Polymarket puts the odds of a U.S.–Venezuela military engagement by the end of the month at around 20%. Low probability — but potentially a big profit opportunity if you’re willing to take the risk 👀

The Islamists attacked Israel two years ago. Two days ago, they struck Australia. If you believe they’re finished, you haven’t learned the lesson.

New U.S. Census Bureau projections paint a dramatic demographic reshaping of the planet: China’s population is expected to plunge from 1.4 billion to just 662 million by 2100 — the steepest decline ever recorded for a single nation. Africa, by contrast, is set for explosive growth of roughly 155%. The Democratic Republic of Congo alone is projected to soar from 139 million to 584 million, becoming one of the world’s largest populations. Regional trends diverge sharply: Asia overall declines by 9%, Europe by 16%, and South America by 12%. North America grows modestly at 4%, driven largely by immigration. India remains the world’s most populous nation at 1.5 billion, while the U.S. is projected to reach 370 million. Analysts warn that aging populations in shrinking regions will pressure labor forces, pension systems, and military recruitment, while booming African cities will face immense infrastructure and governance challenges. China is attempting to reverse its downturn with pro-birth incentives and looser immigration rules, but most experts agree its demographic slide is now essentially irreversible.

UK MI6 Chief Blaise Metreweli warned: “AI-driven robots and drones are transformative for mass production, but catastrophic when weaponized. Breakthroughs capable of curing disease can just as easily be turned into tools of war. Power is becoming increasingly diffuse and unpredictable, as control over these technologies shifts away from governments and into the hands of corporations — and in some cases, individuals.”

Prime Minister Netanyahu, speaking at the Second Hanukkah Candle Lighting with IDF soldiers and U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee at the Western Wall, said: “If the Maccabees had failed, there would be no Huckabees, no Judeo-Christian civilization, and no United States.”

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent on tariffs: “This is fundamentally a national security issue.” “If the Supreme Court rules the other way, it would be a loss for the American people. Just look at the decline in fentanyl deaths after President Trump was able to impose fentanyl-related tariffs on China, Mexico, and Canada.”

Germany’s Quantum Systems and Ukraine’s Frontline Robotics have formed a joint venture to mass-produce combat-proven Ukrainian drones in Germany, with all production dedicated to Ukraine’s armed forces. The companies said the move represents Germany’s first foreign-based manufacturing capacity fully focused on supporting Ukraine.

Orthodox Jewish passengers were violently assaulted and threatened on a crowded New York City subway train after being deliberately targeted by a group of attackers, according to a firsthand account. The witness said the attackers began verbally harassing the victims at the station, then boarded the train with them and escalated the violence once onboard. The assailants allegedly choked and beat the victims and issued death threats as the train continued along its route. “It happened about an hour ago on the 3 line,” the witness said. “We transferred from the 4 to the 3 at Franklin Station. They were already there, started cursing, got on the train with us, and followed us toward Kingston. We got off one stop early.” The incident reportedly occurred in full view of a packed subway car, with Orthodox Jewish passengers singled out, physically attacked, and threatened, while other riders looked on.

U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) announced and released footage of multiple strikes conducted earlier today, December 15, by forces assigned to Joint Task Force–Southern Spear (JTF-SS) against three suspected narco-trafficking vessels operating in international waters in the Eastern Pacific. According to SOUTHCOM, the vessels were traveling along a known trafficking route and carrying illicit narcotics. Eight men were killed in the strikes — three aboard the first vessel, two on the second, and three on the third — all believed to be members of a Designated Terrorist Organization (DTO).

According to an exclusive report by *The Washington Post*, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Caine and other senior Pentagon officials are preparing to present a sweeping reorganization plan to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth in the coming days. The proposal would downgrade several U.S. Unified Combatant Commands and rebalance authority among the military’s top generals, advancing a consolidation effort long advocated by Hegseth and other members of the Trump administration. If approved, the plan would bring some of the most consequential changes to the military’s senior leadership structure in decades. It would reduce the prominence of U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM), U.S. European Command (EUCOM), and U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) by placing them under a new umbrella organization called U.S. International Command (INTERCOM). The proposal also calls for reorganizing U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) and U.S. Northern Command (NORTHCOM) into a single entity overseeing the Western Hemisphere, to be known as U.S. Americas Command (AMERICOM).