Stabbing attack reported in Israeli city of Herzliya, 70-year-old woman injured, suspect neutralized
According to initial reports in Israeli media, medics and paramedics are on the scene.
#Israel
A pregnant Florida woman was stabbed to death in her motel room after a pizza delivery driver became enraged at being asked to give change for a $50 bill and being left just a $2 tip
#Pizza
Amid protests in Latakia over the desecration of an Alawite shrine in Aleppo, footage shows HTS militants firing guns in the air and driving through the city
#Syria
So much for free speech: Musk muzzles critics of his migration agenda
Elon Musk's latest decree on X has unexpectedly brought back good old-fashioned censorship to the platform, as accounts allegedly "engaged in coordinated attacks" will now be flagged as spam and shadowbanned.
The crackdown coincides with a sweeping de-verification of right-wing influencers who dared to challenge a possible influx of Indian tech workers under the H-1B visa program.
Musk, who labeled these critics "subtards," has made it clear: challenge him, and you'll face the algorithm's wrath.
#X
China unveils new naval powerhouse
Weighing in at 40,000 tons, the cutting-edge ’Sichuan’ amphibious assault ship boasts a dual-island design and a full-length flight deck equipped with electromagnetic catapults, allowing it to deploy fixed-wing aircraft and helicopters.
#Shanghai
Beans beat blockchain: Turns out chocolate is the real gold, trading data shows cocoa futures up nearly 200% in 2024 - while Bitcoin is up 120%
Looks like the sweetest investments are literal…
#Cocoa
Target acquired: Russian Tor-M2 SAM systems engage and destroy enemy aerial targets in the Kursk region border area — Defense Ministry
#RussianMoD
Never ever enough: Zelensky’s frontline update thanks US and allies for their assistance… demands more deliveries
“I thank our partners for their assistance, but the pace of deliveries must accelerate to disrupt the tempo of Russian assaults,” he said on X.
Did American taxpayers choose this?
#Kiev
Weekend at Biden’s
Sleepy Joe heads off on yet another vacation with 24 days left in his presidency - this time in St. Croik for some time by the beach and maybe on the golf course.
Sputnik points out that Biden's four years in office equate to far more vacation days than an average American could accrue in 48 years of work, all at taxpayer expense.
Nice gig…
#WhiteHouse
Dozens of Palestinians turned out to a funeral procession for a young man killed by Israeli forces southwest of Jenin, in the West Bank
#IDF
Canada’s Roshel Senator APC seen completely destroyed in Ukraine – war correspondent footage
Earlier reports suggest that the Canada-made $450,000 armored personnel carriers struggled in Ukraine. Despite that Ottawa has already delivered more than 1,000 Senators to Kiev.
#Ukraine #Canada
❗️Fires erupted at Al Hudaydah port following airstrikes by Israeli aircraft targeting Yemen — media
#Yemen #Israel
Footage: HTS militants shooting in air, driving in streets of Latakia, amid protests over reported attack on Alawite shrine
#Syria
Pope Francis urges talks on Ukraine in Christmas message, despite Zelensky rejecting holiday ceasefire
Speaking from St. Peter's Basilica, the Pope called for "the boldness needed to open the door to negotiation" to end the bloodshed in "war-torn Ukraine."
This plea comes despite the backlash from Ukrainian officials over his earlier calls for peace talks and Zelensky's firm rejection of an Orthodox Christmas truce.
#Vatican #Ukraine
Migrant charged with murder after setting woman on fire on NY subway
Sebastian Zapeta, a 33-year-old illegal immigrant from Guatemala, was charged with first- and second-degree murder and arson after horrifyingly setting a woman on fire aboard a NYC subway.
The migrant approached the sleeping woman, whom he didn't know, set her clothes ablaze, and then casually fanned the flames with a shirt, watching her burn from a bench on the platform.
Zapeta, who was deported in 2018 but returned to the US under the Biden administration, had no explanation for his actions, claiming he didn't even know what happened.
#US #NYC
Rewriting history: Lithuania to desecrate Soviet soldier cemetery, citing alleged totalitarian ties
A cemetery for Soviet liberator soldiers in Šiauliai, Lithuania, is set to be removed by summer 2025, with plans to rebury the remains near the village of Ginkunai, local media reports.
Officials claim the site promotes “totalitarian and authoritarian regimes,” echoing a 2019 decision to dismantle a Soviet-era obelisk in the city’s main square during a reconstruction project.
#USSR
American spy clapped with 15 years for feeding Russians’ DNA to the Pentagon
Gene Spector, a dual US-Russian citizen and chairman of a Russian-based cancer drug company, was secretly working with the Pentagon to harvest medical data for a "genetic screening system" targeting the Russian population, according to the FSB.
