressional approval before he could take military action against Venezuela.
The resolution stated that recent U.S. military activity indicated hostilities were “imminent” and directed the president to “terminate” any activity without Congress’s approval. The motion, however, would not have prevented the U.S. from protecting itself in the event of an armed attack.
The measure, which was led by Sen. Tim Kaine (D-VA) and co-sponsored by Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) and Sen. Adam Schiff (D-CA), was defeated by 51 votes to 49, with Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) being the only other Republican to support the resolution.
Pro-Trump narrative
Kaine’s resolution was constitutionally and historically unprecedented. Never before has Congress stopped military action simply out of a political disagreement with the president, and doing so on Thursday would have been a dire mistake. The resolution’s provisions would have severely limited America’s ability to act, thereby fatally undermining its security.
Anti-Trump narrative
The Trump administration’s unilateral approach to military action is bringing America to the brink of war with Venezuela, with all its disastrous consequences. These activities undermine the checks and balances meant to prevent reckless foreign entanglements, which is why the resolution was necessary to uphold constitutional constraints and make the president accountable to Congress.
Nerd narrative
There is a 50% chance that the United States will attack Venezuela before 2026, according to the Metaculus prediction community.
2025 Among Hottest Years on Record as COP30 Summit Begins
The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) has reported that 2025 will rank as the second or third hottest year in 176 years of record keeping, with global temperatures between January and August measuring 1.42 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels.
The past 11 years from 2015 to 2025 have been the hottest since temperature records began, with 2023, 2024 and 2025 being the three warmest years on record, according to United Nations climate data released ahead of COP30.
Concentrations of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere reached new record highs in 2025, continuing to rise from 2024's already record levels and locking in additional heat for future years, according to the WMO.
Climate-skeptic narrative
Climate change is a challenge, not a catastrophe, and the real threat is energy poverty that keeps billions in darkness. Media coverage distorts climate science while ignoring CO2's massive benefits like global greening and improved crop yields, all while renewable energy mandates create unreliable power grids that threaten economic prosperity and human flourishing.
Climate-concerned narrative
The planet is experiencing an unprecedented streak of record-breaking temperatures with 2025 ranking among the hottest years ever recorded. Global temperatures have risen 1.42C above pre-industrial levels, making the Paris Agreement's 1.5C target virtually impossible without overshooting. Extreme weather events are devastating communities worldwide while political leaders deny reality.
Nerd narrative
There is a 1% chance that ECMWF will term 2025 the warmest year on record globally, according to the Metaculus prediction community.
Kazakhstan to Join Abraham Accords
President Donald Trump announced Thursday that Kazakhstan will join the Abraham Accords following a phone call with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, marking the first country to join during his second term.
Kazakhstan established diplomatic relations with Israel in 1992, shortly after gaining independence from the Soviet Union, making it the first nation to join the Abraham Accords while already maintaining full diplomatic ties with Israel.
The motive behind joining the accords was primarily economic, said President Tokayev, adding that Kazakhstan "will get certain dividends from the point of view of economic cooperation." He is in Washington, D.C., on an official visit and will participate in the C5+1 Summit.
Establishment-critical narrative
The Abraham Accords represent a dangerous illusion that regional peace can exist while Palestinians suffer under occupation. These deals removed crucial Arab leverage over Israel, emboldening maximalist policies and unprecedented settlement expansion. Gaza's devastation proves sidelining Palestinians creates instability, not peace.
Pro-establishment narrative
The Abraham Accords created unprecedented regional cooperation and prevented major military escalations, with Arab partners even shooting down Iranian missiles targeting Israel. These agreements provide the foundation for transformative Middle East stability through economic partnerships and diplomatic frameworks that benefit all parties involved.
Nerd narrative
There is a 42% chance Israel and Saudi Arabia will normalize relations during Donald Trump's second presidency, according to the Metaculus prediction community.
UK: Resident Doctors Reject Pay Offer Ahead of Strikes
The British Medical Association's Resident Doctors Committee have rejected Health Secretary Wes Streeting's offer to cancel upcoming industrial action, stating it does not adequately address the employment crisis in which 30,000 doctors applied for only 10,000 specialty training positions.
Resident doctors are scheduled to strike for five days from 7a.m. on Nov. 14-19, marking the 13th walkout since March 2023 in their ongoing dispute over jobs and pay restoration.
Health Secretary Wes Streeting made a fresh offer to resident doctors on Wednesday, proposing to double specialty training posts from 1,000 to 2,000 and cover mandatory exam fees and royal college membership costs.
