The Biden administration has informed Congress of a planned $8 billion arms sale to Israel, U.S. officials said Saturday, as the nation continues its conflict with Hamas in Gaza.
The proposed sale includes medium-range air-to-air missiles, 155 mm artillery shells, Hellfire AGM-114 missiles, and 500-pound bombs, among other items, U.S. officials revealed on condition of anonymity because the formal notification to Congress has not yet been submitted. While some weapons may come from existing U.S. stockpiles, the bulk of the equipment is expected to take years for delivery.
The sale adds to the $17.9 billion in military aid that the U.S. has provided Israel since the outbreak of the war on Oct. 7, 2023, when Hamas launched a large-scale attack.
The Biden administration has faced criticism over the rising civilian death toll in Gaza. Protests have erupted on college campuses, and some Democratic lawmakers, led by Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., have attempted to block the sale of offensive weapons to Israel.
In May, the U.S. paused a shipment of 2,000-pound bombs to Israel over concerns about civilian casualties during an assault on the southern Gaza city of Rafah. However, after citing limited progress in humanitarian aid distribution, the administration in November chose not to restrict arms transfers as initially warned.
Israeli airstrikes have intensified in recent days, reportedly killing dozens in Gaza, adding to the tens of thousands of fatalities since the war began. The Israeli military has stated that it targets Hamas operatives and accuses the militant group of using civilian areas as shields.
The conflict has displaced nearly 90% of Gaza’s 2.3 million residents, many of whom now face harsh winter conditions in makeshift shelters near the coast.
The informal notice to Congress initiates a review by leaders of the House Foreign Affairs Committee and the Senate Foreign Relations Committee before the sale can proceed.
News of the weapons package was first reported by Axios.
A former city councilor, Janaína Lima, in Brazil has returned a toilet and two sinks she had removed from her office after losing her bid for re-election, sparking widespread backlash on social media.
Footage surfaced of an employee of Janaína Lima, a former Sao Paulo councilwoman, hauling away the bathroom fixtures as her term ended. Lima later clarified on X, formerly Twitter, that she had personally funded the renovations during her eight-year tenure and was following legal guidance to remove personal items.
“I decided to donate the equipment I acquired with my own resources to the chamber,” Lima wrote, adding, “Obviously, neither I nor my advisers need a toilet.”
CCTV footage captured the removal of the facilities, which were installed when Lima first assumed office. She stated the renovations were paid for with her own money and did not constitute council property.
Lima said other personal installations, including a glass partition and industrial-style light fixtures, were left for her successor. She also noted the building’s hydraulics were “sensitive” and required special care.
Her successor, Adrilles Jorge of the Brazilian Labour Party, who won her seat in the 2024 elections, joked about the situation during his inauguration. “We’ll use a communal potty until this is resolved,” Jorge told Brazilian media outlet G1.
“I visited the office and thought the architecture was brilliant. But she took everything out. They even took out the toilet and the sink,” Jorge said.
Ricardo Teixeira, the new president of the Sao Paulo City Council, said “appropriate measures” would be taken regarding the matter.
Gunmen from Nigeria killed at least five Cameroonian soldiers and injured several others in an attack on the border village of Bakinjaw, a Cameroonian lawmaker and local leader reported Saturday.
The assault, which occurred early Friday, involved hundreds of armed Fulani herdsmen crossing the border from Nigeria’s Taraba state to target a military post, according to Aka Martin Tyoga, a member of parliament for the Akwaya district in southwestern Cameroon.
Tyoga said the attack was carried out in retaliation for an operation the previous day in which Cameroonian soldiers killed several herdsmen.
Agwa Linus, the traditional ruler of Bakinjaw, confirmed the incident and said the attackers also burned down his home.
“This is not the first time they are attacking—it’s very unfortunate,” Linus said.
The region has experienced repeated clashes as armed groups seek to expand their control over border territories.
Police officers patrol as Haiti remains in state of emergency due to the violence, in Port-au-Prince, Haiti March 9, 2024. REUTERS/Ralph Tedy Erol
Security forces from Guatemala and El Salvador arrived in Haiti on Friday to bolster a long-delayed United Nations-backed mission aimed at restoring order amid escalating gang violence.
Police officers patrol as Haiti remains in state of emergency due to the violence, in Port-au-Prince, Haiti March 9, 2024. REUTERS/Ralph Tedy Erol
The deployment includes 75 Guatemalan military police and eight Salvadoran personnel, according to a communications officer for the Multinational Security Support Force.
