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Donald Trump says he will "100%" follow through on his threat to impose further tariffs if a deal isn't reached over Greenland. He also refuses to rule out the use of force. Denmark has "substantially" increased the number of soldiers deployed to the autonomous Danish territory -- although they're part of exercises aimed at Russia rather than the United States. President Tump has told the Norwegian prime minister that he can no longer think, in his words, "purely of peace", and that he wants "complete and total control" of Greenland. Also: the Ugandan opposition leader, Bobi Wine, tells the BBC that he's had to go into hiding for his safety. Clashes erupt at a Syrian prison holding Islamic State fighters. Could Britain be about to follow Australia and introduce a social media ban for under-16s? And we look back at the life of the Italian fashion designer, Valentino, who has died at the age of 93. The Global News Podcast brings you the breaking news you need to hear, as it happens. Listen for the latest headlines and current affairs from around the world. Politics, economics, climate, business, technology, health – we cover it all with expert analysis and insight.Get the news that matters, delivered twice a day on weekdays and daily at weekends, plus special bonus episodes reacting to urgent breaking stories. Follow or subscribe now and never miss a moment.Get in touch: globalpodcast@bbc.co.uk
In this episode of The PDB Afternoon Bulletin: First up— Beyond Iran's carefully managed show of unity, new reporting points to growing unease inside the ruling elite. We break down what's driving internal anxiety within the regime, why some senior figures are uncomfortable with the current crackdown, and what it could mean for Iran's stability moving forward. Later in the show— Chaos erupts in Syria as fighters from Islamic State break free from a prison during a turbulent government handover, raising fresh concerns about security gaps, regional instability, and the risk of an extremist resurgence. To listen to the show ad-free, become a premium member of The President's Daily Brief by visiting https://PDBPremium.com. Please remember to subscribe if you enjoyed this episode of The President's Daily Brief. YouTube: youtube.com/@presidentsdailybrief American Financing: Call American Financing today to find out how customers are saving an avg of $800/mo. NMLS 182334, nmlsconsumeraccess.org. APR for rates in the 5s start at 6.196% for well qualified borrowers. Call 866-885-1881 for details about credit costs and terms. Visit http://www.AmericanFinancing.net/PDB. QUO: Make this the year where no opportunity slips away. Try QUO for free PLUS get 20% off your first 6 months when you go to https://Quo.com/PDB Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
"Those who remember the disappeared would also disappear." Under dictator Bashar al-Assad, grieving publicly in Syria was punishable. Now the silenced stories of lost loved ones are emerging and there are public spaces to grieve. Syrian architect Ammar Azzouz's friend and colleague Tahir Sabai was killed on his street in 2011. After 14 years in exile, Azzouz returned home and says it's not just a right but "a duty to remember." IDEAS hears about Azzouz's classmate from architecture school, the lives of a father, a brother, and a singer who became the voice of the revolution.Guests in this podcast:Jaber Baker is a novelist, researcher, former political prisoner, human rights activist, and filmmaker. He is the author of Syrian Gulag: Assad's Prisons, 1970-2020, the first-ever comprehensive study of Syrian political prisons.Ammar Azzouz is a British Academy Research Fellow at the University of Oxford. He studied architecture in Homs, Syria and is the author of Domicide: Architecture, War and the Destruction of Home in Syria.Noura Aljizawi is a senior researcher at the Citizen Lab at the University of Toronto's Munk School of Global Affairs and Public Policy. She was a prominent figure in the Syrian uprising and a survivor of abduction, detention, and torture.When civil war broke out in his home country in 2011, Hassan Al Kontar was a young Syrian living and working in the UAE. A conscientious objector, he refused to return to Syria for compulsory military service and lived illegally before being deported to Malaysia in 2018. He became trapped in the arrivals zone at Kuala Lumpur Airport. Exiled by war and trapped by geopolitics, Al Kontar used social media and humour to tell his story to the world, becoming an international celebrity and ultimately finding refuge in Canada.Khabat Abbas is an independent journalist and video producer based in northeastern Syria. Since 2011, she has extensively covered the developments that have shaken her country starting with the popular demonstrations, to the fight against the so-called Islamic State and its aftermath.
It's Wednesday, January 14th, A.D. 2026. This is The Worldview in 5 Minutes heard on 140 radio stations and at www.TheWorldview.com. I'm Adam McManus. (Adam@TheWorldview.com) By Jonathan Clark Most dangerous countries for Christians: The 2026 Red List Global Christian Relief released its 2026 Red List of the world's most dangerous countries to be a Christian. The report verified nearly 2,000 Christians were killed between November 2023 and October 2025. The country with the most killings of Christians was Nigeria. The country with the most violence and intimidation against churches was Rwanda. China led with the most arrests and sentences of Christians. Mozambique saw the most displacement of believers. And Mexico had the most abductions of Christians. Other dangerous countries for Christians included the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, India, Iran, Myanmar, Nicaragua, Russia, Ukraine, and Vietnam. Psalm 37:14-15 says, “The wicked have drawn the sword and have bent their bow, to cast down the poor and needy, to slay those who are of upright conduct. Their sword shall enter their own heart, and their bows shall be broken.” Trump threatens Nigeria with more military strikes Speaking of Nigeria, the country could see more military strikes from the United States if violence against Christians continues. On Christmas Day last month, the U.S. launched deadly strikes in Nigeria against militants linked with the Islamic State. U.S. President Donald Trump told The New York Times last Thursday, “I'd love to make it a one-time strike. But if they continue to kill Christians it will be a many-time strike.” Listen to President Trump's warning last November. TRUMP: “I'm hereby instructing our Department of War to prepare for possible action. If we attack, it will be fast, vicious and sweet, just like the terrorist thugs attack our cherished Christians.” Texas banned tax-funded abortion travel Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton claimed victory last Friday in a case against San Antonio's abortion travel fund. The city established its so-called “Reproductive Justice Fund” last year to support women traveling to other states to kill their unborn babies. However, Texas subsequently passed a law to ban such funding. Attorney General Paxton commented on the case. He said, “I will always do everything in my power to prevent radicals from manipulating the system to murder innocent babies. … San Antonio's unlawful attempt to cover the travel and other expenses for out-of-state abortions has now officially been defeated.” Trump wants to ban institutional investors in single-family homes President Donald Trump is calling for Congress to ban large institutional investors from buying single-family homes. Such investors have acquired thousands of single-family homes since the 2008 financial crisis. President Trump hopes his ban on institutional investors would make single-family homes more affordable. The median price for an existing home hit a record $435,300 last year. On Truth Social, he wrote, “People live in homes, not corporations.” More immigrants left America than entered in 2025 A report by the Brookings Institute estimates that more immigrants left the U.S. than entered it last year. The report suggests net migration fell by anywhere from 10,000 to 295,000 in 2025. It's the first time in at least 50 years that net migration was negative for America. 2026 is also expected to see negative net migration. Actor Timothy Busfield arrested on child sex abuse charges NewsNation has confirmed that Emmy-winning actor Timothy Busfield has surrendered to law enforcement after an arrest warrant was issued last week amid allegations of sexual abuse involving minors in New Mexico. According to a criminal complaint, two young actors allege that Busfield, age 68, touched them inappropriately while on set filming the Fox series “The Cleaning Lady” from 2022 to 2024, where Busfield was an Executive Producer. The court documents detail a pattern of grooming, where Busfield would allegedly shower the children with gifts and praise, while also kissing and fondling the boys in a bedroom on set. They were 7 and 8 years old at the time. Record high of U.S. independents A new Gallup survey found a record-high 45 percent of U.S. adults identified as political independents last year. The last time that Americans were evenly split between Republicans, Independents, and Democrats was 2005. Since then, identification with Republicans and Democrats has dwindled to 27 percent each. The rise of political independents comes as younger generations are less likely to identify with a party. However, slightly more Americans still lean Democrat than Republican. Christian homeless shelter allowed to hire like-minded staff And finally, the U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled unanimously in favor of Union Gospel Mission last Tuesday. The Christian homeless shelter in Washington state serves anyone but only hires employees who agree with their religious beliefs. A state anti-discrimination law would have required the mission to hire people who did not align with their beliefs. So, the mission challenged the law with the help of Alliance Defending Freedom. Jeremiah Galus, Senior Counsel with the Christian legal group, said, “Yakima Union Gospel Mission exists to spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ through its homeless shelter, addiction-recovery programs, outreach efforts, meal services, and health clinics. The Ninth Circuit correctly ruled that the First Amendment protects the mission's freedom to hire fellow believers who share that calling.” Hebrews 13:16 says, “But do not forget to do good and to share, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.” Close And that's The Worldview on this Wednesday, January 14th, in the year of our Lord 2026. Follow us on X or subscribe for free by Spotify, Amazon Music, or by iTunes or email to our unique Christian newscast at www.TheWorldview.com. I'm Adam McManus (Adam@TheWorldview.com). Seize the day for Jesus Christ.
