Kremlin hails Trump’s national security strategy as aligned with Russia’s vision

The Kremlin praised Donald Trump’s new national security strategy, calling it aligned with Russian thinking and welcoming its emphasis on dialogue and improved U.S.-Russia relations. The announcement comes as U.S. efforts to broker a peace deal in Ukraine enter a critical phase, with talks in Florida and an upcoming meeting in London between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, European leaders, and U.S. officials. Zelenskyy emphasized Ukraine’s … Continue reading Kremlin hails Trump’s national security strategy as aligned with Russia’s vision

Magnitude 7.0 earthquake strikes remote area near Alaska-Canada border

A magnitude-7.0 earthquake struck a remote area near the Alaska–Yukon border on Saturday, with no tsunami warning issued and no immediate reports of damage or injuries. The USGS reported the quake occurred about 230 miles northwest of Juneau, Alaska, and 155 miles west of Whitehorse, Yukon, at a depth of roughly 6 miles. Residents in Whitehorse reported feeling the tremor, with minor items falling off … Continue reading Magnitude 7.0 earthquake strikes remote area near Alaska-Canada border

Troops and warplanes deployed in Benin after ‘failed coup attempt’

West African troops were deployed to Benin on Sunday following an attempted coup by a group of soldiers who attacked state institutions and briefly seized state TV. President Patrice Talon said the situation was “totally under control” after loyalist forces regained control, while ECOWAS sent forces from Ghana, Ivory Coast, Nigeria, and Sierra Leone to support the government. The mutinying soldiers, calling themselves the Military … Continue reading Troops and warplanes deployed in Benin after ‘failed coup attempt’

Only 12 Pearl Harbor survivors remain on the 84th anniversary

This year’s Pearl Harbor remembrance marks a historic first: none of the 12 surviving centenarians are able to attend the ceremony in Hawaii, ending the era of firsthand witnesses at the event. The attack in 1941 killed over 2,300 troops and drew the U.S. into World War II, and while survivors have long been central to commemorations, their numbers have dwindled from thousands to just … Continue reading Only 12 Pearl Harbor survivors remain on the 84th anniversary

Cleanup continues in Chicago after Sunday’s snowfall

Overnight snowfall brought slick roads and slushy sidewalks to Chicago and parts of Northwest Indiana, pushing the city’s seasonal total to more than 17 inches—the fastest accumulation since 1978. Crews worked early, with more than 200 city plow trucks clearing streets before most residents woke up. Workers like Eric Soto were called in overnight to clear walkways, while parking lots, neighborhoods and major roads saw … Continue reading Cleanup continues in Chicago after Sunday’s snowfall

Trump pledges to reassert Monroe Doctrine to restore American power

President Donald Trump released a national security blueprint that asserts U.S. dominance in the Western Hemisphere and introduces a “Trump Corollary” to the Monroe Doctrine. The strategy argues that keeping the region “reasonably stable” and free from foreign influence is essential to U.S. security. It seeks to “enlist and expand” partnerships—working with established allies to combat migration, drug trafficking and security threats, while building new … Continue reading Trump pledges to reassert Monroe Doctrine to restore American power

Top Armed Services Dem says Sept. 2 strike video would show Republicans’ description ‘completely false’

The top Democrat on the House Armed Services Committee, Rep. Adam Smith, said surveillance video of a U.S. military strike on a suspected drug trafficking vessel contradicts claims made by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and other Republicans. Smith, who viewed the footage, said the surviving individuals were unarmed, stranded, and unable to fight, disputing assertions that they were attempting to recover drugs or reengage. He … Continue reading Top Armed Services Dem says Sept. 2 strike video would show Republicans’ description ‘completely false’

More than 200,000 power banks sold on Amazon recalled over fire and burn risks

About 210,000 INIU portable lithium-ion power banks sold on Amazon have been recalled due to risks of overheating, fires and burn injuries. The recalled units are model BI-B41, sold between August 2021 and April 2022, and include serial numbers 000G21, 000H21, 000I21 and 000L21. At least 15 overheating incidents were reported, including 11 fires that caused minor injuries and property damage. Consumers are urged to … Continue reading More than 200,000 power banks sold on Amazon recalled over fire and burn risks

Russia rapidly gaining territory in Ukraine as peace talks stall

Russia has recently accelerated its territorial gains in Ukraine, seizing about 200 square miles in November, one of the fastest advances since the war began. Western leaders, including Volodymyr Zelensky, Sir Keir Starmer, Emmanuel Macron, and Friedrich Merz, are meeting for emergency talks amid concerns over weakening support for Kyiv. European officials insist Ukraine is not close to collapse but warn that long-term backing is … Continue reading Russia rapidly gaining territory in Ukraine as peace talks stall

