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Report: US Pursues Third Tanker Off Venezuela
Multiple U.S. news outlets reported on Sunday, citing U.S. officials, that the U.S. Coast Guard is pursuing a third oil tanker in international waters off Venezuela as part of U.S. President Donald Trump's blockade of sanctioned tankers entering or leaving Venezuela.
Bloomberg initially reported, citing people familiar with the matter, that the U.S. had already boarded the tanker, and later updated its article to confirm that the Coast Guard was still in active pursuit of the vessel.
The tanker has been identified as the U.S.-blacklisted Bella 1, a very large crude carrier reportedly on its way to load up oil in Venezuela despite its reported destination being Curaçao. Reports vary on whether the vessel is sailing under the flag of Guyana or Panama.
Pro-establishment narrative
Seizing sanctioned oil tankers and tankers carrying sanctioned oil off Venezuela makes complete sense because that illicit oil funds narcoterrorism and enriches hostile regimes like China, Iran and Russia. Maduro's narco-regime has stolen U.S. assets to maintain its brutal dictatorship while flooding America with deadly drugs. Forceful action against criminal cartels isn't optional — it's overdue justice that will cut off drug trafficking, end mass migration and remove hostile foreign powers from the Western Hemisphere.
Establishment-critical narrative
The seizures of tankers off Venezuela amount to an act of aggression without congressional authorization, designed to distract from domestic scandals while pursuing imperial oil theft. The U.S. doesn't even need to seize foreign oil, as it's a net oil exporter, and Venezuela's heavy crude may soon become a liability as global oil demand is likely to fall. Furthermore, a regime change can only create further chaos in America's backyard, unleashing migration and drug trafficking on an unprecedented scale.
Nerd narrative
There's a 54% chance that the U.S. will attack Venezuela in December 2025 or January 2026, according to the Metaculus prediction community.
Wheelchair User Reaches Space for First Time on Blue Origin Flight
Michaela Benthaus, a 33-year-old aerospace engineer at the European Space Agency, became the first wheelchair user to travel to space on Saturday aboard Blue Origin's New Shepard rocket. The flight launched from West Texas at 8:15 a.m. local time and lasted approximately 10 minutes.
Benthaus suffered a spinal cord injury in a mountain biking accident in 2018 at age 26. She stated that, after her accident, she realized "how inaccessible our world still is" for people with disabilities and has emphasized the need for an "inclusive society."
Hans Koenigsmann, a retired SpaceX executive from Germany, accompanied Benthaus on the flight and helped organize and sponsor her trip along with Blue Origin. Benthaus had originally contacted Koenigsmann online to ask whether she could become an astronaut.
Pro-establishment narrative
Blue Origin's successful launch proves that space is truly accessible for everyone, with New Shepard's autonomous design and elevator access breaking down barriers that once excluded wheelchair users and people with disabilities. This historic flight demonstrates that proper engineering and commitment can make spaceflight available to a diverse range of people without compromise. The mission sets the stage for increased flight rates and shows that accessibility isn't just possible — it's already happening.
Establishment-critical narrative
Despite celebratory headlines, spaceflight remains fundamentally inaccessible to disabled people due to systemic barriers in training facilities, spacecraft design and emergency protocols that prioritize able-bodied astronauts. The real challenge isn't weightlessness but rather how disabled astronauts would handle emergency exits, and current space suits, exercise equipment and training programs remain poorly designed for physical differences. True inclusion requires comprehensive policy changes, adequate funding and collaboration with disability advocacy groups — not just one-off publicity flights.
Nerd narrative
There's a 38% chance that humans will have a sustainable off-world presence by 2100, according to the Metaculus prediction community.
El Salvador: MS-13 Member Sentenced to More Than a Thousand Years in Prison
A court in El Salvador has sentenced Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13) gang member Marvin Abel Hernández Palacios, alias "Nocturno de Teclas," to more than 1,300 years in prison, the country's attorney general's office announced in a post on X on Sunday.
