5: Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador led tens of thousands of his supporters on a five-hour march through the heart of the capital, Mexico City, as a rebuke to recent large protests that took aim at AMLO’s proposed changes to the electoral system, which critics said imperiled Mexico’s democracy. Four years into his single six-year term, AMLO — an ascetic leftwing populist — holds a commanding 60% approval rating.
30: European police have seized 30 tons (tons!!) of drugs in the bust of what authorities are calling a “super cartel” that controlled as much as a third of Europe’s coke trade. The sting, which took down dozens of suspects in Europe and the UAE, was planned for years. 2022 has been a banner year for EU drug busts — police at the Belgian port of Antwerp, a cartel favorite, have already conducted more than 100 large-scale raids.
14: A standoff between Somali forces and al-Shabab militants who seized a Mogadishu hotel late Sunday ended on Monday with 14 people dead, including 8 civilians. Authorities say 60 people were rescued from the Villa Rays hotel, a popular locale for government ministers and other officials. The Somali government recently mobilized a fresh campaign to retake villages and regions held by al-Shabab.
30: With the pandemic largely behind us now, someone special is in heavy demand again: Santa Claus. One major Santa booker in the US who works with malls and other holiday festivals says demand for St. Nicks is up 30% this year. Another agency says they are finally back to pre-pandemic levels. If you’re thinking of a side hustle, Santas earn up to $300 an hour!The Regime's viral banger "Special Military Operation" is NOW STREAMING on most platforms, including those TWO BIG ONES. #PUPPETREGIME
What is President Trump trying to achieve in Iran, and how does his strategy compare to past US interventions in the Middle East?
The US has paused Russian oil sanctions in a bid to stabilize energy markets rocked by the war with Iran. Administration officials stress that it’s a “tailored” measure, applying only to oil already loaded onto tankers, but it’s still a gift to Russia, which has already been clocking an extra $150 million daily in oil revenues since the war began.
4: The number of crew members aboard a US refuelling plane – out of six total – who died after the aircraft crashed in neighboring Iraq on Thursday, US Central Command said this morning.