US war hawk senator calls for seizure of Russian oil tankers

Moscow has long criticized Western restrictions, warning that they violate international law and harm global economic stability

US Senator Lindsey Graham has urged Washington to ramp up restrictions against Russia, including sanctioning China over its energy imports from Moscow and seizing tankers carrying Russian oil.

Last month, US President Donald Trump proposed a roadmap to resolve the Ukraine conflict, which Kiev and its European backers have rejected as favoring Russia, while stalling settlement efforts with counterproposals and accusing Moscow of delaying peace.

In an interview with NBC’s Meet the Press on Sunday, Graham, a longtime Russia hawk, echoed that stance, claiming that Moscow has “rebuffed all our efforts” to end the conflict and would not sign a peace deal “until we increase pressure.”

“If [Russian President Vladimir Putin] says no this time… sign my bill that has 85 co-sponsors and puts tariffs on countries like China, who buy cheap Russian oil,” Graham said, referring to a bill he authored that would authorize tariffs of up to 500% on imports from countries that continue to buy Russian energy products. “Seize ships that are carrying sanctioned Russian oil like you’re doing in Venezuela. If Putin says no, we need to dramatically change the game,” the Republican added.

Moscow has criticized Western sanctions, warning that they violate international law and harm global economic stability. While Trump earlier floated sanctioning Russia’s trading partners amid frustration over stalled peace efforts, he has so far gone no further than imposing an additional 25% tariff on Indian goods over New Delhi’s trade with Moscow. India denounced the move as unjustified.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has cautioned against additional secondary sanctions or tariffs on major buyers of Russian oil, citing the risk of global energy price spikes. Even the EU, despite expanding its Russia sanctions to 19 packages, has avoided penalizing third-country partners.

Over the weekend, Russian presidential envoy Kirill Dmitriev traveled to the US to discuss the Ukraine peace process. Negotiators from both sides described the talks as productive, signaling continued momentum in settlement efforts.

Commenting on Graham’s remarks, Russian lawmaker Aleksey Pushkov claimed they appeared to reflect the senator’s “profound mental illness,” adding that “Moscow has repeatedly made it clear and demonstrated in action that speaking to Russia in the language of threats is futile.”

https://www.rt.com/news/629884-lindsey-graham-sanctions-russia/

Irony Alert: Google Suddenly Champions Free Speech As UK Crushes Online Expression

In a stunning reversal, Google has slammed the UK for threatening to stifle free speech through its aggressive online regulations. This from the company infamous for its own censorship crusades against conservative voices and inconvenient truths. If even Google is raising the alarm, you know the situation in Britain has hit rock bottom.

The move signals a broader culture shift in Big Tech, where woke agendas are crumbling under pressure from free speech advocates. It’s no coincidence this comes after Elon Musk turned Twitter into X, a platform where ideas flow without the heavy hand of ideological gatekeepers.

Google, which has demonetized, shadow-banned, and outright censored content that doesn’t align with leftist narratives, now positions itself as a defender of open discourse, accusing Britain of threatening to stifle free speech in an escalation of US opposition to online safety rules.

The Telegraph notes that Google has specifically accused Britain of a crackdown on the free flow of information through its ‘Online Safety Act’ and related regulations.

Key points from Google’s stance include concerns over the Act’s broad scope, which they argue could suppress open discourse by forcing platforms to over-censor content to avoid massive fines (up to 10% of global revenue).

Google has also previously criticized the funding mechanism for the crackdown, stating in a response to Ofcom: “The use of the worldwide revenue approach … risks stifling UK growth, and consequently affecting the quality and variety of services offered to UK users, by potentially driving services with low UK revenue out of the UK, or stopping companies from launching services in the UK.”

This ties into broader fears that the rules prioritize “safety” at the expense of fundamental rights, potentially leading to tech exodus or reduced innovation.

No additional direct quotes from Google appear in the public snippets, but the article frames their opposition as part of mounting transatlantic tensions, with Google contacted for comment on the matter. If you have access to the full piece, there might be more nuance.

