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26+ min ago (1039+ words) The mass shooting at Sydney's Bondi Beach yesterday evening, targeting a Jewish religious festival, has resulted in the deaths of at least 15 people and injuries to 42 people, some of whom are in critical condition. One of the alleged shooters has also been killed. Those killed ranged in age from 10 to 87, including a young girl, a Holocaust survivor and a rabbi. The target was evidently a'Chanukah by the Sea'event for children that wasscheduled to take place at a beachside playground from 5 p.m., and had begun, marking the start of the eight-day Rabbinic Jewish festival of lights. Police have remained tight-lipped about the two suspects, refusing to discuss anything about their motives, while saying that one was known to police and the Australian Security and Intelligence Organisation (ASIO), and previously suspected of links to an Islamic State group. New South Wales (NSW) Police…...

33+ min ago (504+ words) 15 December 2025, Quezon City " The EcoWaste Coalition, together with health professionals, government agencies, and environmental advocates, led this year's "Iwas Paputoxic" campaign at Pinyahan Elementary School in Quezon City to promote a safe, healthy, and non-polluting celebration of the New Year, especially among children. Guests from partner organizations joined the call for a "paputok-free" celebration. Dr. Percival Lao of the Ateneo School of Medicine and Public Health spoke about the risks of firecracker-related injuries, as well as the risks linked to firecracker smoke, which contains harmful chemicals and particulates that can trigger asthma, respiratory irritation, and other health issues. "Let us usher in the New Year in a safe manner, in a way that protects not only our family and friends but also our animal companions, wildlife, and the environment we all share," said Dr. Lao. Representatives from the Department of…...

55+ min ago (63+ words) Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has called the shooting that killed at least 15 people an 'act of evil'. PM Albanese calls Bondi shooting 'an outrage', vows to review gun laws Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has called the shooting that killed at least 15 people at a Jewish celebration an "act of evil, and said the government is considering tougher gun laws....

1+ hour, 14+ min ago (706+ words) Freeloader." "A colleague called me that after discovering that my cousins in Los Angeles fed me for a year, free of charge. "But there is more. "This new immigrant also got to tag along with them to Las Vegas for gaming. "Their kindness extended from providing hot meals daily to including me in weekend family barbecues and parties. In L.A., she insisted on buying Pacific lobster, instead of the bigger New England clawed lobsters (Homarus americanus). She thought the California lobster (Panulirus interruptus) was more tender and tastier. Pacific Versus the Atlantic My late friend Nath, a volunteer and donor to the international internship program I managed in Sarasota, Florida, delighted in inviting me to dine with her and her friends at their exclusive clubs. Nath, born to an East Coast establishment enjoyed civilized conversation almost as much as Vodka before…...

1+ hour, 44+ min ago (72+ words) Hong Kong's highest court has found Jimmy Lai guilty of sedition and conspiring to collude with foreign powers. Hong Kong's top court convicts Jimmy Lai on conspiracy charges Hong Kong's highest court has found former media mogul Jimmy Lai guilty of sedition and conspiring to collude with foreign powers. The 78-year-old is known as the territory's most outspoken critic of Beijing and could face life in prison....

2+ hour, 6+ min ago (540+ words) Superstar quarterback expected to undergo surgery in the coming days and is out until the next NFL season. Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes tore the ACL in his left knee during Sunday's loss against the Los Angeles Chargers, the team announced on Sunday night. An MRI exam displayed the seriousness of the injury that occurred with 1:53 remaining in the contest. "An MRI has confirmed that Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes sustained a torn ACL in his left knee in today's game. Patrick and the club are currently exploring surgical options," the Chiefs said. About 40 minutes before the announcement, Mahomes said he was struggling emotionally but pledged that he would be better than ever once he recovers from the injury. "Don't know why this had to happen. And not going to lie it's hurts," Mahomes said on social media. "But all…...

2+ hour, 25+ min ago (1152+ words) With thanks to Richard Cook. Our Country, Then and Now: Cook, Richard C. This deep dive is based on the book: Insights and reflections from "Our Country, Then and Now" For further research: examine the monetary reform proposals of the American Monetary Institute, the history of the Council on Foreign Relations as documented by Carroll Quigley, and the independent investigations into September 11 compiled by the International Center for 9/11 Justice. 2. The Constitution left dangerous gaps in monetary authority. The founders failed to clearly establish how money would be created and controlled, leaving the door open for private banking interests to fill the vacuum. From Hamilton's assumption of war debts at full face value to speculators onward, financial elites maneuvered to profit from public necessity while ordinary citizens bore the costs. 4. The Civil War produced Lincoln's Greenbacks'government-issued currency. Refusing usurious terms from private…...

2+ hour, 34+ min ago (718+ words) The late Fredrik S. Heffermehl, a Norwegian lawyer and author, long championed a critical examination of the Nobel Peace Prize and its alignment with Alfred Nobel's original will " " the person who has done the most or the best work for fraternity between nations and for the abolition or reduction of standing armies as well as for the holding and promotion of peace congresses." In 2014, he established the Swedish peace organisation, Lay Down Your Arms, which fights against war and armaments, and annually honours a "champion for peace'. The 2025 recipient is UN Special Rapporteur on the occupied Palestinian territories Francesca Albanese. What Nobel Really Wanted Criticisms of the Nobel Peace Prize have grown louder in recent years as politics seem to have hijacked the award's subjectivity. As if to exemplify this exact point, just take Trump's shameless campaign for the 2025 award. As…...

3+ hour, 23+ min ago (851+ words) 1. A Conversation on Hope and'Silence I pushed back gently: this isn't indifference. Across the region, people feel overwhelming rage, grief, and moral clarity about Gaza. The missing piece is political capacity'fragmented societies, criminalized dissent, regimes that survive by blocking mass mobilization. Labeling it apathy, misdiagnoses the problem and risks, portraying immobilized populations as consenting to horror. Religion gets co opted too. People reduce faith to "only rely on " (tawakkul'trust in God)," forgetting the prophetic command: " " ("tie your camel, then trust in God"). Prayer becomes a substitute for action, a politically convenient theology of passivity. Neoliberal stories compound the damage: aid Palestinians with education, jobs, entrepreneurship'as if economic uplift alone delivers liberation. This mirrors the humanitarian trap I critiqued in From Futility to Friction: managing suffering without challenging the structures of domination. Yet this helplessness is not merely a cultural or…...

3+ hour, 36+ min ago (268+ words) Is this change part of a broader reassessment of how the agency evaluates cancer risks from chemicals? The EPA has recently released a draft proposal that would nearly double the amount of formaldehyde considered safe to inhale, a move strongly criticized by public health and environmental groups. This change is part of a broader reassessment of how the agency evaluates cancer risks from chemicals. The draft was published on Dec. 3 and the EPA is asking for feedback on it through Feb. 2." A few key details of the proposed change include: "This new EPA action opens the door to more pollution and may fundamentally change the agency's framework for chemical risk assessment,David Andrews, Ph.D., the Environmental Working Group's acting chief science officer, said.This change will enable chemical companies to profit further at the expense of public health. Formaldehyde is…...