In this episode of The President's Daily Brief: President Trump weighs strike options against Iran, as the regime unleashes a deadly crackdown on protesters and warns that any U.S. action would trigger retaliation against American forces and Israel. U.S. forces carry out large-scale strikes against Islamic State targets in Syria, signaling Washington's determination to keep pressure on the terror group despite its degraded state. The United States and Venezuela begin a diplomatic reset, as both sides take initial steps toward restoring relations following the ouster of Nicolás Maduro. And in today's Back of the Brief—U.S. pressure appears to be paying off as Nicaragua frees political prisoners just days after similar moves in Venezuela. To listen to the show ad-free, become a premium member of The President's Daily Brief by visiting https://PDBPremium.com. Please remember to subscribe if you enjoyed this episode of The President's Daily Brief. YouTube: youtube.com/@presidentsdailybrief DeleteMe: Get 20% off your DeleteMe plan when you go to https://joindeleteme.com/PDB and use promocode PDB at checkout. American Financing: Call American Financing today to find out how customers are saving an avg of $800/mo. NMLS 182334, nmlsconsumeraccess.org. APR for rates in the 5s start at 6.196% for well qualified borrowers. Call 866-885-1881 for details about credit costs and terms. Visit http://www.AmericanFinancing.net/PDB. CBDistillery: Visit https://CBDistillery.com and use promo code PDB for 25% off your entire order! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
On today's podcast:1) Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell said the US central bank had been served grand jury subpoenas from the Justice Department threatening a criminal indictment, a dramatic escalation of the Trump administration’s attacks on the institution. In a forceful written and video statement released Sunday evening, Powell said the action was related to his June congressional testimony on ongoing renovations of the Fed’s headquarters. But he said the move “should be seen in the broader context of the administration’s threats and ongoing pressure.” In an interview with NBC News on Sunday, President Trump denied having any knowledge of the DOJ’s investigation into the central bank.2) Top diplomats from Denmark and Greenland will meet US Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Washington DC on Wednesday, TV2 reports. Denmark’s Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen and his Greenlandic counterpart Vivian Motzfeldt are set to attend the meeting, the Danish broadcaster says, citing a calendar from the US Department of State, which also notes that changes to the schedule may occur. Denmark is banking on the meeting in Washington to defuse President Trump’s renewed push on Greenland and to help reset strained ties with the US over the strategic island.3) Iran’s Foreign Minister said security forces have “full control” of the country after two weeks of ongoing upheaval, accusing Israel and the US of fomenting the nationwide protests in which hundreds of people have been killed. Abbas Araghchi repeated claims by the Iranian government that “rioters and terrorists” had killed police and civilians and destroyed public property using “daesh-style violence,” referring to the Arabic acronym for Islamic State. Protests in Iran erupted on December 28th after a sudden collapse in the value of the currency. More than 540 have been killed in the protests and over 10,000 arrested, according to the Human Rights Activist News Agency, which is tracking demonstrations in 186 cities across Iran’s 31 provinces.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
A medic at one Tehran hospital reported "direct shots to the heads of the young people, to their hearts as well", while a doctor said an eye hospital in the capital had gone into crisis mode. Despite this, large crowds have returned to the streets of Iran's capital, including entire families with children, defying increasingly severe warnings from the authorities. Also: the US military has carried out 'Operation Hawkeye' strikes in Syria against the Islamic State, as revenge for the killing of two American soldiers. We hear from Venezuelans who have fled to Colombia, after the capture of President Nicolás Maduro. Why a deadly train crash in 2023 in Greece could lead frustrated voters to turn to new political options in the 2027 election. The case of a Google employee made redundant after reporting sexual harassment. Why a rare Superman comic that was once stolen from Nicolas Cage has sold for $15m. And how much are dogs eavesdropping on us?The Global News Podcast brings you the breaking news you need to hear, as it happens. Listen for the latest headlines and current affairs from around the world. Politics, economics, climate, business, technology, health – we cover it all with expert analysis and insight. Get the news that matters, delivered twice a day on weekdays and daily at weekends, plus special bonus episodes reacting to urgent breaking stories. Follow or subscribe now and never miss a moment.Get in touch: globalpodcast@bbc.co.uk
Welcome to The Times of Israel's Daily Briefing, your 20-minute audio update on what's happening in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world. Diplomatic correspondent Lazar Berman joins host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today's episode. Iran’s parliament speaker has threatened to attack Israel and US military and shipping targets, were the US to launch a strike on the country that is increasingly isolated from the world by the theocratic regime. As nationwide protests reached the two-week mark today, we discuss how Iran’s Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi is trying to position himself as a player in his country’s future and the nexus between the anti-regime protests and Israel. The US military said on Saturday that it had carried out multiple strikes in Syria targeting the Islamic State terror group as part of an operation that Washington launched in December after an attack on American personnel on December 13. At the same time, after talks in Paris last week, Israel and Syria agreed to create a mechanism that will facilitate de-escalation, diplomacy and commercial opportunities between the two countries, according to a joint statement from the two countries and the US that was released by Washington. We unwind what is happening on the ground. Under a military aid package negotiated in 2016, Israel receives some $3.8 billion annually from the US, mostly in the form of subsidies to buy American-made arms. The aid package, which took effect in 2018, is set to expire in 2028. Recently, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is making statements that add up to a growing interest for Israel to wean itself from this aid. Berman weighs in. Check out The Times of Israel's ongoing liveblog for more updates. For further reading: Death toll in Iran protest crackdown said to pass 115; Trump reportedly considering strike As Iranian regime shuts down internet, even Starlink seemingly being jammed Iran’s exiled crown prince Pahlavi takes on leading role urging protests in former homeland US military says it carried out strikes across Syria targeting Islamic State Syria says Kurdish fighters being moved from Aleppo after days of deadly clashes Israel and Syria agree on mechanism to share intel, seek economic ties Netanyahu says he aims to end US military aid to Israel within a decade Subscribe to The Times of Israel Daily Briefing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by Podwaves and Ari Schlacht. IMAGE: Protesters participate in a demonstration in Berlin, Germany, in support of the nationwide mass anti-regime protests in Iran, January 10, 2026. (AP/Ebrahim Noroozi)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Morse code transcription: vvv vvv Dozens arrested and one police officer injured in Minneapolis protests Arrests as emergency crews hurt in South Benfleet crash Storm Goretti Snow, rain and wind warnings still in place across UK Love Island All Stars villa evacuated over wildfires US military strikes Islamic State group targets in Syria, officials say Photographer over the Moon with ET picture recreation two years in the making The nine most dramatic moments ever on The Traitors The beauty queen who caught Scotlands most prolific catfish Starmer has kept Trump on side but is it coming back to bite him Iran protests Medics describe overwhelmed hospitals as demonstrations enter second week
Conservative and Reform MPs are calling for the British-Egyptian activist Alaa Abd El-Fattah to be stripped of his citizenship. At the same time Shamima Begum, who joined Islamic State, is fighting to have hers reinstated. How and why does the government revoke citizenship? Writer: Casey MagloireProducer: Casey MagloireHost: Casey Magloire Reporters: John Simpson and Casey Magloire Episode photography: Joe MeeExecutive Producer: Jasper Corbett Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
We begin with a troubling and unresolved mystery from Huntsville, Alabama, where a high-profile murder remains unsolved three years after it occurred — leaving family members and investigators still searching for answers. Federal authorities say they disrupted a planned New Year’s Eve attack in North Carolina, allegedly inspired by the Islamic State group, before it could be carried out. A California farmer has pleaded not guilty in connection with the fatal shooting of his estranged wife at her home in Arizona. The federal government has temporarily frozen child care assistance funding to Minnesota amid concerns over potential fraud and inadequate oversight.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
In this episode of The President's Daily Brief: First up—remarkable new details are emerging about the operation that captured Nicolás Maduro. Covert CIA teams tracked his movements for months, while Delta Force rehearsed the raid on a full-scale replica of his safe house—leaving nothing to chance. Later in the show—things are just getting started for the deposed dictator, as newly unsealed federal charges lay out allegations of narco-terrorism, cocaine trafficking, and weapons offenses tied to Maduro's inner circle. Plus—new reports from Iran indicate at least sixteen people have been killed as protests driven by inflation and economic strain spread nationwide and authorities move aggressively to suppress the unrest. And in today's Back of the Brief—Britain and France carry out a joint airstrike on Islamic State targets in Syria. To listen to the show ad-free, become a premium member of The President's Daily Brief by visiting https://PDBPremium.com. Please remember to subscribe if you enjoyed this episode of The President's Daily Brief. YouTube: youtube.com/@presidentsdailybrief Goldbelly: Discover iconic meals from legendary restaurants delivered nationwide with Goldbelly—get 20% off your first order at https://Goldbelly.comusing promo code PDB. PDS Debt: You're 30 seconds away from being debt free with PDS Debt. Get your free assessment and find the best option for you at https://PDSDebt.com/PDB Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
