Category: News
The moon and sun figure big in the new year’s lineup of cosmic wonders
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — The moon and sun share top billing in 2026.
Kicking off the year’s cosmic wonders is the moon, drawing the first astronauts to visit in more than 50 years as well as a caravan of robotic lunar landers including Jeff Bezos’ new supersized Blue Moon. A supermoon looms on Jan. 3 and an astronomical blue moon is on the books for May.
The sun will also generate buzz with a ring-of-fire eclipse at the bottom of the world in February and a total solar eclipse at the top of the world in August. Expect more auroras in unexpected places, though perhaps not as frequently as the past couple years.
And that comet that strayed into our turf from another star? While still visible with powerful backyard telescopes, the recently discovered comet known as 3I/Atlas is fading by the day after swinging past Earth in December. Jupiter is next on its dance card in March. Once the icy outsider departs our solar system a decade from now, it will be back where it belongs in interstellar space.
It’s our third known interstellar visitor. Scientists anticipate more.
“I can’t believe it’s taken this long to find three,” said NASA’s Paul Chodas, who’s been on the lookout since the 1980s. And with ever better technology, “the chance of catching another interstellar visitor will increase.”
Here’s a rundown on what the universe has in store for us in 2026:
Next stop, moon
NASA’s upcoming moonshot commander Reid Wiseman said there’s a good chance he and his crew will be the first to lay eyeballs on large swaths of the lunar far side that were missed by the Apollo astronauts a half-century ago. Their observations could be a boon for geologists, he noted, and other experts picking future landing sites.
Launching early in the year, the three Americans and one Canadian will zip past the moon, do a U-turn behind it, then hustle straight back to Earth to close out their 10-day mission. No stopping for a moonwalk — the boot prints will be left by the next crew in NASA’s Artemis lunar exploration program.
More robotic moon landings are on the books by China as well as U.S. companies. Early in the year, Amazon founder Bezos is looking for his Blue Origin rocket company to launch a prototype of the lunar lander it’s designing for NASA’s astronauts. This Blue Moon demo will stand 26 feet (8 meters), taller than what delivered Apollo’s 12 moonwalkers to the lunar surface. The Blue Moon version for crew will be almost double that height.
Back for another stab at the moon, Astrobotic Technology and Intuitive Machines are also targeting 2026 landings with scientific gear. The only private entity to nail a lunar landing, Firefly Aerospace, will aim for the moon’s far side in 2026.
China is targeting the south polar region in the new year, sending a rover as well as a so-called hopper to jump into permanently shadowed craters in search of ice.
Eclipses
The cosmos pulls out all the stops with a total solar eclipse on Aug. 12 that will begin in the Arctic and cross over Greenland, Iceland and Spain. Totality will last two minutes and 18 seconds as the moon moves directly between Earth and the sun to blot out the latter. By contrast, the total solar eclipse in 2027 will offer a whopping 6 1/2 minutes of totality and pass over more countries.
For 2026, the warm-up act will be a ring-of-fire eclipse in the Antarctic on Feb. 17, with only a few research stations in prime viewing position. South Africa and southernmost Chile and Argentina will have partial viewing. A total lunar eclipse will follow two weeks after February’s ring of fire, with a partial lunar eclipse closing out the action at the end of August.
Parading planets
Six of the solar system’s eight planets will prance across the sky in a must-see lineup around Feb. 28. A nearly full moon is even getting into the act, appearing alongside Jupiter. Uranus and Neptune will require binoculars or telescopes. But Mercury, Venus, Jupiter and Saturn should be visible with the naked eye shortly after sunset, weather permitting, though Mercury and Venus will be low on the horizon.
Mars will be the lone no-show. The good news is that the red planet will join a six-planet parade in August, with Venus the holdout.
Supermoons
Three supermoons will lighten up the night skies in 2026, the stunning result when a full moon inches closer to Earth than usual as it orbits in a not-quite-perfect circle. Appearing bigger and brighter, supermoons are a perennial crowd pleaser requiring no equipment, only your eyes.
