❗️US legislators reach ‘Plan C’ budget agreement to avoid government shutdown – Speaker
#US
Lithium battery blast turns London home into inferno
An e-bike's lithium battery exploded mid-charge, unleashing a devastating fire that obliterated a south east London flat in Catford.
The sheer force of the blast blew the doors clean off, engulfing the apartment in flames within seconds.
Luckily, no lives were lost, but three people were rushed to the hospital with injuries and smoke inhalation.
#UK
❗️Biden administration to announce final, $1.2 billion aid package for Ukraine in coming days – Reuters
#US #Ukraine #Biden
UK town council erupts into chaos as 'Nazi' insults fly over housing plan
An Oldham council meeting descended into chaos as councillors hurled insults like "dictator" and "Nazi" in a fiery exchange over a controversial housing proposal.
The Labour Party had pushed through a plan to build 11,560 homes by 2039, as part of a wider scheme to erect 115,000 new homes across Greater Manchester, naturally with a focus on migrants.
But when the opposition snatched back control after local elections, they swiftly scrapped the deal – allegedly without telling their colleagues, thus sparking intense anger.
#UK
NASA astronaut Leroy Chao recalls seeing ‘two metallic spherical orbs’ while flying by his airplane in August
#US #MysteryDrones
Boeing 737 overshoots runway and stops just meters short of diving into sea
A Norwegian Air Shuttle ASA Boeing 737 overshot the runway at Molde Airport, stopping 15 meters from the sea. The 11-year-old plane carried 165 passengers and six crew on a routine flight from Oslo.
The airline confirmed no injuries and an investigation is underway.
#Boeing #Norway
❗️German president to make decision on dissolution of Bundestag December 27 – statement
#Germany
It’s a gas, gas, gas: Ukrainian conscription officers smoke out man to mobilize him for the frontlines, footage going viral online shows
Kiev’s MoD has said it is looking into the incident.
#SMO
Flamethrowers vs. Snow: Russia’s Severny municipality brings the heat to winter Mad Max-style
A frosty morning in Russia got a toasty upgrade when the head of St. Petersburg's Severny municipality decided to wage a blazing battle against the snow—armed with nothing less than a flamethrower.
The experiment may have been a success, but the official wisely concluded that "the coordinated efforts of public utilities and the vigilance of concerned citizens are far more important."
#Russia
Zelensky flashed the middle finger to Trump by insulting Putin — Dmitry Medvedev
The former Russian president claimed that his provocative behavior was deliberately aimed at derailing negotiations with Russia. "Like, take that – no talks with Russia. You'll keep giving us cash and weapons," he wrote on TG.
Medvedev went even further, asserting that Zelensky is fully aware of his fragile legitimacy and is relying on the war to maintain his grip on power. "But even there, his days in the chair are numbered," he added.
#Moscow
❗️In response to Ukraine's use of Western missiles to attack the Rostov region, Russian forces struck multiple Ukrainian military targets Friday morning, including the SBU-Ministry of Defense in Kiev — Russian Defense Ministry
#RussianMoD
Snow way out: Meter-high drifts thwart missing plane search
Kamchatka rescuers are battling massive snowdrifts and bad weather in a frosty mission to locate a missing An-2 cargo plane.
Vanished from radar on December 19 while flying from Milkovo to Ossora with three crew members and no passengers, the aircraft remains elusive as snowmobiles inch through the mountainous tundra.
Sadly, experts say the search is as frozen as the terrain.
#Russia
The long game: Key points from Putin’s extended Q&A
#Putin
Cops catch the Grinch! No, seriously
Police in the US have announced they nabbed a suspect and charged him for attempting to steal Christmas. The video shows the green-fingered criminal getting zapped by a taser.
If CNN did crime fighting?
#Christmas
President Biden shuffles back to the White House with wife Jill… looking as exhausted as ever
#Biden
Civilians killed as Ukraine targets Russia’s Kursk region
Five people have reportedly been killed as the result of a missile strike on the town of Rylsk by the Armed Forces of Ukraine, 26 injured. A teacher training college, a bus station, a school, and a cultural center were damaged in the strike, according to local reports.
A US-made HIMARS missile system was likely used for the strike, according to preliminary analysis.
