A 21-year-old Iranian Basij (paramilitary volunteer militia) member died during protests over economic collapse.

State media say he was killed in Kuhdasht, Lorestan, blaming protesters.

Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić:

Regarding Israel and cooperation with Israel, we have good relations with the Jewish state.

We purchase many important systems from them, including the Hermes and SkyStriker platforms, as well as the Elbit PULS, which is more powerful than HIMARS.

PULS fires six rockets, compared to five for HIMARS. You’ve seen how much trouble HIMARS has caused the Russians, and we intend to continue this cooperation.

Reports claimed Israel, Greece, and Cyprus planned a 2,500-troop rapid-response force in the eastern Mediterranean.

Cyprus denied the claims twice, stressing no such force exists.

No standing or rapid-response force created.

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WATCH: Assad-era general gets catfished, spills plans, and goes full mask-off.

Suhail al-Hassan (“The Tiger”), former Assad special forces commander now in Russia, was tricked by a hacker posing as an Israeli intelligence officer.

He believed the call was real, discussed armed reorganization on Syria’s coast, and said funding/coordination comes from Rami Makhlouf (Assad’s cousin).

While trying to win favor, Suheil openly cheered Israel’s war on Gaza and used dehumanizing language about Palestinians and others:

“Finish them off and purify them… These are the sons of impurity and filth. May God’s curse be upon ‘the Flood.’”

He insulted entire sects on the same call:

“The Sunnis are like Hamas… And the Shia are the same, and the Easterners are worse.”

The fake “Israeli officer” even floated “David’s Corridor” talk; Suheil responded reverently instead of pushing back.

Another ex-regime officer, Ghiath Dalla, said he was “happy with the conversation” and agreed.

Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić:

We are buying weapons from various parts of the world, and we do not hide it—we are proud of it.

We procure equipment from France, Israel, China, the Russian Federation, and many other places across the world, and we choose the best.

While U.S. military aid to Ukraine was frozen or slowed in 2025, the CIA quietly kept Kyiv in the fight.

The CIA was allowed to continue intelligence sharing.

Targets included oil refineries, factories, and Russia’s “shadow fleet” tankers.

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Ghanaian self-proclaimed prophet Evans Eshun, widely known as Ebo Noah, was arrested by the Ghana Police Service.

Ebo Noah gained viral attention for predicting a global flood starting Dec 25 and building “arks” to shelter believers — a prophecy that did not occur.

Jewish American Political Scientist Norman Finkelstein:

The genocide in Gaza is not state project. It's a national project in which all of Israeli Jewish society participates.

A state project can be overturned in an election. A national project can't. This is real face of Israel.

Dozens of people are presumed dead and about 100 injured after a fire tore through a packed bar, Le Constellation, in Crans-Montana early on Thursday.

The blaze broke out around 1:30am during New Year celebrations. Authorities say an attack has been ruled out, though the cause is still under investigation.

Russian guided bomb strike on Ukraine's Kharkiv Ecopark injured lions, killed birds, and destroyed winter shelters for predators and birds, said the park’s owner Feldman.

Tigers also escaped their enclosure.

Iranian President Pezeshkian:

Last night, where I was staying, I showed the Governor, the manager, and the financial deputy that one room had 14 lights on—when one would have been enough.

The heating was so excessive that we had the window open, wasting heat.

“Eat and drink, but do not be wasteful; for Allah does not love the wasteful.”

Iranian President Pezeshkian:

According to the Qur’an, if we fail to solve the people’s problems, we will end up in hell.

Iranian President Pezeshkian:

If people are dissatisfied, we are to blame—not America or anyone else.

It is our responsibility to manage resources properly, improve efficiency and productivity, and solve the people’s problems.

Our failures are the result of poor management.

Iranian President Pezeshkian:

The challenges we face are a test—for our managers, for us as Muslims, and as Iranians—to awaken and chart a new course for our country.

God willing, Iran will have a bright future if we replace hopelessness with determination and commit to building together.

Nigeria: Security forces launched a dawn offensive, foiling a planned attack on communities in Plateau State and neutralizing multiple bandits, with weapons seized.

NEW: Somali armed forces, in coordination with international partners, say they eliminated 29 al-Shabaab militants in Jabad Godane.