The year’s first supermoon in January coincides with a meteor shower, but the moonlight likely will obscure the dimmer fireballs. The second supermoon of 2026 won’t occur until Nov. 24, with the third — the year’s final and closest supermoon — occurring the night of Dec. 23 into Dec. 24. This Christmas Eve supermoon will pass within 221,668 miles (356,740 kilometers) of Earth.
Northern and southern lights
The sun is expected to churn out more eruptions in 2026 that could lead to geomagnetic storms here on Earth, giving rise to stunning aurora. Solar action should start to ease, however, with the 11-year solar cycle finally on the downslide.
Space weather forecasters like Rob Steenburgh at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration can’t wait to tap into all the solar wind measurements coming soon from an observatory launched in the fall.
“2026 will be an exciting year for space weather enthusiasts,” he said in an email, with this new spacecraft and others helping scientists “better understand our nearest star and forecast its impacts.”
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/12/28/moon-sun-cosmic-wonders/
A winter storm threatens to bring blizzards and ice to parts of the US, hampering holiday travel
A powerful winter storm was sweeping east from the Plains on Sunday, driven by what meteorologists describe as an intense cyclone, setting off a chain reaction of snow, ice, rain and severe weather expected to affect much of the country.
Snow and strengthening winds spread across the Upper Midwest on Sunday, where the National Weather Service warned of whiteout conditions and possible blizzard conditions that could make travel impossible in some areas. Snowfall totals were expected to exceed a foot across parts of the upper Great Lakes, with up to 2 feet (61 centimeters) possible along the south shore of Lake Superior.
In the South, meteorologists warn of severe thunderstorms expected to signal the arrival of a sharp cold front — sometimes referred to as a “Blue Norther” — bringing a sudden temperature drop and strong north winds that will end days of record warmth across the region.
Over the next 48 hours, the cyclone is expected to produce heavy snow and blizzard conditions in the Midwest and Great Lakes, freezing rain in New England, thunderstorms across the eastern U.S. and South, and widespread strong winds.
The storm is expected to intensify as it moves east, drawing energy from a sharp clash between frigid air plunging south from Canada and unusually warm air that has lingered across the southern United States, according to the National Weather Service.
It follows thousands of flight delays and cancellations across the Northeast and Great Lakes regions earlier this weekend due to snow, as thousands took to the roads and airports during the busy travel period between Christmas and New Year’s.
On the other side of the country, California was experiencing a fairly dry weekend after powerful storms battered the state with heavy rains, flash flooding and mudslides. At least four people were killed including a man who was found dead Friday in a partially submerged car near Lancaster, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department reported.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/12/28/holiday-winter-storm-blizzards-ice/
Indiana legislators introduce data center bills for 2026 session
As data centers become more prominent statewide, some Indiana leaders have introduced legislation that would set more guidelines.
Activists concerned with data centers believe this is the right move.
“We hope to see further state legislation this session that proactively regulates this (artificial intelligence)-driven surge in development, which has already impacted communities like Michigan City,” Ashley Williams, executive director of Just Transition Northwest Indiana, said in a statement. “… We urge the public to support these bills to ensure our well being and futures are prioritized amid this AI boom.”
This session, Senate Bill 79, authored by Sen. J.D. Ford, D-Indianapolis, and House Bill 1043, authored by Rep. Alex Burton, D-Evansville, aim to set limitations for data centers.
Senate Bill 79 would require the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission to establish a group to determine how much demand data centers would place on Indiana’s electricity grid. If passed, the group would have to report its findings by Oct. 31, 2026, according to the bill.
“Indiana is seeing a rapid increase in proposed data center development and that kind of growth requires careful planning,” Ford said in a statement. “Senate Bill 79 is about making sure we understand the long-term impact on our electric grid, water resources and ratepayers before major decisions are locked in.”
Ford believes that little is known about data centers’ energy use, according to his statement, and Senate Bill 79 would create a process to gather data, study future demand and give communities the information they need.
The bill also aims to strengthen local decision-making, according to Ford’s statement, because it would require corporations to disclose information about power and water use and a site assessment at the start of the planning process.