Doctor who sold ketamine to ‘Friends’ star Matthew Perry before his overdose death gets 2 1/2 years in prison

Dr. Salvador Plasencia was sentenced to 2½ years in prison and two years of probation for illegally selling ketamine to Matthew Perry shortly before the actor’s 2023 overdose death. The judge stressed that Plasencia didn’t supply the fatal dose but exploited Perry’s addiction for profit. Perry’s family delivered emotional victim impact statements, describing the actor as beloved worldwide. Plasencia pleaded guilty to four counts of … Continue reading Doctor who sold ketamine to ‘Friends’ star Matthew Perry before his overdose death gets 2 1/2 years in prison

Salesforce beats on earnings, issues better-than-expected revenue forecast

Salesforce reported stronger-than-expected earnings, with adjusted EPS of $3.25 beating the $2.86 forecast, while revenue of $10.26 billion slightly missed estimates. Net income rose to $2.09 billion, boosted by a $263 million gain from strategic investments. The company highlighted strong cloud growth in Tableau and MuleSoft, with on-premises revenue recognized immediately rather than over time. For the fiscal fourth quarter, Salesforce expects $3.02–$3.04 in adjusted … Continue reading Salesforce beats on earnings, issues better-than-expected revenue forecast

November private payrolls unexpectedly fell by 32,000

The U.S. labor market weakened in November as private payrolls fell by 32,000, driven largely by small businesses, according to ADP. Firms with fewer than 50 employees cut 120,000 jobs, while larger companies added 90,000. Industry losses were led by professional and business services (-26,000), information services (-20,000), and manufacturing (-18,000), though education and health services (+33,000) and leisure and hospitality (+13,000) saw gains. Wage … Continue reading November private payrolls unexpectedly fell by 32,000

For the 1st time ever, 8 spacecraft are docked to the International Space Station

For the first time in its history, all eight docking ports on the International Space Station (ISS) are fully occupied, NASA announced. The crowded station required NASA’s robotic Canadarm2 to temporarily move the Northrop Grumman Cygnus-23 cargo spacecraft to make room for the Thanksgiving Day arrival of the Soyuz MS-28 crew carrying Chris Williams, Sergey Kud-Sverchkov, and Sergei Mikaev for an eight-month mission. Other spacecraft … Continue reading For the 1st time ever, 8 spacecraft are docked to the International Space Station

Russia replaces cosmonaut after alleged security breach at SpaceX facility

Russian cosmonaut Oleg Artemyev has been removed from the upcoming Crew-12 mission to the International Space Station after allegedly photographing restricted SpaceX materials at the company’s Hawthorne training facility. Artemyev reportedly used his phone to take images of sensitive engines and documents and attempted to remove them from the site, prompting an interagency investigation, according to Russian media. Roscosmos announced that 43-year-old Andrey Fedyaev, who … Continue reading Russia replaces cosmonaut after alleged security breach at SpaceX facility

China’s 1st reusable rocket explodes in dramatic fireball during landing after reaching orbit

Chinese company Landspace’s first test flight of its Zhuque-3 rocket successfully reached orbit but ended with the first stage exploding during reentry. Launched on December 2 from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, the 66-meter reusable rocket placed its expendable second stage into orbit before its first-stage booster lost an engine during landing, caught fire, and crashed. Despite the fiery failure, Landspace called the flight a … Continue reading China’s 1st reusable rocket explodes in dramatic fireball during landing after reaching orbit

“Space gum” and sugars discovered in asteroid Bennu samples, NASA reveals

Samples from asteroid Bennu are providing new insights into the origins of the solar system and the beginnings of life. Since NASA’s Osiris-REx spacecraft returned the material to Earth in 2020, scientists have identified sugars and a previously unseen “gum-like” substance in the asteroid samples. Three new studies, published in Nature Geosciences and Nature Astronomy, detail these findings: one highlights sugars as essential building blocks … Continue reading “Space gum” and sugars discovered in asteroid Bennu samples, NASA reveals

Man charged with theft after allegedly swallowing Fabergé egg

A 32-year-old man in Auckland, New Zealand, has been charged with theft after allegedly stealing a jewel-encrusted Fabergé egg locket by picking it up and swallowing it. Police arrested him inside the store minutes after the incident on Friday afternoon; he remains in custody ahead of a court appearance on December 8. The stolen item, a Fabergé James Bond Octopussy Egg locket, is valued at … Continue reading Man charged with theft after allegedly swallowing Fabergé egg