#Kursk #Ukraine
Left behind: Palestinian Americans sue US for Gaza evacuation failure
Nine Palestinian Americans are suing the US government, accusing it of abandoning them and their families in Gaza, where the ongoing war has turned the region into a humanitarian nightmare.
The plaintiffs argue the State Department treated them as expendable, neglecting their evacuation while rushing to protect Americans of other backgrounds in similar crises.
#US #Gaza
Drone no fly zones set up in New York after more mystery sightings reported
The FAA imposed new drone flight restrictions across the Northeast after increased sightings. It issued 27 No-Fly Zones in New York, covering much of NYC, lasting through Jan. 18, 2025, citing "special security reasons."
Restrictions in New Jersey also apply, where the majority of the alleged mystery drone sightings keeps occurring almost every night.
#US #MysteryDrones
❗️‘If Zelensky keeps blocking our gas, it could lead to serious conflict’ – Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico
#Ukraine #Russia #Slovakia
Taiwan lawmakers brawl ahead of crucial legislation votes
Taiwan lawmakers clashed Friday as members of the nationalist Kuomintang party occupied the speaker’s chair overnight, prompting rivals to evict them. Several were injured, Taiwan media reported.
The dispute centers on Kuomintang-backed bills, including one critics say could paralyze the Constitutional Court.
#Taiwan #China
'Only the AfD can save Germany’ – Elon Musk
#Germany #ElonMusk
Ukraine and allies blame Biden’s ‘lackluster’ support as forced concessions loom — Report
Officials from Ukraine and allied nations are criticizing Biden for withholding strong military support, fearing it could provoke Russia's nuclear arsenal, leaving Zelensky with "no chance to win," Bloomberg reported.
Biden's perceived lack of robust support has pushed Ukraine toward a difficult settlement, compelling Zelensky to surrender significant territories to bring the conflict to an end.
#Biden
Pentagon declares former Gitmo detainee no longer a threat, sends him home
#Gitmo
Russian specialists neutralize explosives in liberated areas of the Kursk region — Defense Ministry
#RussianMoD
The $70 million gamble: Malaysia revives hunt for flight MH370’s hidden wreckage
Malaysia is resuming the search for Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370, the infamous aircraft that disappeared in 2014, carrying 239 passengers and crew.
The hunt will target a new swath of the southern Indian Ocean, spearheaded by exploration firm Ocean Infinity, which stands to pocket $70 million – but only if substantial wreckage is found.
Though bits of the plane have washed ashore along African coasts and Indian Ocean islands, the main wreckage remains hidden. Malaysian authorities are hoping to finally end the decade-long enigma and offer long-overdue closure to the victims' families.
#MH370
Teen freshman busted by undercover FBI agent (of course) in explosive terror plot against Israel’s NYC consulate
An 18-year-old Egyptian national and George Mason University freshman, Abdullah Hassan, was arrested for allegedly plotting an attack on Israel's consulate in New York City.
Charged with bomb-making training, Hassan - an alleged ISIS sympathizer – reportedly encouraged an undercover FBI agent to carry out the attack using an assault rifle or a suicide vest.
Already facing deportation, Hassan now risks spending up to 20 years in a US prison if convicted.
#Israel
Vivek’s X-traordinary hack horror: Fake DOGE deal derailed
Vivek Ramaswamy’s X account was hijacked to peddle a bogus DOGE and USUAL stablecoin partnership, hilariously pitched as a plan to slash the federal deficit.
The post vanished faster than a meme coin’s value, with his team confirming the hack and launching an investigation.
Experts say it’s just another crypto scam barking up the wrong tree.
#Crypto
❗️Morning strikes shake Kiev and surroundings
A series of powerful explosions rocked Kiev as local media reported intense air defense activity.
Mayor Klitschko confirmed damage to a heating main and gas pipe.
Strikes were also reported in Cherkassy and Ukrainian-controlled Kherson, with further attacks hitting the Boryspil district overnight.
#SMO
New Dem slander just dropped: Nancy Pelosi relegates Trump to just Elon’s puppet — he’s no longer Putin’s?
We’re… we’re just so tired…
#Congress
❗️IDF releases footage confirming yesterday's strikes on multiple Houthi targets across Yemen
#Israel