Haiti’s transitional presidential council president, Leslie Voltaire, Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aime, and U.S. Ambassador Dennis Hankins welcomed the troops at Port-au-Prince’s airport, Haiti’s interim government announced via social media.
“They have come to reinforce the Multinational Force in the fight against gangsters and guns in the country,” the government stated.
Guatemalan President Bernardo Arevalo had pledged in September to send 150 military police, fulfilling a commitment made to the U.N. three months earlier. El Salvador, which promised 78 soldiers for medical evacuation operations and three helicopters in August, has now begun its deployment.
Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele, known for his controversial crackdown on organized crime and the construction of a massive “mega-prison,” has said he could “fix” Haiti’s security crisis and that gangs must be “obliterated.”
The mission is led by Kenya, which deployed nearly 400 police officers in mid-2024, falling short of its pledge of 1,000 personnel. Additional support includes 24 Jamaican officers and two senior officials from Belize.
Despite these deployments, the mission has struggled to curb the escalating violence. Armed gangs have expanded their control, claiming new territories and committing massacres. Violence surged in late 2024, displacing thousands more Haitians.
Haiti’s national police force, already weakened by the loss of thousands of officers in recent years, continues to grapple with significant challenges.
While approximately 10 nations have collectively pledged over 3,100 troops for the mission, only a fraction have been deployed so far.
Flights at St. Petersburg’s Pulkovo International Airport were halted for over two hours Saturday morning following a drone attack, officials said.
Air traffic was suspended from 7:45 a.m. to 10:15 a.m. Moscow time, according to Rosaviatsia spokesperson Artyom Korenyako, who shared the update on the Telegram messaging platform.
The disruption came as Russian air defenses intercepted and destroyed a record four drones over the Leningrad region overnight, Governor Alexander Drozdenko said. No injuries or damage were reported in the incident.
During the flight suspension, 20 planes destined for Pulkovo were diverted to alternative airports, Korenyako added.
The Russian Defense Ministry reported that a total of 16 drones were shot down overnight across multiple regions, including Leningrad, Bryansk, Smolensk, Belgorod, and Pskov.
While regions along Russia’s border with Ukraine have faced frequent drone strikes since the start of Moscow’s full-scale invasion nearly three years ago, St. Petersburg, Russia’s second-largest city, has largely been spared.
The city recorded its first drone attack in January 2024. In March 2024, authorities implemented heightened security measures after a drone crashed into a residential building, causing an explosion.
The U.S. Surgeon General called for alcoholic beverages to carry labels warning consumers about their link to cancer, a move that could pave the way for stricter tobacco-style regulations on the alcohol industry.
In an advisory issued Friday, Surgeon General Vivek Murthy highlighted that alcohol consumption increases the risk of at least seven types of cancer, including breast, colon, and liver cancer. Murthy also recommended reassessing current U.S. dietary guidelines on alcohol consumption, which currently suggest two drinks per day for men and one for women.
“Alcohol is the third leading preventable cause of cancer in the United States, after tobacco and obesity,” Murthy’s office stated, emphasizing that the type of alcohol consumed—beer, wine, or spirits—does not affect the cancer risk.
Murthy’s announcement sent shares of major alcohol companies tumbling. Diageo, Pernod Ricard, Anheuser-Busch InBev, and Heineken saw declines of up to 3% in trading.
The Distilled Spirits Council of the United States (DISCUS) criticized the advisory, citing a recent report by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. The report noted moderate alcohol consumption is associated with lower all-cause mortality, though it acknowledged increased risks of breast cancer.
“The existing health warning on alcohol products has long informed consumers about potential risks,” said Amanda Burger, DISCUS vice president for science. “No one should drink alcohol for health benefits.”
Alcoholic beverage labels in the U.S. currently carry small-print warnings about risks like drinking during pregnancy or impaired operation of machinery. These labels, introduced in 1988, have not been updated.
Murthy’s call for updated labeling stops short of proposing graphic cigarette-style warnings but aims to make health risks, especially cancer, more visible.
Public health experts, including the World Health Organization (WHO), have intensified focus on alcohol’s health impacts in recent years. The WHO maintains that no level of alcohol consumption is entirely safe.
The Surgeon General’s report estimated alcohol is responsible for 100,000 U.S. cancer cases and 20,000 cancer deaths annually, surpassing the toll of alcohol-related traffic deaths.