It's Monday, January 5th, A.D. 2026. This is The Worldview in 5 Minutes heard on 140 radio stations and at www.TheWorldview.com. I'm Adam McManus. (Adam@TheWorldview.com) By Adam McManus Muslims in Congo, Africa kill 15 The New Year began in chaos and mourning for residents of Katanga village in North Kivu, in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, reports International Christian Concern. As families gathered to welcome 2026, armed Muslim fighters from the Allied Democratic Forces, or ADF, carried out a deadly nighttime incursion, killing at least 15 people on Thursday, January 1. Working with the global Islamic State movement, the ADF is among the most dangerous terrorist groups in Congo. Venezuelan dictator captured in daring U.S. raid Venezuelans are celebrating in the streets. (Audio of celebration) Venezuelan dictator Nicolas Maduro was seized by the United States Army's secretive Delta Force unit in a daring raid on his heavily-secured compound, reports the Daily Mail. CBS News reported that the ultra-elite Delta Force unit was behind the capture of Maduro, and his wife Cilia, in the early hours of Saturday morning. The couple was seized from their bedroom in the dead of night by U.S. forces as they slept, according to CNN. The raid did not lead to any U.S. casualties. The pair was snatched by helicopter from Caracas after they had been monitored by CIA spies, with President Donald Trump giving the order to take them two days ago. President Trump says Maduro and his government have conspired to flood the United States with illegal drugs, and will now face trial in the U.S. on drugs and weapons trafficking charges. Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke at a Saturday press conference. RUBIO: “Nicolas Maduro had multiple opportunities to avoid this. He was provided multiple very, very, very generous offers, and chose instead to act like a wild man, chose instead to play around. “The 47th president of the United States is not a game player. When he tells you that he's going to do something, when he tells you he's going to address a problem, he means it. “The President doesn't go out looking for people to pick fights with. Generally, he wants to get along with everybody. We'll talk and meet with anybody. But don't play games. Don't play games while this President's in office, because it's not going to turn out well. I guess that lesson was learned last night, and we hope it will be instructive moving forward.” Biden's DOJ pressured FBI to raid Mar-a-Lago Newly-declassified documents show that President Joe Biden's Department of Justice pressured the FBI to conduct the infamous 2022 raid of then-former President Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago home – even though the FBI repeatedly warned that such a raid was unwarranted, reports NewsBusters.org. In an X.com post last Tuesday, Senate Judiciary Chairman Chuck Grassley, a Republican from Iowa, wrote, “FBI did not believe it had probable cause to raid Pres. Trump's Mar-a-Lago home, but Biden DOJ pushed for it anyway. Based on the records, Mar-a-Lago raid was a miscarriage of justice.” Grassley linked to the documents posted online, which detail communications between the DOJ and the FBI. Brent Bozell confirmed as U.S. Ambassador to South Africa Last Thursday, the U.S. Senate confirmed Media Research Center founder Brent Bozell as U.S. Ambassador to South Africa, despite obstructionist tactics by Democrats, reports CNSNews.com. By a 53-43 vote, the Senate approved Bozell to fill the post vacated by former ambassador Reuben Brigety, who resigned in January. BOZELL: “I will communicate our objections to South Africa's geo-strategic drift from non-alignment toward our competitors including Russia, China and Iran. “I'll press South Africa to end proceedings against Israel before the International Court of Justice. “Second, I will advance the President's invitation to Afrikaners who wish to flee unjust racial discrimination. “I will support the President's call for the South African government to rescind its support for the expropriation of private property without compensation.” Bozell served as president of the Media Research Center from its founding in 1987 until May of this year when he stepped down to be ambassador. His son, David Bozell, now leads the Media Research Center. Mom upset school secretly socially transitioned her daughter A mother in Maine, named Amber Lavigne, had her parental rights usurped by school officials when a guidance counselor secretly gave her gender-confused 13-year-old daughter a chest binder and referred to her by using a male name and pronouns. A chest binder is used to flatten the breasts of a trans-identified girl to help her pretend to be a boy. With the help of the Goldwater Institute, Lavigne is taking the school to the Supreme Court, reports The Christian Post. LAVIGNE: “I don't want to lose my daughter to the state, even as she grows into an adult, I'll always be her mom.” When she confronted her daughter about the chest binder in her bedroom, she learned that the school guidance counselor had provided it. LAVIGNE: “This situation really is about my parental rights being violated, about a social worker who had never even had a conversation with me, encouraging my child to keep secrets from me, to tell her, ‘Look, I'm not going to tell your mom, and you don't have to either.' So, she's bringing these breast binders home and hiding them in her room on me. That's distressing!” Genesis 1:27 says, “So God created mankind in His own image, in the image of God He created them; male and female He created them.” (Watch Amber Lavigne's 4-minute video.) Arkansas Governor in hot water for celebrating Christmas And finally, secularists and atheists alike were predictably furious with Arkansas Republican Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders this past Christmas, reports LifeSiteNews.com. It's just not that they found her professed love for Jesus Christ problematic. It's that she used her position as governor to spread the truth that Jesus Christ is the Savior of Mankind. On December 16, Sanders issued a declaration recalling that “more than two millennia ago in the little town of Bethlehem, far from the centers of power in first-century Rome, Jesus Christ, the Son of God, was born in a humble manger.” Sanders added that “on that first Christmas, Christ's arrival was unassuming” and “not focused on the wealthy or powerful but rather on the poor, powerless, and meek.” Sanders then approved an extra day off for state employees on December 26 “in order that [they] may spend this holiday with their families giving thanks for Christ's birth.” The God-hating Freedom From Religion Foundation was livid. In a letter to Governor Sanders, attorney Chris Line said, “State offices are not churches, and gubernatorial proclamations are not sermons. The governor is free to practice her religion privately, but she may not use the authority of the state to promote Christian doctrine as official government speech.” Governor Sanders tweeted, “The Freedom from Religion Foundation took issue with me closing state offices to celebrate Christmas and sent a letter demanding I rescind my proclamation. Christmas is not just a holiday; it's the celebration of Jesus Christ's birth. Meaning matters, we won't pretend otherwise.” Matthew 1:20-21 says, “What is conceived in Mary is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a Son, and you are to give Him the name Jesus, because He will save His people from their sins.” Close And that's The Worldview on this Monday, January 5th, in the year of our Lord 2026. Follow us on X or subscribe for free by Spotify, Amazon Music, or by iTunes or email to our unique Christian newscast at www.TheWorldview.com. I'm Adam McManus (Adam@TheWorldview.com). Seize the day for Jesus Christ.
In our news wrap Friday, investigators believe sparklers started the deadly fire inside a Swiss ski resort bar that killed at least 40, Ukrainian President Zelenskyy named the country's military intelligence chief as his new chief of staff and the FBI says it thwarted a potential New Year's Eve attack in North Carolina, arresting a man who had allegedly pledged loyalty to the Islamic State group. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy
In our news wrap Friday, investigators believe sparklers started the deadly fire inside a Swiss ski resort bar that killed at least 40, Ukrainian President Zelenskyy named the country's military intelligence chief as his new chief of staff and the FBI says it thwarted a potential New Year's Eve attack in North Carolina, arresting a man who had allegedly pledged loyalty to the Islamic State group. PBS News is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy
AP's Ed Donahue reports on a foiled terrorist attack in North Carolina.
AP's Lisa Dwyer reports on a thwarted terror plot.
On Thursday, December 25, President Donald Trump announced that the United States Africa Command conducted strikes on Islamic State (IS, or ISIS) targets in the state of Sokoto in northwestern Nigeria. According to a military official, a U.S. Navy ship in the Gulf of Guinea fired over a dozen Tomahawk cruise missiles, hitting insurgents in two IS camps. The strikes were conducted with the consent of the Nigerian government, and no civilian casualties have been reported.Ad-free podcasts are here!To listen to this podcast ad-free, and to enjoy our subscriber only premium content, go to ReadTangle.com to sign up!You can read today's podcast here, our “Under the Radar” story here and today's “Have a nice day” story here.You can subscribe to Tangle by clicking here or drop something in our tip jar by clicking here. Take the survey: What do you think of the strikes in Nigeria? Let us know.Our Executive Editor and Founder is Isaac Saul. Our Executive Producer is Jon Lall.This podcast was written by: Will Kaback and edited and engineered by Dewey Thomas. Music for the podcast was produced by Diet 75.Our newsletter is edited by Managing Editor Ari Weitzman, Senior Editor Will Kaback, Lindsey Knuth, Bailey Saul, and Audrey Moorehead. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
AP correspondent Ben Thomas reports the U.S. military says it killed or captured more than two dozen Islamic State fighters in Syria this month.