Hernández Palacios was found guilty on multiple criminal charges, including extortion, drug trafficking and the 2021 disappearances and murders of the Guerrero Toledo siblings Karen Ivett and Henry Eduardo and of soccer player Claudia Jimena Granados.
This comes as the 5th Court Against Organized Crime sentenced 248 MS-13 members, including 13 mid-to-high level leaders, for hundreds of crimes committed between 2014 and 2022 in the Salvadoran department of La Libertad, also handing "exemplary sentences" ranging from 463 to 958 years to 10 others.
Pro-government narrative
Extreme sentences like this one send an unmistakable message that violent gang members will never again terrorize Salvadoran communities. These punishments ensure permanent incapacitation of terrorists who held entire neighborhoods hostage for decades, finally matching judicial severity with the toughness needed to dismantle criminal networks. Homicides have plummeted to historic lows, proving that maximum punitive force does work.
Government-critical narrative
Lengthy sentences mask the reality that top gang leaders remain untouched through secret deals with the Bukele administration dating back to 2019. Prison intelligence and government documents reveal direct negotiations between officials and MS-13 and Barrio 18 leaders, offering financial incentives and prison perks in exchange for reduced violence. Drug flows continue increasing while kingpins get privileges as thousands of innocents and pawns rot in jail.
Nerd narrative
There's a 7% chance that Nayib Bukele will rule El Salvador for life, according to the Metaculus prediction community.
France Approves New Nuclear Aircraft Carrier by 2038
French President Emmanuel Macron has announced formal approval to construct a new nuclear-powered aircraft carrier to replace the Charles de Gaulle, which entered service in 2001. The decision to launch the construction program "was taken this week," Macron told French troops stationed in Abu Dhabi on Sunday.
The new carrier will have a displacement of approximately 78,000 tonnes and measure 310 meters in length, nearly double the size of the Charles de Gaulle, which has a displacement of 42,000 tonnes and is 261 meters long. The vessel is designed to accommodate 30 combat aircraft and a crew of 2,000.
The carrier will be equipped with three electromagnetic aircraft launch systems and three advanced arresting gear systems, making it the only nuclear-powered carrier with catapult launching capability outside the U.S. Navy. The ship will feature two K-22 nuclear reactors.
Pro-government narrative
France must build this massive nuclear carrier to project strength against in an age of rising existential threat. The 80,tonne warship will make France a feared maritime power, dwarfing European neighbors and rivaling China's capabilities. Despite budget concerns, national security demands this investment in military dominance.
Government-critical narrative
This carrier project diverts billions from pressing military needs while France faces potential European conflict with Russia. The timing couldn't be worse given the budgetary deadlock gripping the nation's economy. Even military leaders are questioning whether other defense priorities should come first instead of this prestige project.
Nerd narrative
There is a 10% chance that France and Russia will engage in significant direct military conflict before 2031, according to the Metaculus prediction community.
Russian General Killed in Moscow Car Bomb Attack
Lt. Gen. Fanil Sarvarov, head of the operational training directorate of the Russian armed forces general staff, was killed on Monday morning when an explosive device detonated beneath his car on Yasenevaya Street in southern Moscow around 7 a.m. local time.
Russia's Investigative Committee stated that investigators are pursuing "various theories" regarding the killing, with one theory being that the crime was orchestrated by "Ukrainian security agencies." Ukraine has not claimed responsibility for the attack.
Sarvarov, 56, had taken part in combat operations during the Ossetian-Ingush conflict and the Chechen wars of the 1990s. He was also involved in planning and executing military operations in Syria during 2015-16 and had held his current position since 2016.
Pro-Russia narrative
Sarvarov's killing bears the hallmarks of a cowardly terrorist attack, a targeted assassination carried out far from any battlefield and one that will not intimidate Russia. As Ukrainian forces face mounting pressure on the front lines, the increasingly desperate regime has turned to covert violence, relying on car bombs and targeted killings inside Russia. The explosive device planted beneath Sarvarov's vehicle fits a broader pattern of clandestine attacks against Russian officials, signaling a shift toward asymmetric tactics as conventional options narrow.