Alcohol producers face mounting pressure as younger consumers shift toward healthier lifestyles and alternatives such as cannabis gain popularity. Low- and no-alcohol options, like Heineken’s 0.0 beer, have seen rapid growth as a response to changing preferences.
Lobbying records show companies, including Diageo and Heineken, are advocating to maintain current guidelines as the U.S. dietary recommendations undergo updates through 2025. Some fear alignment with the WHO’s stricter language on alcohol consumption.
Analysts warn that while updated labels may not immediately devastate the alcohol industry, they could contribute to longer-term declines.
Murthy’s advisory draws parallels to the landmark 1964 Surgeon General’s report linking smoking to cancer, which ushered in decades of regulation on tobacco products.
“Warning labels may not drastically alter behaviors in the short term, but they represent a critical step toward raising awareness,” said Blake Droesch, an eMarketer analyst.
The decision to revise alcohol labels rests with Congress, though the timeline remains uncertain. The Biden administration’s term is nearing its end, and Murthy’s successor under President-elect Donald Trump could take a different stance.
Trump, who abstains from alcohol and has previously spoken out against its risks following his brother’s death from alcoholism, may prioritize the issue.
Key Facts:
– Alcohol is linked to seven types of cancer, including breast, colon, and liver cancer.
– Current U.S. dietary guidelines allow up to two drinks per day for men and one for women.
– Alcohol is responsible for 100,000 cancer cases and 20,000 deaths annually in the U.S.
The Surgeon General’s recommendations could mark a turning point in public health efforts to address the risks of alcohol consumption.
Jacques Audiard’s musical “Emilia Pérez,” about a Mexican drug lord who undergoes gender-affirming surgery, dominated the nominations for the 82nd Golden Globes, announced Monday. The film led the pack with 10 nods, surpassing contenders like the musical adaptation of “Wicked,” the papal thriller “Conclave,” and the postwar epic “The Brutalist.”
The nominations, revealed by Mindy Kaling and Morris Chestnut, will culminate in an awards ceremony broadcast on CBS and streamed on Paramount+ on January 5.
The Golden Globes, now presented under new ownership after years of controversy surrounding the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA), spotlighted a star-studded field of nominees. Notable names include Zendaya, Timothée Chalamet, Angelina Jolie, Daniel Craig, Denzel Washington, and Selena Gomez, who all received nominations.
Noteworthy Nominations
Sebastian Stan and Jeremy Strong earned nods for their performances in “The Apprentice,” a drama centered on former U.S. President Donald Trump. The film explores Trump’s rise to prominence through his reality TV show, a project Trump himself has criticized as a “politically motivated attack.”
Films like “Oppenheimer” and “Barbie,” which led early awards buzz, faced competition from lighter box office contenders, with “Wicked” standing out as a strong favorite in the musical or comedy category.
Netflix and A24 Dominate
Netflix, which acquired “Emilia Pérez” after its debut at the Cannes Film Festival, led all studios with 13 film nominations and 23 in television. The film scored acting nominations for Karla Sofía Gascón, Zoe Saldaña, and Selena Gomez, and became the most-nominated musical or comedy in Golden Globe history.
A24 closely followed with 12 film nominations, including recognition for Brady Corbet’s “The Brutalist” and Edward Berger’s “Conclave.” “The Brutalist” received nods for best picture, drama, and acting nominations for Adrien Brody and Guy Pearce. Meanwhile, “Conclave” secured six nominations, including best picture and acting nods for Ralph Fiennes and Isabella Rossellini.
Breakthrough Performances and Surprises
Pamela Anderson received her first Golden Globe nomination for “The Last Showgirl,” where she plays an aging Las Vegas performer. The performance, widely regarded as a career-best for Anderson, earned her a nod for best actress in a drama.
Other standout mentions include Demi Moore and Margaret Qualley in “The Substance,” which examines Hollywood’s obsession with youth. The animated category also saw strong showings from DreamWorks’ “The Wild Robot,” alongside competitors “Inside Out 2” and “Moana 2.”
Television Nominations
“The Bear” led television categories with five nominations for its third season, including acting nods for Jeremy Allen White and Ayo Edebiri. Other top contenders include FX’s “Shogun” and Apple TV’s “Slow Horses.”
Selena Gomez received dual nominations for her roles in “Emilia Pérez” and “Only Murders in the Building,” which also garnered nods for co-stars Steve Martin and Martin Short.