Remember when Google scrubbed its calendar of DEI dates like Pride and Black History Month? That was a clear sign the winds were changing. As we covered earlier, it’s evidence of a culture shift away from forced diversity mandates.

https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/irony-alert-google-suddenly-champions-free-speech-uk-crushes-online-expression

DOJ Charges California Food Stamp Official for Sending Benefits to Dead People – Then Spending Them

Ted Cruz Weighs Challenge to Vance for Presidency in 2028.

Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) has reportedly told Morton Klein, the president of the Zionist Organization of America, that he is considering a run for the presidency in 2028, after the latter held a meeting with him to discuss “Jew hatred and Israel bashing” on the right. This would likely pit Cruz against Vice President J.D. Vance, who has said he will discuss a potential 2028 run with President Donald J. Trump after the midterms. Cruz recently clashed publicly with influential conservative commentator Tucker Carlson, who has become increasingly skeptical of Israel since his ouster at Fox News. Cruz has accused Carlson of having “decided Jews are the source of all evil in the world,” and has been pushing the GOP to support Israel more uncritically in general. These moves suggest any 2028 bid may focus on a return to an unconditionally pro-Israel, neoconservative-type foreign policy. Notably, Cruz has faulted Vance, who said he regards Carlson as a friend despite some disagreements over the weekend, as overly isolationist on foreign affairs. Last month, reports suggested the Trump administration was frustrated with Cruz for using his position in Congress to disrupt aspects of the Trump agenda, such as appointments. “The roadblocks that Ted is putting up in front of the President’s nominee for NASA administrator… only serve as a desperate attempt to relaunch a political career as a protest candidate,” a source said, adding that “Ted has been terribly unserious as of late.” There is some question as to who Cruz’s 2028 constituency would be, however, with Hal Lambert, a GOP donor who helped to organize his 2016 run, saying, “I just don’t understand what the platform would be.”

https://thenationalpulse.com/2025/12/22/ted-cruz-weighs-challenge-to-vance-for-presidency-in-2028/

Trump Admin Reportedly Orders Dozens Of Ambassadors Home In Shakeup

President Donald Trump’s administration reportedly ordered a number of career ambassadors to leave their overseas posts as part of a sweeping effort to align U.S. diplomacy with his “America First” agenda.

Two State Department officials told The Associated Press (AP) that mission chiefs in no less than 29 countries received notices beginning on Dec. 17 informing them their tenures would end in January. The officials spoke anonymously to address internal personnel matters. The New York Post also reported on the move.

The recalled diplomats had all assumed their positions during former President Joe Biden’s administration, though they were not part of a mass recall early in Trump’s second term that primarily targeted political appointees, the AP reported. A State Department official called the move “standard” in a statement to the Post.

“This is a standard process in any administration,” the high-ranking department official said Monday. “An ambassador is a personal representative of the president and it is the president’s right to ensure that he has individuals in these countries who advance the America First agenda.”

While presidents frequently recall politically appointed ambassadors from previous administrations, the latest recall involves Foreign Service employees who are generally allowed to remain at their posts because they are viewed as career diplomats, Politico reported.

The affected ambassadors will not lose their foreign service jobs and may come back to Washington for different posts if they choose, officials told the AP.

Africa bore the heaviest impact. Ambassadors from 13 countries received recall orders — Burundi, Cape Verde, Cameroon, Gabon, Ivory Coast, Mauritius, Madagascar, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Somalia, Senegal and Uganda, according to the outlet.

Asia followed with the Philippines, Fiji, Laos, the Marshall Islands, Papua New Guinea and Vietnam seeing recalls.

Four European nations — Armenia, Macedonia, Montenegro and Slovakia — saw recalls, the AP reported. The Middle East lost ambassadors in Algeria and Egypt. Nepal and Sri Lanka were affected in South and Central Asia. Guatemala and Suriname rounded out the Western Hemisphere changes.

