đď¸'The Ensemble': From Courtrooms to Climate Rooms, the World Is on Fire (Again)
Brazilâs COP30 climate summit erupts, Venezuela readies for a fight, Trump hosts Syriaâs new president, and Russian internet gets less free. Diplomacy, defiance, and a touch of drama.
Welcome from chilly NYC, where H2H is headquartered for the month and excited to premiere âTHAT NIGHTâ at NYC DOC this Friday, highlighting the experiences of women inside Iranâs infamous Evin prison. We also attended the Aurora Foundationâs gala dinner for their annual Humanitarian prize at Ellis Island: H2H were on the ground in force and spoke with Michael Milken and Chelsea Clinton, amongst others. - watch out for our video report coming later this week.
But first the weekâs news:
President Trump is threatening to sue my old employers BBC News for One Billion Dollars, citing a misleading remix of his January 6th speech. The crisis at the BBC has seen the Director General and the Director of News resign, and the fate of the lawsuit is unclear.
Meanwhile thereâs more bad news for Trump who has wanted to move on from his alleged involvement with Jeffrey Epstein. Emails released today appear to show Epstein tying Trump to young girls he had trafficked for sex. President Trump denies all allegations relating to Epstein.
Sources: The Guardian, ABC News
Tensions Rise at COP30: Protesters, Power, and the Politics of the Planet
On Monday, Nov. 10, the 30th United Nations Climate Change Conference, COP30, kicked off in BelĂŠm, Brazil. It opened with urgency and unrest. On Tuesday indigenous protesters stormed the summit, clashing with security and demanding protection for their lands from agribusiness and illegal logging. Their message, âOur land is not for sale,â echoed through a city built on the edge of the Amazon, a reminder that climate talks mean little without justice for those living on the front lines.
Inside, the spotlight turned to accountability: the EUâs new deforestation law is set to reshape the global leather and fashion industries, and UN Women is pushing for a stronger Gender Action Plan to keep womenâs rights central to climate policy. Together, the protests and policy battles at COP30 reveal the same truth: the climate fight is about more than carbon. Itâs about power, protection, and who gets to define the planetâs future.
Sources: Reuters, Ethos, UN Women, and Reuters (image)
Venezuela Mobilizes Forces as U.S. Warships Approach Caribbean Waters
In recent weeks, Iâve been tracking US action against Venezuela and strikes against alleged narcotics smugglers in the Caribbean. Thereâs more from Global Power Shifts on this here - from me and Jim Stenman.
Now, Venezuela is mobilizing troops and weapons in response to U.S. warships deployed by the Trump administration near its shores, raising fears of a new regional confrontation. The U.S. says its naval buildup is aimed at disrupting drug trafficking, but Trump hinted at possible ground operations.
For now, the Caribbean has become the latest flashpoint where power, pride, and poverty collide, another reminder that geopolitics rarely stays offshore.
More from my appearance on Fox News talking about this here.
Sources: Yahoo News and Fox News
U.S. Senate Passes Deal to End Record Government Shutdown
After weeks of gridlock, the U.S. Senate approved a deal to end the longest government shutdown in history, voting 60â40 to restore federal funding through January 30. The compromise, backed by most Republicans and eight Democrats, now heads to the House of Representatives, where Speaker Mike Johnson aims to pass it quickly.
The agreement reopens shuttered agencies, halts layoffs, and keeps SNAP food benefits funded through next fall, but leaves key health subsidies for 24 million Americans unresolved. While President Donald Trump called the deal âvery good,â Democrats criticized it as a temporary fix that avoids deeper policy change.
I called it - as everyone was dreading holiday travel during the shutdown!
For now, the government is back along with its $38 trillion debt and another shutdown threat waiting in January.
Source: Reuters
Mexicoâs First Female President Harassed in Public
President Claudia Sheinbaum was groped by a drunk man during a walk from Mexicoâs National Palace, an act she called âan assault on all women.â Video of the assault went viral, reigniting outrage over sexism in Mexico, where 70% of women report facing violence.
Sheinbaum has pressed charges and vowed to launch a national campaign against harassment, turning her assault into a broader reckoning. As feminist scholars put it, if even the president isnât protected, no woman is.
Sources: CNN, The Guardian, ABC News (image)
Russia Expands State Control Over Internet But Denies âCutoffâ Plans
Russiaâs government insists it isnât planning to disconnect from the global internet, despite a new decree giving regulators sweeping powers to isolate or reroute online traffic starting in 2026.
The measure lets Roskomnadzor and the Ministry of Digital Development order telecoms to control or block connections during âspecific threats,â like cyberattacks or network failures, with the FSB overseeing emergency operations. Officials say itâs only an update to Russiaâs 2019 âsovereign internetâ law, meant to protect against foreign interference.
Critics see it as another step toward a digitally walled Russia, where control is framed as security and connection as a privilege.
Sources: The Moscow Times, Big Think (image)
Style Meets Legacy: Grace Wales Bonner Joins Hermès
British designer Grace Wales Bonner is stepping into history as the new creative director of Hermès menswear, becoming the first Black woman to lead design at a major fashion house.
Known for her elegant blend of Caribbean heritage and European tailoring, Wales Bonner has dressed icons from Lewis Hamilton to FKA Twigs, and her long-running Adidas collaboration redefined athletic minimalism. Her first Hermès collection debuts in 2027, promising a fresh dialogue between tradition and the future.
Source: BBC
Miss Palestine Makes History at Miss Universe
For the first time, Palestine will be represented at Miss Universe and not without controversy. Amid global headlines of war and resilience, Nadeen Ayoub takes the stage as a symbol of identity and defiance, using her platform to spotlight Palestinian womenâs strength through her initiative Sayidat Falasteen.
But this yearâs competition in Thailand is already cracking under pressure: a viral video showed a Mexican contestant publicly berated by a male pageant director, sparking global outrage over misogyny in the industry. Soon after, footage of Miss Israel appearing to glare at Miss Palestine set off online firestorms and political debates.
As pageant politics meet real-world conflict, Ayoubâs appearance feels less like a beauty contest and more like a quiet act of diplomacy.
Source: SBS News, CNN, Daily Mail
Thanks for tuning in this week, Ensemble readers! From protests shaking COP30 to pageant diplomacy in Miss Universe, Venezuelaâs military posturing, and Russiaâs digital crackdown, the worldâs headlines are rewriting the rules of power, image, and influence. Stay tuned next week as The Ensemble keeps connecting the dots between politics, culture, and style, because global drama always comes with a dress code.