Pro-Ukraine narrative
Responsibility for the killing has not yet been established, but if Ukrainian intelligence was behind the attack, it would amount to the targeted elimination of a senior commander responsible for Russian operations both abroad and in Ukraine. Sarvarov played a key role in organizing military campaigns in Syria in support of the Assad regime and in training senior officers for Russia's invasion. Viewed through this lens, the strike would be a calculated act against a commander linked to attacks on Ukrainian civilians, rather than an indiscriminate act of violence.
Nerd narrative
There's a 20% that there will be a large-scale armed conflict in Russia before 2030, according to the Metaculus prediction community.
UK Considers Social Media Ban for Children Under 16
U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer is considering implementing a social media ban for children under the age of 16, similar to the one that took effect in Australia in December, according to multiple reports on Sunday.
The development comes despite Starmer having voiced his opposition to such a proposal during an interview with The Observer earlier this month, stating "“I think it’s more about how you control the content that children can see rather than simply saying [there should be] a blanket ban.”
A government spokesperson has since confirmed to numerous news outlets that Downing Street is “closely monitoring Australia’s approach to age restrictions” and that “nothing was off the table” concerning child safety, repeating a statement originally given in Parliament on Dec. 10.
Narrative A
Social media has become a breeding ground for toxicity, hate and extreme content that is overwhelming mental health services with damaged young people. Australia’s bold move to ban social media for under-16s warrants serious consideration as a radical solution to protect children from this increasingly antisocial digital nightmare.
Narrative B
Blanket social media bans will not work, and risk driving children into darker, unregulated corners of the internet and increasing the impact of exposure once old enough to use. What young people need is supportive adults who can guide them through the digital world, not heavy-handed restrictions that ignore their voices and lived experiences.
Trump Names Louisiana Gov. Landry Greenland Envoy
President Donald Trump announced on Sunday that he has appointed Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry as the United States special envoy to Greenland. Landry stated the volunteer position would not affect his role as Louisiana governor, with his term ending in January 2028.
Trump stated that Landry "understands how essential Greenland is to our National Security" and would advance the country's interests for safety and security. Greenland is strategically located between North America and Europe along the shortest route for missiles between Russia and the United States.
Danish Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen said he would summon the U.S. ambassador to Copenhagen, stating he was upset by the appointment and Landry's statements. Denmark insists that the U.S. must show respect for the territorial integrity of the Kingdom of Denmark.
Pro-Trump narrative
Greenland stands as essential to American national security and the safety of allies worldwide, requiring decisive action to protect against threats from hostile powers. The appointment of a special envoy recognizes the strategic necessity of securing this vital Arctic territory for missile defense and countering Chinese and Russian expansion.
Anti-Trump narrative
Appointing a special envoy to Greenland represents an unacceptable assault on Danish sovereignty that demands an immediate diplomatic response. Denmark must forcefully reject any attempt to undermine territorial integrity, as Greenland belongs to Greenlanders who will determine their own future without external interference.
Nerd narrative
There is a 25% chance that Greenland will become independent before 2035, according to the Metaculus prediction community.
Larry Ellison Backs Paramount's $108B Warner Bros. Takeover Bid
Paramount Skydance announced on Monday that Oracle founder Larry Ellison will provide an "irrevocable personal guarantee" of $40.4 billion to finance its $108 billion hostile takeover bid for Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD), addressing concerns raised by WBD's board last week.
Warner Bros. Discovery's board rejected Paramount's initial offer on Wednesday, stating the company had relied on "an unknown and opaque revocable trust" rather than a direct commitment from the Ellison family, which the board said possessed "ample resources."
To further strengthen its bid, Paramount also agreed to increase its regulatory termination fee from $5 billion to $5.8 billion to match Netflix's breakup payment, which would be paid to Warner Bros. Discovery shareholders if the deal fails to receive regulatory approval.
