The majority of voters did not vote for Donald Trump for president; the majority of voters did not vote for Republican candidates for the Senate; and fewer than 51% of voters cast their ballots for Republican candidates for the House of Representatives. The Republican Party now controls the White House, both houses of Congress and the Supreme Court, no matter how that came to be. I believe it is worth bearing in mind that a majority of U.S. citizens did not support the Republican winners.   read more

Russia’s new Internet censorship law is officially about blocking access to websites containing child pornography and information about drugs and suicide. But free-speech advocates warn that anyone deemed an enemy of the state could have their site taken down under the law.   read more

Israel has finally admitted to what long has been suspected: That its secret spy agency was responsible for the assassination of a top lieutenant of Yasser Arafat nearly three decades ago. Khalil Ibrahim Wazir (aka Abu Jihad), a founder of the Fatah Party, was living in Tunisia in April 1988 when a group of attackers stormed his home and killed him.   read more

Before embarking on its tragic maiden voyage, the Titanic should have been equipped with 50% more lifeboats, according to newly disclosed documents from the ship’s safety officer. But the officer, Maurice Clarke, decided not to press the issue with the Titanic’s owners because he feared that to do so would have cost him his job.   read more

Koshik, a 22-year-old Asian elephant in South Korea, has astonished biologists with his ability to mimic human speech. Researchers from the University of Vienna reported in the journal Current Biology that Koshik can say a variety of Korean words, including “hello,” “sit down,” “no,” “lie down” and “good.”   read more

As of November 1, Oklahomans can carry a loaded firearm without concealing it as long as they have a license. Oklahoma is now the 15th state to allow open carrying of guns with a license.   read more

To reach its goal of cutting $800 million from its budget, London’s police department is considering selling off its famed headquarters known as New Scotland Yard. Selling the building on Victoria Street, which has been the police force’s headquarters since 1967, could bring as much as $322 million.   read more

Newly released documents from Germany’s secret intelligence agency reveal that Cuban dictator Fidel Castro recruited two former Nazi SS soldiers to help train his military during the Cuban Missile Crisis. Castro also tried to hire German paratroopers and technicians to bolster his country’s defenses against a possible American invasion.   read more

Archaeologists have unearthed the oldest known settlement in ancient Europe, located near the city of Provadia in Bulgaria. The town dates to between 4,700 and 4,200 BC, predating Greek civilization by 1,500 years. Discovered were two-story houses, walls, and parts of a gate, all located near then-valuable rock-salt deposits.   read more

Siri, the personal assistant on newer iPhones and iPads, will no longer help people find prostitutes in China. Responding to complaints, Apple decided to reprogram Siri to say it can’t locate them. In the U.S., however, she will still gladly lead you to an escort service.   read more

Compounding pharmacies killed nearly two-dozen people and caused 86 serious illnesses before a Massachusetts facility drew national attention to the industry following a deadly meningitis outbreak. This information is included in a report released by Rep. Edward Markey (D-Massachusetts) illustrating the need for greater FDA oversight.   read more

Former FEMA chief Michael Brown criticized President Obama for his quick response to Hurricane Sandy, drawing a comparison to his attendance at a campaign fundraiser following the Benghazi attack. Brown is notorious for his slow response to Hurricane Katrina, which won him President Bush’s praise but cost him his job.   read more

The U.S. Department of Energy has activated Titan, the world’s fastest supercomputer. Scientists hope that Titan will support their research in areas ranging from climate change to biofuels to nuclear energy. For the past three years, Japan, China. and Germany variously held the titles for the fastest computer.   read more

A new United Nations report criticizes the U.S., China, Russia, Japan, and European Union members for aggressive industrial fishing that threatens the food security of developing countries. Emerging nations are cautioned about “shady access agreements” that have allowed bigger countries to take advantage of their ocean resources.   read more

A Polish newspaper reported that traces of explosives were found in wreckage of the plane carrying President Lech Kaczynski and 95 others that crashed in 2010 in Russia. A public uproar condemned the Polish government, which had called the crash accidental. The newspaper issued a retraction, calling its report inconclusive.   read more

Secretive campaign donors—mainly corporations and rich people—favor Republican candidates over Democrats by a margin of about 4½ to one. Some 82% of the money, $164 million, has been spent attacking Democrats or supporting Republicans; $36 million has gone to opposing Republicans or helping Democrats.   read more

Antiabortionists seeking to grant embryos new legal status in order to challenge the legality of Roe v. Wade have lost their attempt to get the U.S. Supreme Court involved. The justices rejected without comment an appeal from abortion opponents in Oklahoma who proposed a constitutional amendment to grant the unborn “personhood.”   read more