“This legislation matters now because Indiana is at a pivotal moment,” Ford said. “We can welcome economic development while being honest about costs and impacts. (Senate Bill) 79 helps us grow responsibly and protect Hoosiers over the long term.”
Kerwin Olson, executive director of the Citizens Action Coalition, said in a statement that Ford introduced this legislation last year as well, but it wasn’t given a hearing. Olson and the Citizens Action Coalition support Ford’s bill because the secrecy of data centers leads to more public opposition and skepticism, he said.
“The proposal is not a game changer, but requiring some visibility into these projects would be a welcome change,” Olson said.
Williams also said she supports Ford’s legislation, saying that, if passed, the public will have more of an insight into data center construction and the parties assisting, including NIPSCO’s use of GenCo, which was announced in September.
GenCo, or NIPSCO Generation LLC, was created to shield retail customers from costs associated with serving new data centers, according to Post-Tribune archives, and operates as a separate entity and is “best positioned” to meet data center demands quickly and flexibly. Williams worries that the program won’t protect ratepayers and will keep the public in the dark.
“As outlined in (Senate Bill) 79, ratepayer impacts must be rigorously studied and scrutinized by a working group to ensure our communities, already overburdened by the affordability crisis, are not left holding the bag for Amazon, Google, or any other big tech corporations building in our region,” Williams said.
In addition to Senate Bill 79, House Bill 1043 was introduced and will be debated this legislative session. The bill, if passed, would require data center operators to get a consumption permit from the Indiana Department of Natural Resources.
The requirement would establish procedures for approval of a consumption permit operation and would make an operator consult with the department to assess the viability of a data center.
In a statement, Burton said the legislation would put clear safeguards in place before communities are put at risk. He believes that the legislation welcomes new investment while also protecting communities, strengthening oversight and ensuring that development can be supported responsibly and sustainably.
“Hoosiers deserve safe, drinkable and properly regulated water, regardless of where they live,” Burton said. “As data centers and other water-intensive developments look to expand across Indiana, it is our responsibility to ensure growth does not come at the expense of public health or local water supplies.”
Williams believes it’s important to establish a water consumption permit process to protect local resources.
Olson said Burton’s bill was intentionally left vague so he could work with the DNR and Indiana Department of Environmental Management on specifics. Olson is hopeful that the bill will receive a hearing during the legislative session.
“A process requiring public hearings and a comment period needs to be added to the permitting process proposed in the bill,” Olson said. “Additionally, ensuring that the public has visibility into the details of the permit application is necessary to ensure the public would have confidence in the permitting process.”
Carolyn McCrady, member of Gary Advocates for Responsible Development, agrees with Olson’s sentiment, saying in a statement that both bills are “important first steps” in data center regulation.
“Ultimately, GARD believes that the language should be strengthened to protect the health, well being and pocketbooks of affected communities like Michigan City and Hobart who will bear a disproportionate burden from the construction and operation of data centers,” McCrady said in an email.
“They’re Just Spending Less”: Record Number Of Restaurant Closures Sweep Washington D.C.
“They’re Just Spending Less”: Record Number Of Restaurant Closures Sweep Washington D.C.
2025 became a record year for restaurant closures in D.C., according to the Restaurant Association of Metropolitan Washington (RAMW): 92 closures, up from 73 in 2024 and 48 in 2022, according to Fox 5 DC.
Owners cite multiple pressures — federal layoffs, the August federal takeover, a fall government shutdown, higher wages under Initiative 82, rising rents, and food costs — but uncertainty has been the biggest drag.
Diane Gross, RAMW Chair and co-owner of Cork Wine Bar, said business has slowed and customers are cutting back.“They’re spending less per person, whether it’s one less drink or ordering less food. They’re just spending less,” she said.
She added that the federal takeover discouraged dining out: “People were less likely to come out… maybe. And I think people either stayed home or went out to our neighbors in Maryland, in Virginia…”
Fox 5 DC writes that many closures — from Haikan to Sticky Rice and dozens more — have been blamed on Initiative 82’s tipped-wage increase. RAMW says mid-priced, mid-sized restaurants ($20–$40 per person) were hit hardest.