Narrative A
Warner Bros wanted a personal guarantee from the Ellison family — and now they’ve gotten exactly what they asked for. Larry Ellison's irrevocable $40.4 billion guarantee erases any doubts about commitment or credibility. Unlike Netflix, which has openly dismissed theatrical films as "dead," Paramount under David Ellison is serious about cinemas. Even James Cameron says it’s the best possible outcome. All in all, the deal offers the strongest path to protecting moviegoing, preserving studio culture, and preventing Hollywood from drifting into a streaming-only content farm.
Narrative B
Ellison's personal guarantee doesn't solve the real problem — it deepens it. The bid would concentrate massive media power under one billionaire family with deep political ties, weakening independent journalism and creative risk. The Paramount-Ellison regime has already sidelined awards films, cut DEI, embraced canceled insiders, and prioritized macho intellectual property over diverse voices. A Warner takeover would spread a Silicon Valley, feelings-don't-matter culture across media — more consolidation, fewer safeguards, and studios bent to ideology over artists and workers.
Schumer Seeks Legal Action Over Epstein Files Release
U.S. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) Monday introduced a resolution directing the Senate to initiate legal action against the Department of Justice (DOJ) for its handling of files related to Jeffrey Epstein. The resolution aims to compel the Trump administration to comply with the Epstein Files Transparency Act.
This comes after the DOJ released approximately 4,000 files on Friday, consisting largely of FBI photographs taken during raids on Epstein's properties in New York City and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche stated the department expects to release several hundred thousand more documents over the coming weeks.
President Donald Trump signed the Epstein Files Transparency Act last month, mandating the release of most DOJ files within 30 days. The deadline for the initial disclosure was Dec. 19.
Anti-Trump narrative
Trump's DOJ is brazenly defying a law that passed with overwhelming bipartisan support, burying the Epstein files under heavy redactions and missed deadlines. This isn't about protecting victims — the law already accounts for that — it's about shielding powerful enablers from accountability. Legal action is the only option left when an administration treats transparency laws as optional suggestions.
Pro-Trump narrative
Democrats are hypocritical for talking about transparency after they sat silent on the Epstein files for years while their allies took his money and visited his properties. Now, they suddenly care about the files when Republicans are in charge. The administration is complying with the law as best as it can. This manufactured outrage is pure political theater designed to distract from Democrat complicity.
Nerd narrative
There's a 12% chance that Ghislaine Maxwell will give oral testimony on the Epstein Files or Epstein's relationship with Trump in a hearing at the U.S. Congress before Jan. 1, 2026, according to the Metaculus prediction community.
RFK Jr. Cancels Press Event on Danish Vaccine Schedule
U.S. Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. canceled a press conference scheduled for last Friday afternoon where he was expected to promote Denmark's childhood vaccine schedule as an option for American parents, according to multiple reports.
Kennedy made the decision after the HHS Office of the General Counsel warned that endorsing the Danish schedule could expose the department to legal challenges it might not win. Other officials viewed the move as politically risky given ongoing litigation over earlier vaccine recommendation changes.
Denmark recommends vaccines for 10 diseases for children, while the United States currently recommends vaccines for 17 or 18 diseases. The Danish model excludes routine shots for illnesses such as chickenpox, influenza, hepatitis A and B, meningitis and rotavirus.
Establishment-critical narrative
The United States must look into reducing the number of childhood vaccines that are recommended. New research proves that vaccinated kids are dramatically sicker than unvaccinated ones. A reanalysis of the Henry Ford study shows vaccinated children had 549% higher rates of autism-associated conditions and 54% more childhood cancer, with all 22 chronic disease categories elevated in the vaccinated group. The CDC childhood vaccine schedule is a major driver of chronic disease and neurodevelopmental injury.
Pro-establishment narrative
The United States should not be copying Denmark's vaccine schedule because doing so would ignore that America lacks universal healthcare, paid parental leave and the safety nets that make fewer vaccines workable there. The U.S. healthcare system ranks worst among high-income nations, meaning American children need robust vaccine protection precisely because they don't have Denmark's comprehensive care access. Weakening vaccine recommendations will cause more preventable deaths and hospitalizations among our most vulnerable kids.