President John Dinkelman of the American Foreign Service Association, the union representing U.S. diplomats, told Politico the organization had received reports of diplomats receiving their notices overseas and claimed they were not provided with a reason. He argued that such moves damaged U.S. diplomatic efforts.

https://dailycaller.com/2025/12/22/trump-admin-recalls-ambassadors-africa-asia-europe-america-first-diplomacy/

Australian Gov’t Announces More ‘Hate Speech’ Restrictions in Response to Islamist Bondi Beach Terror Attack

Speaking from the capital of Canberra on Monday, Prime Minister Albanese said his cabinet will seek to reach “as broad an agreement as possible” to implement stricter speech restrictions. The planned legislation will seek to counteract the “unprecedented radicalisation” of young people in Australia, he said, according to state broadcaster ABC.

https://twitter.com/i/status/2002974532475490578

'Ready to name names?' Epstein survivor reveals plan to back DOJ into a corner

Public speaker, trauma educator and Jeffrey Epstein survivor Jess Michaels was pressed Sunday on whether she was “ready to name names” after the Justice Department’s botched release of its files on Epstein, some of them redacted unlawfully, critics say.

While she delivered an ambiguous answer to the question, Michaels did let slip how her response may put the DOJ in a tight spot.

The DOJ released thousands of files on Epstein Friday in response to the passage of the Epstein Files Transparency Act, which mandated by law that the agency release all of its files on Epstein by Dec. 19, and with the redactions only being permissible to protect the identities of victims or minors.

However, the DOJ withheld hundreds of thousands of files, and made several redactions outside of what the new law permitted.

Appearing on MS NOW’s “The Weekend” Sunday, Michaels was pressed on whether she and other survivors were ready to take matters into their own hands.

“Are you all ready to name names yourself?” asked MS NOW’s Eugene Daniels “Are you and the other survivors ready to name names yourselves?”

Michaels carefully chose her words in her response, but suggested that she and other Epstein survivors had a plan.

“We keep getting that comment – 'name names' – but what we're seeing right now after an act of Congress is no justice,” Michaels said.

“The law said 11:59 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 19, so if an act of Congress can't get justice, what is the American public going to do without the backing of the Justice Department to get us accountability and keep us safe? Right now, what we know is what's missing, and that's an important point for us to keep to ourselves so that we can show negligence.”

Epstein survivors have said they have knowledge of particular files it assumes are in the DOJ’s possession, two of which have been described as the “most important” that weren’t included in the agency’s release Friday: a supposed 60-count criminal indictment related to Epstein and potential co-conspirators, and an 82-page DOJ memo of Epstein’s alleged crimes.

Withholding knowledge of specific Epstein files from the public, Michaels suggested, may put her and other survivors in a better spot to force compliance and hold the DOJ accountable.

MS NOW’s Jonathan Capehart pressed Michaels further, and asked at what point – if any – would she and other survivors be forced to go public with any and all information on Epstein and potential co-conspirators they possess.

“We need a safe place for us to be able to reveal information that we know we have that's missing,” Michaels said. “Right now, we're all speaking to our lawyers, giving them the lists of things that should be found. I think that's something that maybe this DOJ doesn't remember: we have attorneys, and those attorneys have all of the information.”

https://youtu.be/_vb0qS3zyhw

https://www.antiwar.com/

Tennessee Sues Roblox, Says Game is a ‘Gateway for Predators’ Targeting Children

Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti announced a lawsuit against Roblox Corporation last week, claiming the popular game has become a haven for child predators while misleading parents about its safety.

Filed under the Tennessee Consumer Protection Act (TCPA), the suit accuses Roblox of prioritizing profits over child safety, slashing oversight and resources despite repeated warnings about exploitation risks.

Roblox, a massively popular online gaming world that markets itself as a creative playground for children, is described in the lawsuit as “the digital equivalent of a creepy cargo van lingering at the edge of a playground.”

