“A top Russian official on Monday issued personal threats against Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy after Russia claimed that Ukraine launched a drone attack on one of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s official residences. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov alleged that Ukraine launched a drone attack on Putin’s state residence in Novgorod region on the night of Dec. 29. Lavrov offered no evidence to support the assertion, which Zelenskyy was quick to dismiss as a Russian disinformation effort. Dmitry Medvedev — the former Russian president and prime minister now serving on the country’s Security Council — posted to X accusing Zelenskyy of ‘trying to derail the settlement of the conflict,’ referring to the ongoing U.S.-sponsored peace talks. ‘He wants war. Well, now at least he’ll have to stay in hiding for the rest of his worthless life,’ Medvedev wrote.” (12/30/25)
“Israel on Tuesday said it had suspended more than two dozen humanitarian organizations, including Doctors Without Borders and CARE, from operating in the Gaza Strip for failing to comply with new registration rules. Israel says the rules are aimed at preventing Hamas and other militant groups from infiltrating the aid organizations. But the organizations say the rules are arbitrary and warned that the new ban would harm a civilian population desperately in need of humanitarian aid. … The new regulations included ideological requirements — including disqualifying organizations that have called for boycotts against Israel, denied the Oct. 7 attack or expressed support for any of the international court cases against Israeli soldiers or leaders.” (12/30/25)
“Throughout 2025, many instances of Americans exercising their right to bear arms to protect themselves, their families and their property made headlines across the country. As of Dec. 23, the U.S. had seen 14,249 gun-related deaths and 25,606 injuries since the start of the year, according to the Gun Violence Archive. Of those instances, 1,119 shootings were deemed to be in self-defense, with many cases going unprosecuted due to various laws throughout the country permitting the use of guns in life-threatening situations.” [editor’s note: And that doesn’t count the times when merely having, or being known to have, a gun prevented or put a stop to a “life-threatening situation – TLK] (12/30/25)
“The D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals on Tuesday issued an order rebuking the Trump administration’s efforts to defund and shutter the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. Earlier in the month, the court agreed to hear an ongoing lawsuit brought by the National Treasury Employees Union, representing CFPB employees, against OMB director and acting CFPB director Russ Vought. The court upheld an injunction from a lower court ahead of its February hearing, which stated that the Trump administration must cease its efforts to shutter the bureau while the case is ongoing. In the case, Vought and the Trump administration have argued that requesting funds from the Federal Reserve, which provides resources to the agency at the director’s request, would be against the CFPB’s founding rules, as the central bank had not been running at a profit. Without a new infusion of funds, the bureau will likely run out of funds sometime in the next month.” (12/30/25)
“Thieves used a large drill to break into a safe at a high street bank branch in western Germany and steal an estimated €30m (£26m; $35m) in cash and valuables, police have said. A police spokesman likened the break-in to the Hollywood heist film Ocean’s Eleven, telling AFP news agency it was ‘very professionally executed’. During the heist at Sparkasse savings bank in the city of Gelsenkirchen, thieves broke open more than 3,000 safe deposit boxes containing money, gold and jewelry. Gelsenkirchen Police said they became aware of the crime after a fire alarm was set off in the early hours of Monday morning. Currently, no arrests have been made and the perpetrators remain at large.” (12/30/25)
“Russia’s nuclear-capable Oreshnik missile system has entered active service, Russia’s Ministry of Defense said Tuesday, as negotiators continue to search for a breakthrough in peace talks to end Moscow’s war in Ukraine. Troops held a brief ceremony to mark the occasion in neighboring Belarus where the missiles have been deployed, the ministry said. It did not say how many missiles had been deployed or give any other details. … Putin has praised the Oreshnik’s capabilities, saying that its multiple warheads, which plunge toward a target at speeds up to Mach 10, are immune to being intercepted.” (12/30/25)
“Israel’s president has pushed back on Donald Trump’s claim that the two had spoken and that a pardon for Benjamin Netanyahu was ‘on its way.’ Isaac Herzog, 65, disputed what Trump told reporters at Mar-a-Lago while beside Netanyahu, who is accused of fraud, breach of trust, and bribery — charges which he denies. … ‘There has not been a conversation between President Herzog and President Trump since the pardon request was submitted,’ his office said, according to CNN. Rather, Herzog’s office said he had spoken to a Trump aide and gave ‘an explanation’ about ‘the stage of the process in which the request currently stands.’ … In June, the president called for either the cancellation of the trial or a pardon for his ally, ‘who has done so much for the State’ during the Israel-Iran conflict.” (12/29/25)
“California has ended a lawsuit challenging the termination of $4 billion in federal grants for its controversial high-speed rail project, ceding its claim to federal funding that the Trump administration has repeatedly tried to withdraw. … The California High-Speed Rail Authority said in a statement that the agency has decided to cut ties with the Trump administration, which has also threatened other pots of federal funding tied to the planned rail line connecting Los Angeles to the Bay Area. ‘This action reflects the state’s assessment that the federal government is not a reliable, constructive, or trustworthy partner in advancing high-speed rail in California,’ the statement said.” (12/29/25)
“Ratings agency Moody’s has downgraded Budapest’s credit rating to Ba1 from Baa3 and placed it on review for a further reduction, citing its weak liquidity and a financial dispute with Viktor Orban’s national government. The downgrade comes at a delicate time for Budapest, which is run by the liberal mayor Gergely Karacsony, as nationalist Prime Minister Orban will likely face parliamentary elections in April. The centre-right opposition Tisza party is leading most polls. … ‘Ongoing legal disputes over the tax amount, which exceeds the funding received from the central government, add system instability and jeopardize the budgeting process and cash balances,’ Moody’s said, adding the ratings also reflected the partial freezing of European Union funds to Hungary.” (12/30/25)
“Beyoncé is a billionaire following the success of her Cowboy Carter tour, Forbes declared Monday. The Grammy Award-winning star is only the fifth musician to make Forbes'[s] billionaires list, after Taylor Swift, Rihanna, Bruce Springsteen and her husband, Jay-Z. … The Cowboy Carter tour was the highest-grossing of 2025, making $400 million in ticket sales and a further $50 million in merchandise sold at the shows.” (12/29/25)