In this episode of The President's Daily Brief: China and Russia appear closer than ever—but the relationship is far from equal. We'll break down how Beijing is exploiting Russia's growing dependence as the war in Ukraine drags on, turning Moscow's isolation into long-term leverage for China. Christmas Day airstrikes in Nigeria. The U.S. hits Islamic State targets hard, as President Trump signals there is a limit to how long the slaughter of Christians will be tolerated. Israel announces it has killed a member of Iran's elite Quds Force, allegedly involved in planning attacks across the region. And in today's Back of the Brief—Israel becomes the first country to formally recognize Somaliland as an independent state, drawing sharp condemnation from the international community. To listen to the show ad-free, become a premium member of The President's Daily Brief by visiting https://PDBPremium.com. Please remember to subscribe if you enjoyed this episode of The President's Daily Brief. YouTube: youtube.com/@presidentsdailybrief Stash Financial: Don't Let your money sit around. Go to https://get.stash.com/PDB to see how you can receive $25 towards your first stock purchase. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
BBC reporters travel under tight security to villages near the site of Christmas Day airstrikes in north-west Nigeria, targeting camps linked to Lakurawa, a militant group affiliated with the Islamic State. Locals describe life under threat, with farmers accusing militants of seizing livestock, enforcing levies and embedding themselves in border communities where state presence is minimal.We also turn to AFCON 2025, where belief and football often collide. From pre-match rituals to deeply rooted ideas about luck and destiny, we explore how superstition continues to shape African football, with players reflecting on why these practices persist at the continent's biggest tournaments.Presenter : Nkechi Ogbonna Producers: Chiamaka Dike, Bella Twine, Keikantse Shumba, Blessing Aderogba Technical Producer: Terry Chege Senior Producer: Daniel Dadzie Editors: Samuel Murunga and Maryam Abdalla
America almost always shows restraint when it comes to world conflicts. President Trump has proven that he would rather negotiate peace, than go to war. However, sometimes you have to remind some people that you are the shot-caller. And that's just what President Trump did to the ISIS terrorists who have been killing Christians in Nigeria.As the NY Times reported,https://www.nytimes.com/2025/12/25/us/politics/trump-isis-nigeria-strike.htmlThe United States launched a number of strikes against the Islamic State in northwestern Nigeria, President Trump announced on Thursday, the latest American military campaign against a nonstate adversary — in this case, Islamic jihadis who the president asserts have been slaughtering Christians.Mr. Trump said in a post on Truth Social that “the United States launched a powerful and deadly strike against ISIS Terrorist Scum in Northwest Nigeria, who have been targeting and viciously killing, primarily, innocent Christians at levels not seen for many years, and even Centuries!”See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
US launches strikes against Islamic State in Nigeria. Logan Paul to auction pristine $5.3M Pokémon card. The insane amount of money Mariah Carey makes a year from her famous Christmas jingle. Mom accidentally burns family Elf on the Shelf in oven. Congress set records in 2025, some more dubious than others. Officials recommend wearing masks during flu season. Most popular Christmas movies according to Rotten Tomatoes. Minn.'s Somali social-services scammers may have stolen $9 billion. Google Trends of 2025.
AP correspondent Charles de Ledesma reports Turkey faces Islamic State attacks.
Nigeria's government said that American strikes hit two Islamic State-linked camps in north-western Nigeria on Thursday Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
On Christmas Day, the United States launched airstrikes against Islamic State targets in northwest Nigeria, framed as a response to jihadist violence and the persecution of Christians. But did Washington hit the right enemy? In the right place? For the right reasons? Bill and Caleb analyze the known knowns of the strike, including who was targeted and who wasn't — and why the operation may have been more about optics than outcomes.Editorial note: The 1997 film known as "Home Alone 3" is not a legitimate addition to the Home Alone franchise, making a riff on the title fair game.
//The Wire//2300Z December 27, 2025////ROUTINE////BLUF: USA CONDUCTS CRUISE MISSILE STRIKES IN NIGERIA. SOMALI FRAUD IN MINNESOTA EXPANDS IN SCOPE. RUSSIA STRIKES KIEV AFTER UKRAINE ASSASSINATES GENERAL IN MOSCOW. SERIAL DRIVE-BY SHOOTER ARRESTED IN AUSTIN.// -----BEGIN TEARLINE----- -International Events-Ukraine: Over the past few days Russia has responded to the Ukrainian targeting of a Russian General in Moscow, by conducting strikes of their own in Kiev. LTG Fanil Sarvarov was assassinated via an explosive device that was placed inside his vehicle outside his apartment in Moscow.Analyst Comment: Before his death, LTG Sarvarov was the leader of Russia's Operational Training Directorate for the General Staff. The strikes in Kiev are not exactly good news for the peace process, but neither is an assassination of a General in Moscow, so this tit-for-tat targeting is mostly a wash.Nigeria: The Pentagon conducted missile strikes in the Islamic State-held northwestern territories of the nation on Christmas Day. The strikes were carried out on known Islamic State training camps and facilities, which have been legendary for carrying out exploitation, kidnapping, and terrorist attacks around the nation. Local Nigerian officials stated that the US carried out strikes in the Sokoto district, targeting the sub-group referred to as Islamic State-Sahel Province (ISSP).Analyst Comment: The rampant insurgencies carried out by the Islamic State throughout the entire Sahel region are by no means a new conflict, and Nigeria specifically has been host to kidnapping/ransom-style attacks on populated villages for several decades. In short, various ethnic cleansing and genocide operations have become regular and routine throughout the region over the past few centuries, but more recently have come to a head as insurgents consolidate power around the continent. As a reminder, a major scandal emerged back in 2024, when the government of Nigeria adopted a very hostile tone towards the United States, forcing the abandonment (allegedly) of Air Base 101 and 201 (in Niamey and Agadez, respectively), which were bases used by the US to target the Islamic State militants that Nigeria is now having to deal with. In the past year that the US has had a reduced role throughout the region, it would seem that Nigeria would like some more American missiles.These recent strikes were significant, but conflicts in Africa do not often abide by the universally understood ways of warfare in the west. As such, whether or not these strikes actually did anything is anyone's guess; erasing a map grid square which previously held a significant training camp surely would have resulted in some level of setback for militants, however only time will tell if this effort will reduce the capabilities of insurgent groups in the region.Of note, the technical details of the strikes are contradictory between the various agencies involved. For instance, Nigerian officials state that the strikes were carried out by MQ-9 Reaper drones, however the Pentagon published a video of (likely Tomahawk) missiles being launched from an unnamed Arleigh Burke-class Destroyer. This doesn't necessarily mean much, as it's very doubtful that the US told Nigeria anything about the strike beyond very basic details. However, this does bring into question exactly what intelligence was used to conduct the strikes. USAFRICOM has had a counter-insurgency mission throughout the continent for decades, so it's not out of the question for the US to carry out strikes without Nigeria's help at all (which is probably for the best). After all, Islamic State training camps aren't exactly hard to find. However, the Nigerian government has serious incentive to feed the US bad intel which results in bad strikes. Throughout the third world, one of the biggest complications for targeting are local sources providing "tips" on "insurg
December, 28 2025, 9AM; The meeting comes at a critical moment as Kiev is currently recovering from a deadly assault on the nation's capital. Zelenskyy said the city was hit by roughly 40 missiles and five-hundred drones and slammed Russia over the strikes in a post on social media. He further accused Russian representatives of engaging in lengthy peace talks, but said in reality, their drone and missile strikes speak for them. Alex Tabet joins The Weekend to discuss what to expect at the meeting between the two leaders.For more, follow us on social media:Bluesky: @theweekendmsnow.bsky.socialInstagram: @theweekendmsnowTikTok: @theweekendmsnow To listen to this show and other MS podcasts without ads, sign up for MS NOW Premium on Apple Podcasts. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
December, 28 2025, 7AM; Instead of releasing all of the files 9 days ago as required by law, flooding the zone with documents and possibly helping the White House move past this controversy, the DOJ has prolonged the damage, giving journalists time to pick through each partial release before the next one comes. Amid the files' continued release President Trump has lashed out in social media about their release, even going as far as to question when will the DOJ stop releasing files. Paul Butler and Joyce Vance join the Weekend to discuss the president's frustration with the DOJ and its continued Epstein file releases.For more, follow us on social media:Bluesky: @theweekendmsnow.bsky.socialInstagram: @theweekendmsnowTikTok: @theweekendmsnow To listen to this show and other MS podcasts without ads, sign up for MS NOW Premium on Apple Podcasts. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
The U.S. has carried out strikes in Nigeria targeting Islamic State militants, according to President Trump, who also declared that television networks he deems “negative” toward him should have their broadcast licenses terminated. The Justice Department says it has uncovered more than one million additional potential Epstein-related files, as the MAGA civil war wages on. Visit https://prizepicks.onelink.me/LME0/TYT and use code TYT and get $50 in lineups when you play your first $5 lineup! Hosts: John Iadarola, Cenk Uygur SUBSCRIBE on YOUTUBE ☞ https://www.youtube.com/@TheYoungTurks FOLLOW US ON: FACEBOOK ☞ https://www.facebook.com/theyoungturks TWITTER ☞ https://twitter.com/TheYoungTurks INSTAGRAM ☞ https://www.instagram.com/theyoungturks TIKTOK ☞ https://www.tiktok.com/@theyoungturks
