Judge orders immediate release of Kilmar Abrego Garcia from immigration detention

kilmar-abrego-release

Federal Judge Paula Xinis on Thursday ordered the immediate release of Kilmar Abrego Garcia from immigration custody, finding his continued detention lacked lawful basis after a contested chain of removals and re-detainments. Abrego Garcia, a Salvadoran who was deported in March to El Salvador’s CECOT mega-prison despite a 2019 court order barring such removal, was … Read more

Germany: Ukraine Sent Revised Peace Proposal to US, Merz Says

ukraine-peace-proposal-us

Lead German Chancellor Friedrich Merz told reporters that Ukraine has delivered a revised peace-plan proposal to US President Donald Trump, including suggested territorial compromises Kyiv might consider. The disclosure came amid intense diplomacy this week in which European leaders sought to ensure Ukrainian consent for any deal. Merz said Europeans made clear to Trump that … Read more

Judge orders immediate release of Kilmar Abrego Garcia from immigration detention

kilmar-abrego-garcia-release

Lead A federal judge has ordered the immediate release of Kilmar Abrego Garcia from immigration custody, saying his current detention lacks lawful basis. U.S. District Judge Paula Xinis issued the order on Thursday after detailing a sequence of removals and re-detentions that began with Abrego Garcia’s March deportation to El Salvador. Abrego Garcia, a Salvadoran … Read more

NASCAR Reaches Settlement with 23XI and Front Row, Ending Year-Long Antitrust Fight

nascar-23xi-front-row-settlement

Lead: NASCAR and two plaintiff teams—Michael Jordan’s 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports—announced a settlement in federal court on Thursday, Dec. 11, 2025, concluding a 14-month antitrust dispute that had culminated in an eight-day trial. Attorneys for the teams said the agreement restores each organization’s three charters and aims to resolve the charter-negotiation impasse that … Read more

Skunk scratch in Idaho sparks rare transplant-transmitted rabies deaths

idaho-skunk-rabies-transplant

Lead Late October 2024, a skunk scratch on a man in rural Idaho set off an uncommon and fatal chain of events that federal investigators say ultimately killed the original donor and a kidney transplant recipient in Michigan. The donor deteriorated over roughly six weeks with confusion, difficulty swallowing and walking, and hallucinations before dying; … Read more

Apple’s AirPods Pro 3 drop to a new record low of $199

airpods-pro-3-record-low-199

Apple’s newest AirPods Pro 3, released in September, have returned to sale and are now listed at a record-low price of $199 — roughly 20% off the regular asking price. Engadget’s deals coverage notes this markdown beats the discounts available during Black Friday and Cyber Monday. The model, powered by Apple’s H2 chip, has drawn … Read more

Disney to License Characters for OpenAI’s Sora in Landmark Deal

disney-openai-sora-characters

On Dec. 11, 2025, The Walt Disney Company announced a three-year agreement with OpenAI to allow Disney characters to appear on Sora, OpenAI’s short-form video platform, and to stream Sora-created videos on Disney+. As part of the deal, Disney will purchase a $1 billion stake in OpenAI, with an additional equity investment described as likely … Read more

EU Aims to Extend Russian Asset Freeze This Friday to Unlock Ukraine Aid

eu-russian-asset-freeze

Lead On December 11, 2025, the European Commission put forward a proposal to extend the EU’s freeze on Russian assets using emergency powers, a move envoys tentatively cleared the same day in Brussels. The step is intended to create a legal pathway for tapping frozen assets to finance assistance for Ukraine, with member states expected … