President-elect Donald Trump sent a Christmas message reiterating his stance on reclaiming the Panama Canal, turning Canada into America's 51st state, and the annexation of Greenland.  |
- President-elect Donald Trump sent a Christmas message reiterating his stance on reclaiming the Panama Canal, turning Canada into America's 51st state, and the annexation of Greenland.
- President Joe Biden made his last Christmas and Hanukkah address as president to the American people on Dec. 25.
- The president, on his last Christmas Eve in the Oval Office, signed 50 bills into law, including measures that make the bald eagle the country's official bird, preclude members of Congress from collecting pensions if convicted of crimes, establish the first federal anti-hazing college campus standard, and restrain federal agencies from issuing "useless reports."
- The crew of the USS Gettysburg was using a newly upgraded $600 million anti-aircraft system for the first time in live action when they mistakenly targeted two U.S. Navy FA/18 Hornets on Dec. 21 off the coast of Yemen, forcing the crew of one to eject into the Red Sea.
- Our film critic recommends an indie gem about an MMA fighter. Review after the news.
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☀️ It's Thursday. Thank you for reading Morning Brief. |
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President-elect Donald Trump in Phoenix, Ariz., on Dec. 22, 2024. (Rebecca Noble/Getty Images) |
President-elect Donald Trump issued a Christmas message on Truth Social reiterating his stance on reclaiming the Panama Canal, turning Canada into America's 51st state, and the annexation of Greenland. "Merry Christmas to all, including to the wonderful soldiers of China, who are lovingly, but illegally, operating the Panama Canal (where we lost 38,000 people in its building 110 years ago)," his address on Truth Social began. Republican lawmakers like Sen. Marco Rubio and former Rep. Matt Gaetz have previously expressed concern for the Chinese Communist Party's (CCP) growing influence around the canal. A Hong Kong-based company Hutchison Ports PPC has been the operator of Balboa Port on the Pacific side and the Cristóbal Port at the Atlantic entrance of the canal since 1997 and is contracted to continue to do so for another 20 years. The Latin American nation also joined the CCP's Belt and Road Initiative in 2017. Trump later named Kevin Marino Cabrera, a Miami-Dade County commissioner and vice chairman of the International Trade Consortium, as his nominee to be the U.S. ambassador to Panama. Trump then wished a merry Christmas to the Canadian prime minister, whom he once again called "Governor Justin Trudeau." "If Canada was to become our 51st State, their Taxes would be cut by more than 60 percent, their businesses would immediately double in size, and they would be militarily protected like no other Country anywhere in the World," Trump wrote. In a separate message, he proposed that professional ice hockey legend Wayne Gretzky should become Canada's next prime minister. Trump also extended Christmas wishes to the people of Greenland, an island that he again said is needed for U.S. national security purposes. He said the people of Greenland want the United States to be there. (More) |
- The president faced criticism the day prior from one of the top judiciary officials, who said that Biden's veto of a bipartisan bill adding 66 federal judges was "extremely disappointing."
- Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) released his annual list of government spending in the past year which he considers wasteful.
- Elon Musk suggested there should be cognitive tests for elected officials following news of a congresswoman spending six months in an assisted living facility.
- Out of all the ambitions of Trump's upcoming Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), one that will likely face considerable pushback in Washington is slashing the ever-growing defense budget of the United States military.
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Brendan Carr, a commissioner at the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), has raised concerns about the impact of TV network ABC's ongoing broadcast agreement negotiations with local TV stations. "My understanding is that ABC is attempting to extract onerous financial and operational concessions from local broadcast TV stations under the threat of terminating long-held affiliations," Carr wrote in a Dec. 21 letter to Disney CEO Bob Iger, first obtained by CNN. Disney owns ABC. This could "result in blackouts and other harms to local consumers of broadcast news and content," Carr said. Carr was recently nominated by President-elect Donald Trump to assume the post of FCC chair in the incoming administration. When local broadcast TV stations air ABC's content, they have to financially compensate the network. The payment and other aspects related to airing the content are covered in the affiliate agreements signed between ABC and the stations. ABC is currently negotiating these agreements. "Reporting indicates that certain of ABC's affiliate agreements are set to expire at the end of this year, unless ABC and the local broadcast TV stations reach new agreements," Carr wrote. "The approach that ABC is apparently taking in these negotiations concerns me." (More) More U.S. News |
- Data analyzed by a group of state lawmakers across the country indicates that significant changes are needed to the U.S. higher education system—still viewed as the envy of the world—if a college degree is going to remain the best path for long-term financial stability.
- Thousands of children in Asheville, North Carolina, who were affected by the devastation of Hurricane Helene, have received Christmas gifts from a nonprofit group.