“Roblox is the digital equivalent of a creepy cargo van lingering at the edge of a playground,” said Attorney General Skrmetti. “Roblox invites children into a fantastic online world with the promise of creativity and play, but that wonderland is a trap that lets the company sell sophisticated predators access to those vulnerable kids. Roblox worked to reduce oversight and child safety resources despite repeated warnings, because less overhead meant more profit. And the whole time, the company lied and said safety was its top priority.”

The allegations paint a disturbing picture of how Roblox’s design and features allegedly enable harmful content and grooming.

According to the suit, the platform serves as a "gateway for predators seeking out children," with insufficient age verification allowing easy account creation and communication without proper safeguards.

Non-profit groups combating child exploitation have long warned that Roblox is often the first point of contact for predators, luring kids into dangerous interactions.

The state argues that Roblox delayed implementing better verification measures, putting profits ahead of preventing abuse.

Tennessee now joins a growing number of states taking action against Roblox amid nationwide safety concerns.

Louisiana, Florida, Kentucky, and Iowa have filed similar lawsuits, highlighting ongoing issues with the platform.

A chilling example cited in the context of these efforts is a recent Iowa lawsuit, where a 13-year-old girl was allegedly kidnapped and trafficked by a 37-year-old man she met through Roblox.

Roblox Chief Safety Officer Matt Kaufman pushed back, calling the lawsuit a "fundamental misrepresentation" of the platform and its operations.

He emphasized that "safety is a constant and consistent focus of our work". He noted the company is "currently rolling out additional measures to further limit who users can chat with."

Tennessee is seeking court-ordered reforms to enhance child safety on the platform, as well as civil penalties under the TCPA.

https://www.yourdestinationnow.com/2025/12/tennessee-sues-roblox-says-game-is.html

Bennett: Qatargate is ‘most serious act of treason’ in Israeli history, PM must resign

Opposition leaders echo former premier’s words, after news report sheds light on Netanyahu aides’ alleged work for Qatar while in Israeli premier’s employ

Former prime minister Naftali Bennett called on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to resign on Monday, accusing him of engaging in the cover-up of the Qatargate affair, which Bennett called “the most serious act of treason in Israeli history.”

The statement from Bennett, who is running against Netanyahu in next year’s election, follows new revelations about the scandal. The affair involves allegations that top aides to the prime minister were acting as paid lobbyists for Qatar, where Hamas’s leadership is based, while simultaneously working for Netanyahu.

On Sunday, i24 News reported that communication between the suspects showed they had fabricated information, and worked with a reporter for a pro-Netanyahu outlet to change the text of one of his pieces to accord with their messages.

“Netanyahu’s office betrayed the State of Israel and IDF soldiers during wartime and acted on behalf of Qatar for financial gain, and Netanyahu himself is covering it up,” Bennett declared in a statement following the report. “Whether Netanyahu knew or did not know that his office was working for the enemy in a time of war, both possibilities require his immediate resignation.”

Bennett pledged to establish a state commission of inquiry “that will also investigate aid to an enemy state in a time of war” if he is elected to lead the next government.

The former prime minister, like other Netanyahu critics, has demanded a state commission of inquiry into the failures surrounding the Hamas-led October 7, 2023, attack. Netanyahu has rejected those calls, which polls show are backed by most Israelis, and is instead proceeding with an unorthodox effort to establish a government-led inquiry into the attack.

Bennett’s criticism was echoed by other opponents of Netanyahu, who has testified in the Qatargate probe and decried it as a “witch hunt.”

Avigdor Liberman, chair of the hawkish Yisrael Beytenu party, called for a state commission of inquiry to examine the October 7 attack, and said that the scope of the investigation should also include Qatargate.

Opposition Leader Yair Lapid called the scandal “the most serious treason affair in the history of the country,” while the chairman of The Democrats, Yair Golan, wrote on X that “Netanyahu’s office betrayed the country’s security in the Qatar affair, and Netanyahu must be fully investigated over it.”