December, 27 2025, 7AM; In one post he once again peddled 2020 election conspiracy theories, wished a merry Christmas to everyone, including "radical left scum," and shared false claims about Somali immigrants. Akayla Gardner, Kimberly Atkins-Stohr, and David Drucker join The Weekend to discuss Trump's rage posting.For more, follow us on social media:Bluesky: @theweekendmsnow.bsky.socialInstagram: @theweekendmsnowTikTok: @theweekendmsnow To listen to this show and other MS podcasts without ads, sign up for MS NOW Premium on Apple Podcasts. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
President Trump has announced the U.S. launched a number of strikes against Islamic State militants in northwestern Nigeria. Congress started 2025 with an ambitious legislative agenda, but 12 months later has ceded much of its power to President Trump and has passed a record low number of bills. And, shoppers spent a record amount of money this holiday season even as polling finds Americans are feeling glum about the economy.Want more analysis of the most important news of the day, plus a little fun? Subscribe to the Up First newsletter.Today's episode of Up First was edited by Gerry Holmes, Jason Breslow, Emily Kopp, Lisa Thomson and Alice Woelfle. It was produced by Ziad Buchh, Nia Dumas and Christopher Thomas. We get engineering support from David Greenberg. Our technical director is Carleigh Strange.And our Executive Producer is Jay Shaylor.(00:00) Introduction(02:00) U.S. Strikes ISIS In Nigeria(05:40) The Year In Congress(09:28) Holiday SpendingLearn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy
Donald Trump says US air strikes have killed multiple Islamic State fighters in Nigeria. He described the group as "terrorist scum" who had persecuted innocent Christians. Also: as Russia considers the latest US-backed peace plan, Ukraine's President Zelensky hails "new ideas" to end the war; former Brazilian President, Jair Bolsonaro, endorses his son Flavio to effectively stand in for him in next year's elections; how neutral Switzerland tried to maintain an uneasy compromise during the Second World War; and how an unexpected knock at the door one Christmas led a homeless man making himself at home - for 45 years.The Global News Podcast brings you the breaking news you need to hear, as it happens. Listen for the latest headlines and current affairs from around the world. Politics, economics, climate, business, technology, health – we cover it all with expert analysis and insight. Get the news that matters, delivered twice a day on weekdays and daily at weekends, plus special bonus episodes reacting to urgent breaking stories. Follow or subscribe now and never miss a moment. Get in touch: globalpodcast@bbc.co.uk
P.M. Edition for Dec. 26. President Trump says the U.S. launched strikes on Islamic State targets in Nigeria to protect Christians–but Nigeria disagrees, saying the strikes weren't aimed at protecting any particular religious group. We hear from WSJ reporter Alexandra Wexler about how Nigeria is approaching the issue. Plus, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky says he'll meet with President Trump in Florida over the weekend for talks on the plan to end the war with Russia. And WSJ national politics reporter Sabrina Siddiqui discusses changes to health policy under the Trump administration and how the “Make America Healthy Again” movement could affect next year's midterms. Alex Ossola hosts. Programming note: What's News is publishing once a day through Jan. 2.Sign up for the WSJ's free What's News newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Nigeria's foreign minister has said US strikes against the Islamic State group were nothing to do with a particular religion, despite Donald Trump's assertions. He said that the attacks targeted militants killing Nigerians- irrespective of their faith. Also in the programme: We head to the Netherlands to explore the Silicon Valley of farming; Malaysia's former prime minister Najib Razak has received a 15-year jail sentence over his involvement in one of the world's biggest corruption scandals; and could there be hope of a cure for dementia? (Photo: The US defence department posted a short video that appears to show a missile being launched from a military vessel. Credit: US Department of Defense)
With Christmas Day missile strikes on sites linked to the Islamic State group, we hear from a Catholic priest in Nigeria.Also in the programme: a BBC Persian TV documentary, in which one of Iran's leading female actors renounces the compulsory hijab, has broken viewing records; and we look ahead to some of the more unusual sports in next year's Winter Olympics.(Photo: A man standing amid a destroyed building following US strikes in Nigeria's Kwara State. Credit: REUTERS/Abdullahi Dare Akogun)
The U.S. carries out airstrikes against Islamic State militants in northwest Nigeria. American companies sell rights to potential tariff refunds to hedge funds for pennies on the dollar awaiting a Supreme Court ruling. Bedouin farmers say Israeli West Bank settlers have driven them from Palestinian-owned land using molotov cocktails. Plus, food makers introduce smaller portions and high-protein offerings as weight-loss medications grow more popular. Listen to Morning Bid podcast here. Sign up for the Reuters Econ World newsletter here. Listen to the Reuters Econ World podcast here. Find the Recommended Read here. Visit the Thomson Reuters Privacy Statement for information on our privacy and data protection practices. You may also visit megaphone.fm/adchoices to opt out of targeted advertising. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
In this episode, Ron is joined by Hagar Chemali (Fmr. spokesperson for the U.S. Mission to the UN) to break down the Trump administration's 2025 National Security Strategy—and why it reads like multiple agendas stitched together. They dig into the document's big shift toward the Western Hemisphere, what “partnership without shared values” really implies, and how the administration's internal split—isolationists vs. internationalists—creates real risk when the U.S. can't speak with one voice. The conversation moves to China and Taiwan, where the NSS repeats long-standing policy while the administration's actions suggest a tougher, more transactional posture. Then they hit the blind spots: Hong Kong and Jimmy Lai, the chilling signal sent by a collapse of opposition space, and what it means when human rights drops out of the national security frame. Finally: Islamist extremism and antisemitic violence, including the Bondi Beach shooting and a foiled bombing plot in Southern California—and why ignoring incitement doesn't make it disappear. DONATE FOR UKRAINE To support equipment requests for our frontline communicators and psyop-ers in Ukraine, you can use this link: paypal.me/MollyKMcKew POLITICOLOGY+ Not yet a Politicology+ member? Don't miss all the extra episodes on the private, ad-free version of this podcast. Upgrade now at politicology.com/plus. CONTRIBUTE TO POLITICOLOGY politicology.com/donate SPONSORS & PROMO CODES https://bit.ly/44uAGZ8 Get 15% off OneSkin with the code RON at https://www.oneskin.co/ #oneskinpod Send your questions and ideas to podcast@politicology.com or leave a voicemail at (703) 239-3068 Follow this week's panel on X (formerly Twitter): https:/x.com/RonSteslow https://x.com/HagarChemali Related Reading: The Atlantic - The Longest Suicide Note in American History - The Atlantic NYT - Hong Kong Media Tycoon Jimmy Lai's Conviction Was Years in the Making - The New York Times NYT - Heng Guan Documented China's Detention of Uyghurs. The U.S. Wants to Deport Him. - The New York Times Kharon -Hypersonic Secret: ‘China's MIT' Worked with U.S. while Developing Weapons to Use Against It | Kharon WP - Bondi Beach gunmen appear inspired by Islamic State, authorities say - The Washington Post Compact Magazine - The Lost Generation | Compact NY Times - Opinion | Does Discrimination Explain the Rightward Shift of Young Men? - The New York Times Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
After months of political wrangling, parts of the long-awaited Epstein files have been released by the US Justice Department. The trove consists of thousands of documents related to the late sex-offender. Pictures include the former US President Bill Clinton, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor - Britain's former prince, musicians Mick Jagger and Michael Jackson. Being named or pictured in the files is not an indication of wrongdoing. The justice department did not release all existing files, and the published ones were heavily redacted, prompting frustrated reactions from survivors of Epstein's abuse.Also: the US carries out dozens of strikes against the Islamic State group in Syria. Anti-government youth protesters in South Korea are taking cues from the American right's MAGA movement. Italy announces a fee for tourists to visit the Trevi Fountain in Rome. Putin vows revenge on Ukraine after an oil tanker was blown up in the Mediterranean Sea. Palestinians tell the BBC they were sexually abused in Israeli prisons. And how a lost radio play by Tennessee Williams was found more than four decades after his death, and has now been heard for the first time.The Global News Podcast brings you the breaking news you need to hear, as it happens. Listen for the latest headlines and current affairs from around the world. Politics, economics, climate, business, technology, health – we cover it all with expert analysis and insight. Get the news that matters, delivered twice a day on weekdays and daily at weekends, plus special bonus episodes reacting to urgent breaking stories. Follow or subscribe now and never miss a moment. Get in touch: globalpodcast@bbc.co.uk
The US justice department has released a tranche of some of the so-called Epstein files, including photos of the interiors of convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein's homes, his overseas travels and celebrities. Survivors and some US politicians have criticised the release as incomplete, overly-redacted and providing no context of when and where photos were taken. We hear from survivor Marina Lacerda. Also in the programme: US fighter jets attack targets linked to Islamic State in Syria; and a rare sighting of a "pink" platypus in Australia. (Photo: Undated handout photo issued by the US Department of Justice of a photograph appearing to show Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor reclining across the laps of five people. It has been released in the latest tranche of Epstein files. He appears to be smiling with his eyes closed and his head nearly resting on a woman's lap while Ghislaine Maxwell (now a convicted associate of Epstein) stands above peering and smiling in the undated picture. Issue date: Friday December 19, 2025. PA Photo)