Phil Coppage, owner of Cynthia’s Bar and Bistro, said survival depends on community ties: “We feel like little survivors… Really ingratiate yourself to the people who live around you… Hospitality is our differentiator.”
Immigration enforcement also hurt staffing: one-third of restaurants saw workers detained, and nearly 60% reported employees staying away out of fear.
Despite closures, 109 restaurants opened by November — more than closed — though still 30% fewer openings than last year. Cork plans a smaller new location in Cleveland Park, and Gross remains optimistic: “I think we always have hope because we love what we do…”
Tyler Durden
Sun, 12/28/2025 – 09:55
The UK Health Care Disaster Is A Cautionary Tale For America’s Rising Class Of Armchair Socialists
The UK Health Care Disaster Is A Cautionary Tale For America’s Rising Class Of Armchair Socialists
The Washington Post shocked many of its Democratic readers this week by telling the truth about the growing disaster in the UK’s National Health Service — a cautionary tale as a few Republicans plan to join Democrats to extend the failed Obamacare subsidies rather than reform our own broken health care system.
Socialism is in vogue in America. Various socialists are assuming greater power in the Democratic Party and mayors such as Zohran Mamdani (New York) and Katie Wilson (Seattle) are taking over the leadership of major cities.
I discuss the rising class of American socialists in my new book, Rage and the Republic: The Unfinished Story of the American Revolution. The young voters fueling this shift have never experienced life under socialism and have no memories of the meltdowns in prior such systems. As former socialist and communist countries move toward capitalism, many Americans are embracing socialism, according to polls.
The Washington Post editorial board exposed the myth of nationalized systems in its scathing column on the UK’s National Health Service, which is asking sick people to stay away from hospitals as the system struggles to offer basic care.
The NHS has existed for years in a perpetual state of emergency. This was the case before the pandemic hit, and it has only gotten worse. Hospital corridors overflow and routine procedures get canceled due to a catastrophic event commonly known as “winter.” It comes around every year, yet the system, despite annual funding increases, still somehow remains unable to cope.
A campaign to keep people away from hospitals during the holidays is underway, which includes begging the public to seek out other forms of treatment for “less serious” injuries and ailments. The British press compares the messaging to “Covid-era stay-at-home pleas,” which included asking patients who needed care to avoid medical facilities in order to “protect the NHS.”
With strikes and shortages, UK hospitals have turned into a nightmare:
In November, some 50,468 people waited 12 hours or more in emergency departments, often on trolleys in corridors. This is the highest on record for that time of year. Some 2.35 million people went to A&E in November, the highest on record for that month.
What is troubling in the debate over Obamacare is that some Democrats admit that it has failed. Democrats touted the law with an enabling class of academic experts as promising lower health care costs in a system that would pay for itself. Obama himself spread the false claim that you could keep your doctor under Obamacare. (later called the “lie of the year.”)
It proved to be a disaster. Health care costs soared under Obamacare and Democrats stepped in to pass massive subsidies that pay a fortune to insurance companies without doing anything to correct the underlying problems.
The shocking increase in costs under Obamacare should galvanize a nation in seeking a major overhaul without delay.
Health care is now unaffordable for many. Yet, that desperation is political gold for many in dangling subsidies before voters as an inducement to return them to power.
With the midterm elections approaching, Congress is about to repeat the same pay-now-worry-later approach.
For some, the directions may even be reassuring. As Obamacare craters, it will become increasingly difficult to return to a market-driven system. Instead, many Democratic members want a single national health care system or a Medicaid-like system for all.
It does not matter that the UK is struggling with its own system to provide basic care, and NBC is describing the UK system as “broken.”
With the threat of the Democrats taking over the House in the midterms and producing gridlock in Washington, it is unlikely that the GOP can remain firm and unified on creating an alternative. Some will join Democratic members admitting that Obamacare failed, but this is not the time to correct the problem. Instead, we will pour more money into a broken system and kick the can down the road.
Tyler Durden
Sun, 12/28/2025 – 09:20
China Unveils New Footage Of Carrier-Killer Hypersonic Missile Launch From Destroyer
China Unveils New Footage Of Carrier-Killer Hypersonic Missile Launch From Destroyer
China continues to signal, through overt public-facing propaganda, its readiness to challenge the U.S directly.