India revokes order for smartphone makers to install government security app amid uproar over privacy

India’s government has revoked an order requiring smartphone makers, including Apple and Samsung, to preinstall its state-developed security app, Sanchar Saathi, on all new and existing devices. The reversal comes after criticism from opposition politicians and privacy groups, who called the app a potential surveillance tool. The original order, leaked last week, had mandated that the app’s functions could not be disabled or restricted, prompting … Continue reading India revokes order for smartphone makers to install government security app amid uproar over privacy

Israel launches airstrike in southern Gaza after earlier attack by militants wounded 5 soldiers

Israel carried out an airstrike on a Hamas militant in southern Gaza Wednesday in response to an earlier attack that wounded five Israeli soldiers, testing a fragile ceasefire in place since October. The strike came as Israel received the remains of what may be one of the last hostages held in Gaza and prepared to allow Palestinians to exit the territory via the Rafah crossing … Continue reading Israel launches airstrike in southern Gaza after earlier attack by militants wounded 5 soldiers

Putin visits India amid Ukraine peace push

Russian President Vladimir Putin is visiting India for the first time since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine nearly four years ago, amid stalled U.S. efforts to end the conflict. His 30-hour visit comes as U.S.-India relations face tension, with Washington imposing tariffs and threatening sanctions over India’s continued strong ties to Russia and increased purchases of Russian crude. The visit underscores India’s ongoing challenge of … Continue reading Putin visits India amid Ukraine peace push

California radiologist, wife fatally shot in driveway by son, police say

A California man, Keith Cordes, 37, allegedly fatally shot his father, Dr. Eric Cordes, 63, and stepmother, Vicki Cordes, 66, in their Simi Valley garage on Sunday before fleeing to Chino, where he set his car on fire and died by suicide. Police believe the same weapon was used in both the double murder and Keith’s suicide, though forensic testing is pending. The motive for … Continue reading California radiologist, wife fatally shot in driveway by son, police say

Huge recall of shredded cheese sold at major retailers in 31 states

Over 260,000 cases of shredded cheese sold at major retailers, including Aldi, Target, and Walmart, are being recalled due to possible metal fragments, according to the FDA. Great Lakes Cheese Co., based in Hiram, Ohio, initiated a voluntary recall in early October, covering products sold in 31 states and Puerto Rico. The recall affects a variety of cheeses, including Italian style, pizza style, mozzarella, mozzarella … Continue reading Huge recall of shredded cheese sold at major retailers in 31 states

Safety volunteer charged in fatal shooting of ‘No Kings’ protester in Utah

Matthew Scott Alder, a safety volunteer, was charged with manslaughter Wednesday for fatally shooting bystander Arthur “Afa” Ah Loo during a June No Kings protest in Salt Lake City. Alder fired three shots after seeing Arturo Gamboa, 24, carrying a rifle, believing Gamboa was about to commit a mass shooting; Gamboa was wounded but not charged, as his weapon was unloaded and pointing down. Salt … Continue reading Safety volunteer charged in fatal shooting of ‘No Kings’ protester in Utah

Federal probe targets alleged Minnesota Somali fraud ‘network’ as COVID-aid crime rings persist

The Small Business Administration (SBA) is investigating a network of Somali organizations in Minnesota connected to a $1 billion COVID-19 relief fraud scheme, amid allegations of auditing failures by Gov. Tim Walz’s administration. The probe targets nonprofits and individuals, including Feeding Our Future, who allegedly obtained PPP loans and other state and federal funding fraudulently. SBA Administrator Kelly Loeffler stated the agency is reviewing citizenship, … Continue reading Federal probe targets alleged Minnesota Somali fraud ‘network’ as COVID-aid crime rings persist

U.S. brokers first direct Israel-Lebanon talks in decades

Israeli and Lebanese diplomats met Wednesday in Naqoura under U.S. auspices to discuss economic cooperation aimed at stabilizing southern Lebanon near their shared border—the first direct, public engagement between the countries since 1993. The meeting comes amid rising tensions, including recent Israeli strikes against Hezbollah targets following the assassination of the group’s top military commander, Haytham Ali Tabatabai. U.S. officials hope the talks will help … Continue reading U.S. brokers first direct Israel-Lebanon talks in decades