More than a decade after its peak, the Islamic State has changed, but it isn't defeated. This past weekend, the jihadist group reemerged in connection with two disparate acts of violence thousands of miles apart. Two U.S. soldiers and a civilian interpreter were killed in Syria by a man the Pentagon says is affiliated with ISIS. A day later, at Bondi Beach in Sydney, Australia, two men opened fire at a Hanukkah celebration, killing 15 and wounding dozens. The men had homemade ISIS flags in their car, and had recently traveled to an area in the Philippines where ISIS-affiliated groups are known to still be active. Are these incidents connected? And do they point to a group that's evolving? Get more from your favorite Atlantic voices when you subscribe. You'll enjoy unlimited access to Pulitzer-winning journalism, from clear-eyed analysis and insight on breaking news to fascinating explorations of our world. Atlantic subscribers also get access to exclusive subscriber audio in Apple Podcasts. Subscribe today at TheAtlantic.com/Listener. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
This week, Scott down with his Lawfare colleagues Alan Rozenshtein and Ari Tabatabai to talk through a few of the week's big national security news stories, including:“Once You Pop, You Can't Stop.” The Trump administration has given a green light to Nvidia to export its powerful H200 chips to China, opening a potentially significant new market while jumpstarting China's strategically significant AI industry—or, perhaps, making it reliant on U.S. technology. What explains this decision? And how does it align with the Trump administration's broader reframing of strategic competition with China as a primarily economic problem, as reflected in its recent National Security Strategy?“Lavatories of Democracy.” Late last week, President Trump signed an executive order setting up a number of mechanisms intended to assert federal preemption over and otherwise deter state efforts to regulate the development and use of AI—an executive branch-only effort that followed a failed push to insert a related legislative provision into year-end omnibus legislation. How effective is this measure likely to be? And how wise is it to try and bar the states from regulating AI development and use in the first place?“Some Things You Can't Make Light Of.” Over the weekend, a pair of gunmen inspired by the Islamic State executed a brutal massacre at a Hanukkah event on Australia's Bondi Beach, killing 15 people and injuring 40. The violence has shocked Australia, a country with strict gun control laws where incidents of anti-semitism have been on the rise, as in much of the world. What is there to learn from the attack and its aftermath? And what could its ramifications be, both in Australia and further abroad?In object lessons, Alan tells us what the buzz is—seeing Jesus Christ Superstar live. Scott, heavy with Christmas spirit, shares his grandmother's recipe for sour cream coffee cake (remember, during the holidays, dense=delicious). And Ari keeps us grounded with a recommendation of “Don't Let's Go To the Dogs Tonight,” a South African film about a White Zimbabwean family following the Rhodesian Bush War.Rational Security will be having its traditional end-of-year episode later this month, which will focus on listener-submitted topics and object lessons! If you have topics you want us to discuss and object lessons you want to share—whether serious or frivolous—be sure to send them to rationalsecurity@lawfaremedia.org by Dec. 21!To receive ad-free podcasts, become a Lawfare Material Supporter at www.patreon.com/lawfare. You can also support Lawfare by making a one-time donation at https://givebutter.com/lawfare-institute.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/lawfare. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
This week, Scott down with his Lawfare colleagues Alan Rozenshtein and Ari Tabatabai to talk through a few of the week's big national security news stories, including:“Once You Pop, You Can't Stop.” The Trump administration has given a green light to Nvidia to export its powerful H200 chips to China, opening a potentially significant new market while jumpstarting China's strategically significant AI industry—or, perhaps, making it reliant on U.S. technology. What explains this decision? And how does it align with the Trump administration's broader reframing of strategic competition with China as a primarily economic problem, as reflected in its recent National Security Strategy?“Lavatories of Democracy.” Late last week, President Trump signed an executive order setting up a number of mechanisms intended to assert federal preemption over and otherwise deter state efforts to regulate the development and use of AI—an executive branch-only effort that followed a failed push to insert a related legislative provision into year-end omnibus legislation. How effective is this measure likely to be? And how wise is it to try and bar the states from regulating AI development and use in the first place?“Some Things You Can't Make Light Of.” Over the weekend, a pair of gunmen inspired by the Islamic State executed a brutal massacre at a Hanukkah event on Australia's Bondi Beach, killing 15 people and injuring 40. The violence has shocked Australia, a country with strict gun control laws where incidents of anti-semitism have been on the rise, as in much of the world. What is there to learn from the attack and its aftermath? And what could its ramifications be, both in Australia and further abroad?In object lessons, Alan tells us what the buzz is—seeing Jesus Christ Superstar live. Scott, heavy with Christmas spirit, shares his grandmother's recipe for sour cream coffee cake (remember, during the holidays, dense=delicious). And Ari keeps us grounded with a recommendation of “Don't Let's Go To the Dogs Tonight,” a South African film about a White Zimbabwean family following the Rhodesian Bush War.Rational Security will be having its traditional end-of-year episode later this month, which will focus on listener-submitted topics and object lessons! If you have topics you want us to discuss and object lessons you want to share—whether serious or frivolous—be sure to send them to rationalsecurity@lawfaremedia.org by Dec. 21!To receive ad-free podcasts, become a Lawfare Material Supporter at www.patreon.com/lawfare. You can also support Lawfare by making a one-time donation at https://givebutter.com/lawfare-institute. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
A son of filmmaker Rob Reiner and producer Michele Singer Reiner has been arrested on suspicion of murder and is being held without bail. Authorities in Rhode Island are asking for the public's help in identifying the gunman behind the shooting at Brown University. And, Australian authorities say the two suspected gunmen behind the mass shooting at a Hanukkah celebration on Bondi Beach were inspired by Islamic State.Want more analysis of the most important news of the day, plus a little fun? Subscribe to the Up First newsletter.Today's episode of Up First was edited by Matteen Mokalla, Andrea DeLeon, Rebecca Rosman, Lisa Thomson and Alice Woefle.It was produced by Ziad Buchh, Nia Dumas and Christopher Thomas.We get engineering support from Stacey Abbott. Our technical director is Carleigh Strange. And our Supervising Senior Producer is Vince Pearson.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy
Watch The X22 Report On Video No videos found (function(w,d,s,i){w.ldAdInit=w.ldAdInit||[];w.ldAdInit.push({slot:17532056201798502,size:[0, 0],id:"ld-9437-3289"});if(!d.getElementById(i)){var j=d.createElement(s),p=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];j.async=true;j.src="https://cdn2.decide.dev/_js/ajs.js";j.id=i;p.parentNode.insertBefore(j,p);}})(window,document,"script","ld-ajs");pt> Click On Picture To See Larger Picture Trump is putting all the pieces together for the new economic system. Gas prices are dropping like a rock. Silver prices are now higher than oil prices. Trump is building a smelting factory in TN to compete against China. The Fed is buying the debt which will destroy the Fed. Is Trump working with Jamie Dimon? The [DS] is losing control, evidence is being dripped out against the [DS]. News is being released against them so they are attacking like a wild animal. The infiltration in this country and other countries was directed by the same [DS] players. They will use this to create chaos WW. Trump knows playbook, meanwhile Trump is dismantling their system world wide. Never interfere with an enemy while they are in the process of destroying themselves. Be prepared. Economy (function(w,d,s,i){w.ldAdInit=w.ldAdInit||[];w.ldAdInit.push({slot:18510697282300316,size:[0, 0],id:"ld-8599-9832"});if(!d.getElementById(i)){var j=d.createElement(s),p=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];j.async=true;j.src="https://cdn2.decide.dev/_js/ajs.js";j.id=i;p.parentNode.insertBefore(j,p);}})(window,document,"script","ld-ajs"); https://twitter.com/TrumpWarRoom/status/2000567788856119385?s=20 https://twitter.com/KobeissiLetter/status/2000582117294846292?s=20 in mid-2022. Since then, silver prices have surged +206% while oil prices have dropped -44%. WTI Crude is now on track for its worst year since the 2020 pandemic decline, down -20%, while silver is on its best annual performance since 1979, up +115%. We are witnessing a major macroeconomic shift. https://twitter.com/EricLDaugh/status/2000622821697822926?s=20 some stake in the venture. The list includes: Gallium, Germanium, Indium. Antimony, Copper, Silver, Gold, and Zinc. This will be CRITICAL for producing things at home without relying on China, including defense systems and semiconductors. THIS IS HUGE! https://twitter.com/profstonge/status/2000543866047308139?s=20 https://twitter.com/JoeLang51440671/status/2000587776232739114?s=20 years. They have been directly involved in all kinds of money laundering operations from major drug trafficking to pedophile blackmail rings like Epstein. They have done ALL of this KNOWINGLY. When you KNOWINGLY commit these types of crimes, you are participating in a massive “conspiracy.” Do you see the vulnerability? Hillary was never supposed to lose. Trump became the most powerful man on the planet, the moment he was sworn in as president back in 2017. Trump instantly became a threat to the entire corrupt system and had the military behind him. He took control of the most powerful central bank in the world and also controlled the world's reserve currency. He also controlled the DOJ. Jamie Dimon was vulnerable. But was he “leveraged” by Trump? I believe the answer is yes and the timeline of events proves it. In 2019, precious metals traders at JPM were convicted of manipulating the metals prices by “spoofing.” They would place fake orders, with no intention of taking delivery. JPM was FORCED to pay a fine of almost a billion dollars. That was the moment JPM was captured. And what has happened recently? Jamie Dimon just announced, that for the first time in its history, they