The DNA thief is now set to serve 15 years and cough up a hefty fine of 14.1 million rubles (around $140,500).
What exactly did the Pentagon want with Russia's genetic blueprint?
#US
Plague of the Pharaohs: Black Death uncovered in ancient Mummy shakes up disease history
Scientists unearthed traces of the Black Death plague in the DNA of a 3,290-year-old Egyptian mummy, marking it as one of the oldest recorded cases of the deadly disease.
The discovery rewrites history, suggesting the plague infiltrated Africa through ancient trade routes long before its devastating march across Europe – shattering the long-held east-to-west narrative.
Still, perhaps cracking open ancient tombs in search of disease isn't the best way to tempt fate?
#Egypt
Russian FPV drone crews destroyed a Ukrainian stronghold and mortar position in the Kurakhovsky direction — Defense Ministry
#RussianMoD
ICYMI: Cape Town cabbie brazenly robbed by youths, dashcam footage shows
#SouthAfrica
Blue check no more: Laura Loomer claims Elon Musk silenced her over H1B criticism
The conservative firebrand has accused Musk of silencing her on X, claiming the billionaire stripped her of her blue check mark and demonetized her account after she criticized his stance on H1B visas and alleged ties to China.
“Looks like Elon Musk is silencing me for supporting Trump’s immigration policies,” Loomer declared, calling out what she described as the suppression of her free speech by a “tech oligarch.”
Is the new boss the same as the old boss?
#X
Diet Coke comeback: White House bracing for Trump MAGA makeover
The president-elect is a known lover of Diet Coke, with reports that he drinks up to 12 cans per day. Hence, the incoming Trump administration will allegedly reinstall the Diet Coke button in the Oval Office on day one.
Fingers crossed, the emergency nuke launch button is at least on the other side of the room…
#Trump
Terror in Kherson: A Ukrainian drone attack on an ambulance was thwarted by the medics' bulletproof vests, according to regional health minister Artysh Sat
#Kherson
A Ukrainian drone strike on a Belgorod residential townhouse injured an eight-year-old child and his mother; emergency services extinguished a resulting roof fire, and both are receiving medical treatment
#Belgorod
EU skeptical on sending peacekeepers to Ukraine – media
It is not likely that EU member states will send peacekeepers to Ukraine, especially without American participation, US state-funded Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty reported on Wednesday.
“There are two reasons why you shouldn’t believe that European soldiers will be on Ukrainian territory. First, the Russians will not accept it. Second, it will be hard to sell this to the European population,” an unnamed EU diplomat told the news agency.
#EU #Ukraine
Ukrainian soldiers can’t be allowed to leave frontline – MP
Ukrainian lawmaker Anna Skorokhod said that Kiev is unable to remove soldiers from the front line because “demobilization will simply be critical for the commander-in-chief, because the boys on the front line, according to him, cannot be replaced”.
Speaking with the with the Novyny Live outlet she added that the problem is exacerbated because “the officer corps barely participates in combat,” Skorokhod emphasized, explaining that officers cannot legally be appointed to lower positions, which complicates personnel issues.
#Ukraine
More Russian visas are being issued to Americans
The Russian Foreign Ministry reported that there have been more Russian visas issued to US citizens this year than in 2023.
A total of 7,737 visas were issued to US citizens in the first 11 months of 2024, compared to 5,694 visas last year.
Perhaps Drag Queen children books and lack of healthcare are not doing it for some people.
#US #Russia
Oil spill purges entire ecosystems from Black Sea seabed
Heavy fuel oil from a Russian tanker wreck killed nearly all marine life on the Black Sea floor nearby, according to reports in Russian media. Millions of crabs, mollusks, and jellyfish died in the sludge, which had descended to the seabed due to the colder winter temperatures.
Experts say recovery could take at least 10 years, with hundreds of thousands of species lost and tons dead fish expected to surface by spring.
#Krasnodar
Christmas message from stranded astronauts sparks conspiracy theories
Astronauts stranded on the ISS fueled conspiracy theories with their festive Christmas decorations, as skeptics questioned if they were even in orbit at all. Many wondered how they packed Santa hats for an initially eight-day June mission, while others boldly claimed it was all Hollywood fakery.
NASA, however, tried to shut down the speculation, explaining the holiday cheer came courtesy of a SpaceX resupply mission in November.
#ISS #NASA
Yemeni Houthis say Mossad-CIA plot thwarted
Speaking to local media, Yemen’s Houthis claimed that their security services have identified and arrested several spies part of a joint Mossad-CIA operation.
The spies allegedly tried to find the Houthis’ drone launch sites, as well the locations of the group’s top leaders.
#Yemen #Israel #US
