Storm, Terror, and Protests: News Roundup

Gazans returning through the Rafah crossing described being searched by a local Palestinian militia linked to Israel, while other news reports detailed severe weather battering Europe and northern Africa, Google employees demanding the company cut ties with immigration enforcement, and concerns over the value of smart motorways in England.

Two Gazan women who passed through the newly reopened Rafah crossing with Egypt on Monday told the BBC that a local Palestinian militia, known as the Abu Shabab militia or Popular Forces, carried out checks at an Israeli military checkpoint inside the Gaza Strip. Lamia Rabia, traveling with her children, said they were escorted by Israeli forces from the border to the checkpoint where the militia searched them and their belongings. Delays and security restrictions meant only 12 Palestinians were able to return to Gaza on Monday, according to the BBC.

Meanwhile, Storm Leonardo continued to bring torrential rain and strong winds to the Iberian peninsula, with Spain's state meteorological agency issuing its highest red alert for heavy rainfall in Cádiz and parts of Málaga, as reported by The Guardian. Flash floods in Morocco forced over 100,000 people to evacuate.

In other news, Google employees are demanding the company cut ties with the U.S. government's immigration enforcement, according to the BBC. Nearly 900 full-time employees signed an open letter demanding more transparency over how the company's technology is being used. One Google employee of seven years found it "mind-boggling" that the company was maintaining its ties, the BBC reported.

Also, new reports from National Highways revealed that many smart motorways in England are failing to deliver the expected value for money. Two schemes, involving sections of the M25 and the M6, were found to be offering "very poor" value, according to the BBC. The AA, representing motorists, said the schemes had turned out to be a "catastrophic waste of time, money and effort."

Finally, the chief of a Nigerian village recounted a night of terror where jihadists massacred residents earlier in the week, as reported by The Guardian. Umar Bio Salihu, the local head of Woro in Kwara state, said gunmen killed two of his sons and kidnapped his wife and three daughters.