have dumped their SILVER shorts and have gone long on SILVER. JPM is the largest holder of physical SILVER in the world at 750 million ounces. That is KEY. That 750 million ounces of SILVER are subject to Trump's Executive Order signed back in December of 2017, that was renewed each year of Biden's presidency. That's not a coincidence. I believe that 750 million ounces of SILVER are going to be the new U.S. Strategic SILVER Reserve. But here's what's interesting and indicates that JPM is now a tool in Trump's hand, taking down the global banking cabal. The SILVER and Gold prices are controlled by two entities. The big bullion banks associated with the LBMA (London Bullion Market Association), which sets the “spot” price of “physical SILVER” in London and the COMEX on Wall Street, that sets the “paper SILVER” price for futures trading. It's a massive derivative market used to manipulate the price, where the same physical SILVER is traded at hundreds of times its worth because most transactions NEVER demand delivery. A truly “fractional” system rampant with fraud. But suddenly something changed on the COMEX. There was a massive increase in demand for physical delivery of SILVER, instead of taking “cash.” Someone was now beginning to hoard physical SILVER. That FORCED the bullion banks in London, to start emptying their vaults and shipping large amounts of SILVER to New York vaults at the COMEX. Guess who owns the largest SILVER vault on COMEX? None other than JPM. And now we know that they were the one demanding physical delivery of SILVER as they were unloading ALL their paper contracts and hoarding physical SILVER. We have watched for months, the flow of physical SILVER leave London and head to New York. The days of the bullion banks controlling the SILVER price are over and their vaults have been emptied, which FORCED them to buy SILVER and drive the price higher. JPM, who had been in cahoots with LBMA forever, just cut the legs out from under them and caused those bullion banks to take heavy losses from their SILVER shorts. JPM trapped LBMA by demanding huge leasing rates for their SILVER supply. That FORCED them to purchase SILVER in order to fulfill orders. That's what helped to end the manipulation of the SILVER price, as JPM went fully long for the very first time. We are just finding out now, that JPM is the bank that caused all the panic at LBMA and ENDED the manipulation of SILVER. We own the most Gold and the most SILVER. Ready for a RESET Political/Rights https://twitter.com/sircalebhammer/status/2000400581316460778?s=20 https://twitter.com/mtracey/status/2000593491089559998?s=20 Just In: Rob Reiner's Son Arrested and Charged in Grisly Murder of Parents Rob Reiner's son, Nick, was arrested on Monday in connection with the murder of the Hollywood director and his wife, Michelle, and booked on $4 million bail. Reiner was open about his son Nick's drug addiction and made a movie about the family's experience with his drug problem. According to The New York Post, Nick Reiner has been charged with murder. The couple's daughter, Romy, found the couple in their home with their throats slashed. The New York Post reported: Source: thegatewaypundit.com https://twitter.com/BreitbartNews/status/2000563249616712181?s=20 with his obvious paranoia reaching new heights as the Trump Administration surpassed all goals and expectations of greatness, and with the Golden Age of America upon us, perhaps like never before. May Rob and Michele rest in peace! https://twitter.com/MikeBenzCyber/status/1700845324942925921?s=20 Reiner said jack after the attempted assassination on Trump. Trump was honest, but still called it “sad” and said “rest in peace.” Did he need to say the other things? Probably not. But why does he have to be nice with the absolute vile shit these people have said? https://twitter.com/amuse/status/2000363854849507441?s=20 https://twitter.com/libsoftiktok/status/2000377216736334189?s=20 https://twitter.com/catturd2/status/2000174373676925123?s=20 One was banned for rejecting a deadly vaccine. The other was imported despite having a deadly ideology. https://twitter.com/ColonelTowner/status/2000517544084488656?s=20 why would anyone do that? That's simple, they want you either dead bc they view you as a useless eater or controlled using fear and psychological operations which equals terror attacks. Insert terrorist here. Operation Gladio proved beyond any doubt you own government will kill you whenever the fuck they want and don't give a shit about the blown back, especially when they own all the guns. Which is a primary goal of the US false flags so they can take ours. It worked so well everywhere else even in New Zealand. But not here. It will never work here and that really pisses them off. Plan accordingly. https://twitter.com/MarioNawfal/status/2000629428838166644?s=20 ISIS hotspot in the Philippines just weeks before the deadly attack. The 2 traveled alone to Southeast Asia, raising major red flags for authorities now investigating possible overseas radicalization. Intelligence sources say the region they visited is linked to ISIS training camps, calling it “a well-trodden path for Islamic State” operatives since 2019. Naveed Akram had been on ASIO's radar since 2019 but was not previously deemed an immediate threat. Officials are now probing whether the suspects were influenced or trained during their time abroad before returning to commit one of Australia's deadliest terror attacks in years. Source: The Daily Telegraph, NY Post https://twitter.com/mrddmia/status/2000432832557289749?s=20 https://twitter.com/nypost/status/2000549271657996678?s=20 https://twitter.com/CynicalPublius/status/2000610717016449275?s=20 blocks, so the jihadists murder Jews with machetes; Then you ban machetes, so the jihadists murder Jews with kitchen knives; Then you ban kitchen knives, so the jihadists murders Jews with large rocks; Then you ban large rocks…. ————————— You seem to be missing the constant component to these crimes, and it ain’t the weapon. https://twitter.com/libsoftiktok/status/2000529088046625122?s=20 https://twitter.com/DC_Draino/status/2000569974755311679?s=20 https://twitter.com/TimOnPoint/status/2000552644402618629?s=20 Brown University has almost 1,000 cameras across campus. No footage. No information. Nothing. – The shooter seemed to have targeted the Vice President of the Republican Club – Person of interest has been released, shooter is still at large. Just wow.They do have a tips line, so why not show the person so people can identify him/her. https://twitter.com/CynicalPublius/status/2000424946816925931?s=20 https://twitter.com/C_3C_3/status/2000413597198123046?s=20 https://twitter.com/C_3C_3/status/2000582226497389052?s=20 , law enforcement recovered two firearms—a revolver and a Glock handgun (described in some accounts as a 9mm with a laser sight)—from the hotel room at the Hampton Inn in Coventry, Rhode Island, where person of interest Benjamin Erickson was detained in connection with the Brown University shooting. Authorities are investigating whether these weapons are linked to the incident, which killed two students and injured nine others on December 14, 2025. Erickson was later released as the evidence reportedly shifted in another direction, and the manhunt for the shooter continues. https://twitter.com/FBIDirectorKash/status/2000589113380987097?s=20 pro-Palestinian, anti-law-enforcement, and anti-government ideology. They were allegedly planning coordinated IED bombing attacks on New Year’s Eve, targeting five separate locations across Los Angeles. In the days since, @FBINewOrleans arrested an additional FIFTH individual believed to be linked to this radical TILF subgroup – also allegedly planning a separate violent attack. Outstanding work by our investigators and law enforcement partners @TheJusticeDept . Their work undoubtedly saved countless lives. @FBILosAngeles will hold a press conference later today to share additional details. The four defendants named in the complaint are Audrey Illeene Carroll, 30, Zachary Aaron Page, 32, Dante Gaffield, 24, and 41-year-old Tina Lai. According to a sworn statement in support of the complaint, Carroll in November presented an eight-page handwritten document to a paid confidential source titled “Operation Midnight Sun” which described a bomb plot. Carroll and Page later allegedly recruited the other two defendants to help carry out the plan, which included them “acquiring bomb-making materials and traveling to a remote location in the Mojave Desert to construct and detonate test explosive devices on December 12, 2025,” the sworn statement alleges. https://twitter.com/nypost/status/2000627062529228902?s=20 https://twitter.com/WarClandestine/status/2000616790175461455?s=20 https://twitter.com/RamboAndFrens/status/2000614500563918985?s=20 https://twitter.com/TonySeruga/status/2000645622987473142?s=20 the digital director for California Governor Gavin Newsom, a role she has held since around June 2024, leading a small team of three that handles graphic design, social media strategy, and rapid-response content across platforms like X (formerly Twitter), Threads, TikTok, and Bluesky. She is directly responsible for managing and overseeing Newsom’s social media presence. DOGE Geopolitical https://twitter.com/disclosetv/status/2000344607218127143?s=20 José Antonio Kast is very much onboard with Donald Trump. He has repeatedly expressed admiration for Trump’s policies, congratulated him on his election victories, and aligned his own agenda with Trump-style approaches to issues like immigration, crime, and economic incentives. For instance, Kast has publicly wished Trump success in his presidency for the benefit of Chile, Latin America, and the world @joseantoniokast , praised Trump’s ideas on expediting approvals for major investments @joseantoniokast , and endorsed Trump’s tough stance on deportations and sanctions against countries that refuse to accept their nationals back @joseantoniokast . He also condemned the 2024 assassination attempt on Trump and highlighted the loss of life among Trump’s supporters Maria Corina Machado Says Hundreds Of Thousands Venezuelans Will Return Home Once Maduro Goes Venezuelan opposition leader and Nobel Peace Prize Laureate María Corina Machado believes “hundreds of thousands” of Venezuelans will return to their country from all over the world once the socialist Maduro regime goes. “The day Maduro goes, you will see tens of thousands, hundreds of thousands of Venezuelan migrants coming back home from the United States and all over the world,” Machado on Sunday told CBS News. “I mean, our diaspora is desperate to go back to Venezuela. So even from that perspective, it is a win, win situation to have democracy in Venezuela.” Machado arrived in Oslo, Norway last week to receive the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize after spending over a year in hiding facing threats of arrest by the Maduro