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The Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser USS Gettysburg on Dec. 16, 2024. (U.S. Navy) |
The crew of the USS Gettysburg was using a newly upgraded $600 million anti-aircraft system for the first time in live action when they mistakenly targeted two U.S. Navy FA/18 Hornets on Dec. 21 off the coast of Yemen, forcing the crew of one to eject into the Red Sea. Gettysburg, a 33-year-old Ticonderoga-class guided missile cruiser, arrived in the Red Sea on Dec. 17 as part of the Harry S. Truman aircraft carrier battlegroup after departing Norfolk, Virginia, in September. On Dec. 21—as Houthis launched drone and missile attacks on military ships and commercial shipping in the Red Sea—the crew engaged its new multifunction air defense radar and a modified launch installed during a nine-year-long modernization period. The work was completed in June, three months before the cruiser was deployed. On the night of the "friendly fire" incident, U.S. Central Command said in a statement on X its "forces conducted precision airstrikes against a missile storage facility and a command-and-control facility operated by Iran-backed Houthis within Houthi-controlled territory in Sana'a, Yemen, on Dec. 21 Yemen time." It wasn't until several days later on Dec. 24 that CentCom confirmed Fox News' reporting that a second Hornet off the Truman narrowly missed being shot down by a surface-to-air missile mistakenly shot by Gettysburg's crew. The source who told Fox News about the second mistaken SAM launch by the same ship said there is anger in the fleet about the training Gettysburg crewmen received in less than three months since being commissioned and questions about the $10 billion Ticonderoga modernization program. Others pointed to a Government Accountability Office (GAO) assessment that the Ticonderoga class cruiser modernization program was a costly boondoggle and that Gettysburg is not suitable for fleet defense. (More) More World News: |
- Russian civil aviation officials say pilots on Azerbaijan Airlines flight 8243 were making an emergency landing after a bird strike when their Embraer E190 crashed on Christmas Day less than two miles from the airport in Aktau, Kazakhstan, killing 38 of 67 passengers.
- There's growing speculation, however, that the jetliner was accidentally shot down by Russian air defenses after it was misidentified as a Ukrainian missile or drone.
- An undersea power cable connecting Finland and Estonia called the Estlink 2 interconnector suffered an outage on Dec. 25, making it the third undersea cable to face complications in recent months.
- Russia launched a missile and drone barrage on Christmas, targeting Ukraine's energy infrastructure.
- The Hong Kong government is facing international criticism after it announced on Dec. 24 a fresh round of arrest warrants for six pro-democracy campaigners and revoked the passports of seven others.
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🎤 Interview: Our colleague, Jan Jekielek, speaks with Jeffrey Tucker, our prolific columnist, about Christmas. (Watch) 🍿 Documentary: "Secrets of Sacred Architecture" explores the secret language of sacred buildings and how it affects the faithful inside and the world outside. (Watch free on Gan Jing World) ✍️ Opinion: The Economics of 'It's a Wonderful Life' by Jeffrey Tucker 🍵 Health: Research suggests that when you are surrounded by loved ones, your microbial signature enjoys a boost of health-protective bacteria—regardless of how you eat. 🎵Music: The opening movement from Brahms Symphony No. 3 (Listen) 📷 Photo of the Day: An Orthodox Christian lights a candle during a Christmas Mass at the golden-domed Alexander Nevski Cathedral in Sofia, Bulgaria, on Dec. 25, 2024. Bulgaria, unlike some other fellow Orthodox countries, celebrates Christmas on Dec. 25. 👇 |
Nikolay Doychinov/AFP via Getty Images |
Christian Ivaldi portrays MMA fighter Christian, whose life is thrust into chaos, in "Let Me Buy You a Drink." (Aretusa Films) |
Directed by Ilaria Gambarelli, "Let Me Buy You a Drink" is a thought-provoking and intimate tale of unrealized dreams, bad decisions, and the uphill battle to rebuild in the face of setbacks. Set against the backdrops of bustling London and the nostalgic charm of Genoa, Italy, the film delves into the life of Christian (Christian Ivaldi), a mixed martial artist in his mid-30s. |
- Through Christian's journey, the film captures the universal themes of self-discovery, connection, and redemption.
- This 2019 feature from Aretusa Films, an independent film production company based in Barcelona, Spain, shows how hard work brings great results.
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One of the film's greatest strengths is its ability to find beauty in the ordinary. From the bustling streets of London to the cobblestone alleys of Genoa, the locations almost have as much character as the people inhabiting them. Gambarelli's keen eye for detail and nuanced storytelling ensures that every scene feels purposeful. "Let Me Buy You a Drink" is a rare indie gem that combines strong performances, immersive visuals, and a heartfelt narrative. It's a reminder that life's setbacks, though painful, can also lead to growth and renewal when viewed through the right lens. Ultimately, the film leaves its audience with a sense of hope, grounded in the belief that it's never too late to find your way back to what truly matters. Click here to read the full review by our colleague Ian Kane. As an exclusive to our premium subscribers, watch "Let Me Buy You a Drink" on Gan Jing World for free until Sun, Dec. 29. Just create an account and enjoy the film! Available exclusively at this link. |
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