Recent state media have published footage showing simulated naval conflict operations in the Caribbean, followed by the release of a video showcasing a hypersonic anti-ship missile capability.
On Sunday, Chinese media outlet Global Times published a video on X featuring the YJ-20 hypersonic anti-ship missile.
“An official Chinese media account, China Military Bugle, on Sunday unveiled the moment when a YJ-20 hypersonic anti-ship missile was launched from a Type 055 large destroyer of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Navy,” Global Times said.
The outlet added, “It shows the finalization test of a ship-to-ship missile aboard the 10,000-ton-class large destroyer Wuxi. This is the first time an official media report has shown a live YJ-20 hypersonic anti-ship missile being fired from a warship.”
An official Chinese media account China Military Bugle on Sunday unveiled the moment when a YJ-20 hypersonic anti-ship missile was launched from a Type 055 large destroyer of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Navy. It shows the finalization test of a ship-to-ship missile… pic.twitter.com/Iq00Ek1kS3
— Global Times (@globaltimesnews) December 28, 2025
The YJ-20 hypersonic anti-ship missile (“carrier killer“) can travel at speeds exceeding Mach 5, complicating the world’s most advanced missile defense systems and posing a direct threat to U.S. carrier strike groups. The weapon’s flight profile combines a high-speed boost phase with a maneuvering terminal phase designed to evade interceptor missiles, such as those from the U.S.’ Patriot Missile System.
Our assessment is that the public release of YJ-20 footage serves as further signaling, reinforcing Beijing’s message that U.S. naval power in the Pacific is increasingly contested.
Earlier this month, we noted that China could be on the verge of a “DeepSeek moment” in hypersonic weapons, following a report claiming that a Mach 7 hypersonic glide weapon could be produced for as little as $100,000.
With both China and Russia deploying hypersonic missiles, the U.S., as far as is publicly known, does not currently have these next-generation weapons operational. That could change with President Trump’s new warships.
Tyler Durden
Sun, 12/28/2025 – 08:45
SWAT called in to arrest shooting suspect in Chesterton
A man accused of allegedly shooting a woman in the head was arrested with help from the Porter County SWAT Team at a South 18th Street Chesterton residence, where he was hiding early Saturday morning.
The Porter County Prosecutor’s office is expected to file the formal charges against the man on Monday. Chesterton Police were not releasing the names of the suspect or the victim until then.
The woman was transported to a regional trauma center, where she is listed in serious condition, police said.
It started with a call at 2:33 a.m., when Chesterton Police responded to the report of a shooting in the 100 block of South 18th Street.
A woman was found outdoors, suffering from a gunshot wound to the head. She was alert and able to communicate with officers, a Chesterton Police release said.
Chesterton Police officers determined that the shooting occurred nearby inside a two-story, multi-unit residence in the same block of South 18th Street where the woman was found.
There were unsuccessful attempts to contact the occupants inside the residence. Officers knew someone was inside because they saw the lights go on and off on the second floor.
Chesterton Police Chief Tim Richardson called for the help of the Porter County SWAT Team. At the same time, police obtained a search warrant from Judge Christopher Buckley of the Porter Superior Court 4.
A safety perimeter was set up to keep people away from the residence for a time, until the SWAT Team could make its tactical entry. The male suspect surrendered peacefully, police said.
There were also multiple potential witnesses inside the apartment, who were taken to the Chesterton Police Station for questioning.
Richardson said he was thankful for help from Porter County Sheriff Jeff Balon and his department, which also included assistance from the Crime Scene Investigation Team.
Jim Woods is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/12/28/swat-called-in-to-arrest-shooting-suspect-in-chesterton/
British Teacher Branded A Terrorist Threat For Showing Trump Videos In US Politics Class
British Teacher Branded A Terrorist Threat For Showing Trump Videos In US Politics Class
Authored by Steve Watson via Modernity.news,
In a chilling display of ideological censorship, a veteran teacher in Britain has been referred to the government’s Prevent counter-terrorism program simply for showing videos of President Trump to his A-level students during a lesson on U.S. politics.