regime. Hours later, she confirmed that the Trump administration helped her escape from Venezuela. source: breitbart.com War/Peace https://twitter.com/visegrad24/status/2000607318229286957?s=20 [DS] Agenda https://twitter.com/amuse/status/2000559689873166522?s=20 https://twitter.com/WallStreetApes/status/2000353004281794978?s=20 a perception that I’m quoting now, that forcefully tackling this issue would cause political backlash from the Somali community, which is a core voting block for Democrats” Seriously, how are Democrats not getting raided and thrown in prison https://twitter.com/AwakenedOutlaw/status/2000632685178626084?s=20 Democrat Money Laundering Discovered – Names include Gretchen Whitmer, Jon Ossoff and Cory Booker “It now appears that the six lawmakers have been found to have been heavily involved in money laundering. Investigative Reporter/Citizen Journalist, Bob Cushman, has just released an FEC data analysis that strongly suggests that Mark Kelly, Elissa Slotkin, Jason Crow, Chris Deluzio, Chrissy Houlahan and Maggie Goodlander have been recipients of illegally laundered campaign funds. In the initial investigation, Cushman cites 22 Smurf examples that have “allegedly” contributed almost three million dollars in more than 95,000 separate donations to Democratic coffers. All six members of the Seditious Six have received funds from one or more of these “smurfs” President Trump's Plan New memos show how corruption probe into Clinton Foundation was killed: ‘We were told NO by FBI HQ' Drip, drip, drip: A newly-declassified timeline exposes how the FBI’s investigation of the Clinton Foundation was hamstrung by DOJ leaders while the inquiry into Trump-Russia collusion hoax marched forward. This isn’t the first tranche of evidence pointing to political interference. Atop Republican senator has provided Just the News a timeline written by FBI investigators laying out the repeated political obstruction those agents faced from their own bosses and the Justice Department during the 2016 election and beyond as they probed whether Hillary Clinton engaged in a pay-to-play corruption scheme involving her family foundation. “Field agents were frustrated. But HQ would not let it go forward,” the newly-released and lengthy investigative timeline reveals. “We were trying to explore the [Clinton] Foundation, and we were told ‘NO' by FBI HQ.” Not the first timeline showing interference “Shut it down!” then-Deputy Attorney General Sally Yates is quoted as demanding in the shorter timeline of the politicized barriers that agents in New York City, Little Rock, Ark., and Washington D.C. reported. The shorter timeline — written by a DOJ lawyer assigned to the FBI under former bureau Director James Comey — was secured by top aides to Patel and was obtained by Just the News earlier this year. The newly-released and longer timeline was handed over to Grassley's office by the FBI along with a host of corroborating internal emails and was recently provided to Just the News. Agents struggled for years to investigate Clinton Foundation The longer timeline indicated that questions about the Clinton Foundation's potential criminality were raised as early as April 2010, when there was a “consensually-monitored call between [Redacted] Sant Singh Chatwal” during which there was a “description of conversations with foreign donors (Amar Singh, Lakshmi Mittal, Deepak Chopra, Praful Patel, Subhash Chandra) about giving to HRC.” McCabe stops the Clinton Foundation investigation from moving forward in 2016 The shorter timeline revealed that as early as February 2016, the Justice Department “indicated they would not be supportive of an FBI investigation.” The shorter timeline also shows that, in mid-February 2016, McCabe ordered that “no overt investigative steps” were allowed to be taken in the Clinton Foundation investigation “without his approval” — a command he allegedly repeated numerous times over the coming months. John Huber, Uranium One, and the continued stalling of the CF inquiry The Hill had reported in October 2017 that “before the Obama administration approved a controversial deal in 2010 giving Moscow control of a large swath of American uranium, the FBI had gathered substantial evidence that Russian nuclear industry officials were engaged in bribery, kickbacks, extortion and money laundering designed to grow Vladimir Putin's atomic energy business inside the United States.” The Hill said that “federal agents used a confidential U.S. witness working inside the Russian nuclear industry to gather extensive financial records, make secret recordings and intercept emails as early as 2009 that showed Moscow had compromised an American uranium trucking firm with bribes and kickbacks in violation of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act.” “They also obtained an eyewitness account — backed by documents — indicating Russian nuclear officials had routed millions of dollars to the U.S. designed to benefit former President Bill Clinton's charitable foundation during the time Secretary of State Hillary Clinton served on a government body that provided a favorable decision to Moscow,” The Hill reported. Source: justthenews.com https://twitter.com/WarClandestine/status/2000621732932039106?s=20 solved by asking nicely. Unprecedented circumstances require unprecedented action. It's time for Trump to invoke the Insurrection Act, deploy the US MIL to every city in America, safeguard the public, completely uproot the Left-wing terrorist network, deport the illegals, secure elections, arrest the traitors who are responsible for all this, and save the Republic. https://twitter.com/drawandstrike/status/2000020569731809454?s=20 known as ‘The Federal Judiciary’ and the ‘The United States Congress’ to become actual America First branches of the federal government. This is not as easy as I make it sound just typing that out. It’s been a hard slog for Trump and his Dream Team Cabinet to get the Executive Branch where it now is after 11 months. We’re almost to the point the Insurrection Act can be invoked and most of the US Congress and a significant part of the federal judiciary can be arrested and replaced. 2026 is going to be quite awesome. https://twitter.com/EricLDaugh/status/2000686487352877517?s=20 https://twitter.com/MJTruthUltra/status/2000666864020808164?s=20 https://twitter.com/AwakenedOutlaw/status/2000329752251654517?s=20 . Oh, and note how matters regarding Tina Peters is coming to a head in parallel. Do you think that’s just happenstance? (function(w,d,s,i){w.ldAdInit=w.ldAdInit||[];w.ldAdInit.push({slot:13499335648425062,size:[0, 0],id:"ld-7164-1323"});if(!d.getElementById(i)){var j=d.createElement(s),p=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];j.async=true;j.src="//cdn2.customads.co/_js/ajs.js";j.id=i;p.parentNode.insertBefore(j,p);}})(window,document,"script","ld-ajs");
As the Australian authorities continue their investigation into Sunday's deadly attack on a Hannukah party in Sydney, investigators have uncovered a possible link with Islamic State. Our journalists recommend their favourite books of 2025. And why there is now an Advent calendar for everything.Listen to what matters most, from global politics and business to science and technology—Subscribe to Economist Podcasts+For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit our FAQs page or watch our video explaining how to link your account. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
A.M. Edition for Dec. 16. Investors will get a closer look at the U.S. employment picture with the release of two months' worth of data that was delayed by the government shutdown. Plus, Australia's prime minister says the shooters who attacked a Hanukkah celebration at Sydney's Bondi Beach appear to have been inspired by Islamic State. And WSJ advertising editor Suzanne Vrenica says concern about tariffs and consumer spending led to an earlier start to the holiday ads season, otherwise known as “Christmas creep.” Luke Vargas hosts. Sign up for the WSJ's free What's News newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
As the Australian authorities continue their investigation into Sunday's deadly attack on a Hannukah party in Sydney, investigators have uncovered a possible link with Islamic State. Our journalists recommend their favourite books of 2025. And why there is now an Advent calendar for everything.Listen to what matters most, from global politics and business to science and technology—Subscribe to Economist Podcasts+For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit our FAQs page or watch our video explaining how to link your account. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
In this episode of The President's Daily Brief: Moscow is feeling the strain of slumping oil revenue, slowing economic growth, and a staggering human toll from the war in Ukraine. Despite those pressures, new reporting explains why the Kremlin is not moving toward peace—and how the internal dynamics around Vladimir Putin are shaping Russia's decisions. Two American soldiers and a civilian interpreter are killed in what the Pentagon says was an ambush by a suspected Islamic State attacker. We break down what happened and what it says about the ongoing threat posed by ISIS remnants. Authorities say a person of interest is now in custody after a shooting during a final exam review session left two students dead and nine others injured. We have the latest on the investigation. And in today's Back of the Brief—At least eleven people are dead after a shooting at Sydney's Bondi Beach that officials say deliberately targeted the Jewish community, an attack authorities have classified as terrorism. To listen to the show ad-free, become a premium member of The President's Daily Brief by visiting https://PDBPremium.com. Please remember to subscribe if you enjoyed this episode of The President's Daily Brief. YouTube: youtube.com/@presidentsdailybrief American Financing: Call American Financing today to find out how customers are saving an avg of $800/mo. NMLS 182334, https://nmlsconsumeraccess.org - APR for rates in the 5s start at 6.196% for well qualified borrowers. Call 866-885-1881 for details about credit costs and terms. Visit https://www.AmericanFinancing.net/PDB True Classic: Upgrade your wardrobe and save on @trueclassic at https://trueclassic.com/PDB#trueclassicpod Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
President Donald Trump has promised retaliation against the Islamic State militant group after two US soldiers and an interpreter were killed in an ambush in Syria. Damascus has condemned the attack as well. Also: Israel says it has killed the senior Hamas commander Raed Saad. The opposition in Belarus celebrates the release of political prisoners. Chile's presidential election sees a communist candidate take on the far-right. And, with the latest Avatar film about to hit cinemas, we hear from the composer who spent years writing its score.