More

https://www.timesofisrael.com/bennett-qatargate-is-most-serious-act-of-treason-in-israeli-history-pm-must-resign/

>>24015739

Is this why Bibi wants to bomb Iran so bad again?

Got his useful idiots Graham and this clown pushing war?

AWESOME

I like cartoons

https://twitter.com/i/status/2002698145550172566

MIT scientist poised to upend fossil fuel industry before assassination linked to Brown University shooter

The murdered professor from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology was on the brink of revolutionizing the energy sector and upending fossil fuel use as we know it.

Nuno Loureiro, 47, was gunned down at his home in the Boston suburb of Brookline on Monday.

Authorities believe that the same alleged gunman, Claudio Neves Valente, who carried out the mass shooting at Brown University, may have assassinated Loureiro, but the investigation is still ongoing.

Before his death, Loureiro was leading MIT's efforts to revolutionize energy production by making a game-changing clean power source that needs just a fraction of the fossil fuels current machines and vehicles use today.

His team's research at MIT's Plasma Science and Fusion Center (PSFC) centered on plasma physics, the study of super-hot, ionized gases, and how to apply them to fusion energy, a promising clean power source.

Fusion provides what scientists call 'baseload electricity,' a steady supply of power 24/7, using tiny amounts of fuel with no air pollution or climate-warming emissions, unlike carbon dioxide-producing fossil fuels.

A breakthrough in this field could disrupt the trillion-dollar fuel industry by reducing demand for oil, gas, and coal, especially for generating power and transportation. High-demand users like data centers could also switch to fusion for reliable, green energy.

'This is a very advanced technology, and whatever nation masters it first is going to have an incredible advantage,' Loureiro said on December 8.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-15400025/MIT-Nuno-Loureir-scientist-brown.html

France Boils: Angry Farmers ‘HUMILIATE’ Macron; Spray Cow Blood, Dump Dung Outside Govt Offices

https://youtu.be/bV3_gJlKXlQ

Israel Fakes Panic Over Iranian Missiles To Push U.S. Towards Another War With Islamic Republic

In an unsurprising development, Israel is planning a new war on Iran, and actively working on securing support from the United States for this by using the Islamic Republic’s missile program as a pretext.

This was first revealed by NBC News which reported on December 20 that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will present plans for a possible fresh attack on Iran to President Donald Trump during his upcoming visit to the U.S. The meeting is expected to take place in the Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida at the end of the month.

According to the report, Israel is growing increasingly concerned that Iran is rebuilding and even expanding its ballistic missile production in the wake of the nations’ 12-day war in June.

The last war began with Israel stating that it was going after Iran’s nuclear program, but quickly escalated to include an unprecedented wave of assassinations and attacks on missile and drone sites, in addition to civilian facilities, which left over a thousand Iranians dead. The Islamic Republic responded with a series of missile and drone attacks, killing at least 28 in Israel.

The report by NBC News also said that Israel is worried that the Islamic Republic is rebuilding its nuclear enrichment program.

While Israel has publicly called Iran’s nuclear program an existential threat, officials quoted in the report said that the ballistic missiles were seen by Israel as a more pressing concern.

The report started a wave of claims related to the Islamic Republic’s missile program. The most notable of which came from Iran International, a Saudi-funded, Persian-speaking TV based in the United Kingdom.

The news channel reported, right after NBC News released its report, that Western intelligence agencies had detected unusual activity involving Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Aerospace Force.

The activity involves movements and coordination beyond normal patterns, including Iranian drone, missile and air defense units, Western officials familiar with the assessments told the channel, adding that the developments could be linked to military exercises.

The officials, however, noted that the scale and synchronization had drawn closer scrutiny, and revealed that Intelligence services are tracking command-and-control signals, deployments and logistical movements associated with the IRGC Aerospace Force.

https://southfront.press/israel-fakes-panic-over-iranian-missiles-to-push-u-s-towards-another-war-with-islamic-republic/