The incident unfolded at Henley College in Oxfordshire, where the teacher—a qualified educator since the mid-1990s and —introduced clips from Trump’s inauguration and campaign to illustrate the recent U.S. election.
Just days after Trump’s victory, two students complained, claiming the material was “biased” and left them “emotionally disturbed,” with one even alleging nightmares. The college swiftly escalated the matter to the Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO), who prioritized a Prevent referral, warning that the teacher’s views “could be perceived as radical,” potentially amounting to a hate crime or radicalisation.
Imagine showing students the U.S. President in a class about U.S. politics. https://t.co/3spGX1xuM5 Pure terrorism.
— m o d e r n i t y (@ModernityNews) December 25, 2025
The teacher, speaking out against this farce, described the ordeal as “completely jarring. It’s dystopian, like something from a George Orwell novel.”
He added, “It was just terrifying; just mind-boggling. We were discussing the US election, Trump had just won and I showed a couple of videos from the Trump campaign. Next thing, I was accused of bias. One of the students said they were emotionally disturbed and claimed to have had nightmares.”
Firmly rejecting the extremist label, the teacher, a self described “mainstream Republican,” stated “I am not an extremist,” and accused the college of “complete Left-wing bias,” noting, “They don’t tolerate anything about Donald Trump.”
The college’s official communication hammered the point, alleging the teacher had “shown your students videos of Donald Trump, his campaign, propaganda and other videos which are unrelated to what is being taught.”
Meanwhile, the LADO’s report escalated the hysteria: “There is concern that this behaviour could cause harm to a child, there could be a criminal offence from the views which could constitute a hate crime and it’s possible that his promoting of views could be radicalisation.”
In the end, the teacher settled for a modest £2,000 payoff and resigned from his role, effectively driven out for daring to present balanced political discourse.
This case exposes a grotesque reality in British education. How is it that showing footage of the duly elected U.S. President in a class explicitly about American politics gets you flagged as a potential terrorist?
There is also a horrible double standard where schools freely indoctrinate kids with outright fabrications, such as pushing “non-fiction” books claiming Black people built Stonehenge, and were integral in other historical developments, part of a “decolonizing” push that insists Britain was “a black country for more than 7,000 years before white people came.”
The hypocrisy deepens with radical gender ideology flooding classrooms. Trans lobbyists from Stonewall are demanding over 300 schools scrap terms like “boys and girls,” opting for neutral language, gender-neutral bathrooms, and identical uniforms—all under the guise of “inclusion.” Schools paying into Stonewall’s scheme must embed LGBTQ+ propaganda across the curriculum, ignoring government guidance against promoting “gender identity ideology.”
This teacher-shaming fits into a broader, sinister trend: the UK government’s push to teach children how to “spot extremist content and misinformation” in schools, embedding “critical thinking” that suspiciously aligns with establishment narratives.
Under the Labour government, kids are being indoctrinated to analyse articles and websites and weed out “putrid conspiracy theories,” grooming the next generation to police thought.
Reform UK leader Nigel Farage has warned: “If the parameters that are set are to say to every kid, if you read a post that questions net zero and global warming, it will be extreme content, and a lie, if you read a post that even dares to question levels of immigration, legal or illegal into Britain, that that’s extremist, then you start to set a narrative for a future generation that is fundamentally undemocratic.” He labeled Prime Minister Keir Starmer the “biggest threat to free speech” in British history.
The Free Speech Union charges that child safeguarding is being twisted to muzzle “unfashionable opinions,” especially those leaning right. In an era where globalist agendas prioritise control over truth, this episode serves as a stark warning. If discussing a world leader like Trump lands you in the crosshairs of counter-terror watchdogs, what’s next for parents, educators, or anyone challenging the narrative?
True freedom demands we dismantle this censorship machine before it silences us all—starting with reclaiming our schools for honest, unbiased education.
Your support is crucial in helping us defeat mass censorship. Please consider donating via Locals or check out our unique merch. Follow us on X @ModernityNews.