Golden Globes’ New Era
This year’s Globes mark the second edition since the HFPA’s disbandment and the awards’ acquisition by Dick Clark Productions. Ratings for the previous ceremony improved, drawing 9.5 million viewers, leading CBS to secure a five-year deal for the event.
The 2024 ceremony introduces new categories for cinematic and box office achievements and recognizes Ted Danson and Viola Davis with lifetime achievement awards.
Key Nominations for 2024 Golden Globes:
– Best Motion Picture, Drama: “The Brutalist,” “Conclave,” “Dune: Part Two,” “A Complete Unknown,” “Nickel Boys,” “September 5.”
– Best Motion Picture, Musical or Comedy: “Wicked,” “Emilia Pérez,” “Anora,” “A Real Pain,” “The Substance,” “Challengers.”
The Golden Globes will take place on January 5, 2025, at the Beverly Hilton in Los Angeles.
More than 500 animals, most of them small birds, died Friday morning in a fire at a shopping center in Northwest Dallas, authorities said.
The fire broke out at Plaza Latina, a one-story shopping center on Harry Hines Boulevard, around 9 a.m. The animals, totaling 579, were in a pet store at the center and perished due to smoke inhalation, according to Jason Evans, a spokesperson for Dallas Fire-Rescue.
The blaze also claimed the lives of chickens, hamsters, two dogs, and two cats.
The two-alarm fire took firefighters about two hours to extinguish, with 45 personnel responding to the scene. “While Dallas Fire-Rescue personnel searched and attempted rescue, all animals in the shop unfortunately perished due to smoke inhalation,” Evans said.
The shopping center, which houses small businesses and is known as “a hub for Latin goods and services,” suffered severe damage, including a partially collapsed roof.
A Facebook post by Plaza Latina in Spanish asked for prayers for the families of workers affected by the fire.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation, Evans said.
Tomiko Itooka, from Japan, recognized by Guinness World Records as the world’s oldest person, has passed away at the age of 116, an official in Ashiya city confirmed Saturday.
Yoshitsugu Nagata, an official overseeing elderly care policies, announced that Itooka died peacefully on December 29 at a care home in Ashiya, located in Hyogo Prefecture, central Japan.
Born on May 23, 1908, Itooka attributed her long life to simple joys, such as bananas and a popular yogurt-flavored Japanese drink called Calpis. She became the world’s oldest person in 2023 after the passing of Maria Branyas Morera, who was 117 years old, according to the Gerontology Research Group.
When informed of her status as the oldest living person, Itooka humbly responded with a simple, “Thank you.”
Last May, as part of her 116th birthday celebrations, Itooka received flowers, a cake, and a congratulatory card from the mayor.
A native of Osaka, Itooka was known for her spirited nature. She played volleyball in high school and even climbed Mount Ontake, standing at 3,067 meters (10,062 feet), not once but twice, Nagata shared.
Married at the age of 20, Itooka had two daughters and two sons. During World War II, she managed the office of her husband’s textile factory. After his passing in 1979, Itooka lived independently in Nara until her later years.
She is survived by one son, one daughter, and five grandchildren. A private funeral service was held with family and close friends, Nagata said.
With Itooka’s passing, the title of the world’s oldest living person now belongs to 116-year-old Brazilian nun Inah Canabarro Lucas, who was born just 16 days after Itooka, according to the Gerontology Research Group.
A tragic accident early Friday morning claimed the lives of at least 12 people and left 30 others injured when a packed tourist bus plunged 160 feet into a gorge along the Pan-American Highway near Pasto, Colombia.
The bus, carrying 42 passengers, veered off the road at kilometer 49 of the Pasto-Rumichaca highway in the Tangua region of Nariño. Victims were rushed to hospitals in Tangua, Ipiales, and Pasto for treatment, according to local reports.
Colombian Traffic Police are working to determine the identities and ages of those involved in the crash. Preliminary findings suggest that a mechanical failure may have caused the accident.
The bus was en route to Santuario de las Lajas, a popular tourist destination in Ipiales, and had been navigating roads with sharp bends and curves before the tragedy.
María Constanza García Alicastro, Colombia’s Minister of Transport, expressed her condolences on social media, saying, “My deepest condolences to the families affected by this tragedy, and I express my full solidarity on behalf of the national government in these difficult times.”
Authorities continue to investigate the exact cause of the crash and have not ruled out additional contributing factors. The Pan-American Highway, a critical route in the region, is known for its challenging terrain and winding roads.