Left narrative
Doctors face a devastating workforce crisis with 30,000 applicants competing for just 10,000 training positions. Despite last year's deal, real wages remain 20% below 2008 levels, creating an unsustainable retention crisis. The government's token offer of 2,000 extra jobs is woefully inadequate and reflects a deliberate choice to let the NHS collapse.
Right narrative
Doctors demanding a further 29% pay rise after already receiving significant wage increases over three years are engaging in reckless posturing that harms patients. The country faces dire fiscal constraints with no money available for such excessive demands — these strikes selfishly divert critical resources away from rebuilding the NHS.
Nerd narrative
There is a 3% chance that resident doctors in England will receive a further pay increase before 2026, according to the Metaculus prediction community.
Unions Sue Over Trump's Federal Hiring Questions
Three federal worker unions jointly filed a lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts against the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) on Thursday over essay questions included in the Trump administration’s merit-based hiring plan released in May.
The lawsuit focuses on the third question the Merit Hiring Plan introduced, which asked applicants how they would “help advance the President’s Executive Orders and policy priorities,” requiring them to identify specific orders and initiatives significant to them.
According to the lawsuit, the question has since appeared in over 5,800 federal job postings for a variety of positions, including a meatcutter at the Department of Defense, a research biologist at the Department of Agriculture and a laundry worker at the Department of Veterans Affairs.
Republican narrative
The essay questions put forward as part of the Merit Hiring Plan are a key cornerstone of the Trump administration’s civil service reforms. Asking these questions helps ensure that only the candidates most committed to delivering for the American people are recruited into the federal workforce, furthering the president’s plan to create an efficient and values-driven government.
Democratic narrative
The president’s “Loyalty Question” is an affront to the civil service’s nonpartisan values and a violation of the First Amendment. Rather than hiring candidates based on their ability, the Trump administration would rather staff the federal workforce with its lackeys. To protect the integrity of the federal government, the courts must strike down this political takeover of the civil service.
Nerd narrative
There's a 50% chance that at least 2.71 million people will work for the U.S. federal government in November 2026, according to the Metaculus prediction community.
Supreme Court Backs Trump Passport Policy on Birth Sex
The U.S. Supreme Court (SCOTUS) ruled 6-3 on Thursday that the Trump administration can enforce a policy requiring U.S. passports to display biological sex assigned at birth rather than self-selected gender identity markers.
The court's unsigned majority opinion stated that "displaying passport holders' sex at birth no more offends equal protection principles than displaying their country of birth" and the government isn't "subjecting" plaintiffs to differential treatment.
Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson wrote a dissent joined by Justices Elena Kagan and Sonia Sotomayor, arguing that the policy would cause immediate harm to transgender individuals without adequate government justification.
Right narrative
The Supreme Court correctly upheld presidential authority over the State Department and passport policy. The government has scored another victory by requiring citizens to list their biological sex on passports. Also, there are two sexes, and this decision protects that fundamental truth.
Left narrative
The Supreme Court's discriminatory decision strips away decades of precedent. This heartbreaking policy forces people to carry passports that violate their privacy against their will, increasing harassment and violence. The ruling dehumanizes and endangers transgender, nonbinary and intersex citizens.
Ukraine Sentences Russian Soldier for Allegedly Executing Ukrainian POW
A Ukrainian court sentenced Russian soldier Dmitry Kurashov to life imprisonment for allegedly executing Ukrainian prisoner of war Vitalii Hodniuk in January 2024, marking the first life sentence in Ukraine's history for such charges.
The incident occurred on Jan. 6, 2024 in the Zaporizhzhia region, when Kurashov reportedly shot the 41-year-old Ukrainian veteran at point-blank range with a Kalashnikov rifle after Hodniuk surrendered unarmed from his dugout.
Kurashov served as a rifleman in Russia's Storm-V assault unit and had joined the military in November 2023 in exchange for amnesty from a theft conviction, according to investigators from Ukraine's Security Service.
Pro-Ukraine narrative
This life sentence marks a crucial step toward justice as Ukraine endures relentless Russian war crimes. Dmytro Kurashov's execution of a surrendering Ukrainian soldier — shot point-blank after raising his hands — embodies the brutality invading forces bring. By punishing such acts to the fullest, Ukraine affirms that even amid war, humanity and the rule of law must prevail.
Pro-Russia narrative
While Ukraine calls this sentence justice, its own forces have killed civilians with drones and then blamed Russia for the crimes. Footage from Kupyansk and Donetsk shows Ukrainian strikes on unarmed people and journalists — acts later spun as Russian attacks. Such deception exposes hypocrisy and weakens Ukraine's claim to moral and legal righteousness.
Nerd narrative
There's a 3% chance that there will be a bilateral ceasefire in the Russo-Ukraine conflict before 2026, according to the Metaculus prediction community.