Tyler Durden
Sun, 12/28/2025 – 08:10
Letters to the Editor: It took conviction to attend Wilmette menorah lighting
On the evening of Sunday, Dec. 14, in below-zero temperatures, our community gathered for the annual menorah lighting
on Wilmette Village Hall’s lawn.
The cold was enough to keep most families home. And after the brutal attack in Sydney, many Jewish parents shared a quiet fear. A public event, outdoors, at night, felt like a risk. No one would have blamed anyone for deciding to stay inside.
Yet our Jewish community came out in record numbers.
Families bundled their children in layers. Teenagers showed up with red cheeks and frozen fingers. Elderly couples stood together in the wind. People arrived not because it was convenient or safe, but because something in their hearts told them they needed to be there.
A man named Ben walked over and, although Jewish, I had never met him before. He came early, and I told him he should go home to warm up with his family. He shook his head and said, I have to be here. It was definitely not comfort that brought him there. It was conviction. Sometimes the soul speaks more clearly than reason.
In the Jewish tradition, the Chanukah menorah is placed at the window or doorway and lit at night. It is meant to shine outward, to bring light into places where darkness feels strongest.
Gathering this year required courage because many Jewish families have been weighing questions of safety in ways they
never imagined. But the menorah teaches that hiding who we are has never protected us. Jewish life survives by being lived with confidence and clarity.
This is why the Lubavitcher Rebbe launched the public menorah campaign. He understood that Jewish life grows stronger when its light is brought into the open. When Jews retreat inward, Jewish life does not become safer. A community’s light grows strongest when it is lived openly and with pride.
That Sunday, I saw that message come alive.
To the neighbors, allies, police, and local officials who stood with us, thank you. Your support mattered. When a village stands together, even the loneliest night feels bright.
Rabbi Moshe Teldon
Chabad Wilmette
Trump Blockade Leaves $1 Billion Of Venezuelan Crude Stranded On Tankers
Trump Blockade Leaves $1 Billion Of Venezuelan Crude Stranded On Tankers
With a two-month “quarantine” placed on Venezuelan oil by the Trump administration in a foreign policy move called “gunboat diplomacy,” new data estimate that roughly $900 million worth of crude is currently loaded on tankers, unable to depart Venezuela due to the U.S. blockade.
“Based on our visual analysis from both shore and space, we estimate that there are around 17.5 million barrels of crude oil floating onboard tankers in Venezuela which are unable to depart due to the ongoing US blockade,” independent research Tanker Trackers wrote on X. “That’s around $900M of oil.”
Based on our visual analysis from both shore and space, we estimate that there are around 17.5 million barrels of crude oil floating onboard tankers in Venezuela which are unable to depart due to the ongoing US blockade.
That’s around $900M of oil.#OOTT #Tankers #Venezuela pic.twitter.com/MpTYsU3xKi
— TankerTrackers.com, Inc. (@TankerTrackers) December 27, 2025
Tanker Trackers responded to a question on X about how long it would take for land-based oil and gas operations in Venezuela to become “clogged” due to the blockade. The research firm noted, “Chevron is still importing from Venezuela, and it doesn’t appear that will stop anytime soon, given they are granted a waiver.”
Here’s the conversation:
Current tankers sailing in the Caribbean with destinations to the U.S. and/or China.
Last week, the Trump administration directed U.S. military forces to enforce a two-month “quarantine” on Venezuelan oil exports, signaling ramped-up sanctions enforcement.
According to a U.S. military official cited by Reuters, while military options remain available, the near-term strategy prioritizes economic pressure through strict enforcement of sanctions to pressure Venezuela.
Operationally, the U.S. Coast Guard has intercepted two Venezuelan dark fleet tankers and forced a third to retreat into the Atlantic Basin.
Our assessment: The gunboat diplomacy posture is designed to disrupt Venezuela-Cuba-China oil flows, tighten financial pressure, and accelerate regime instability in both Caracas and Havana.
China is furious and has wargamed a potential conflict with the U.S. in the Caribbean. Okay Beijing …
Tyler Durden
Sun, 12/28/2025 – 07:40
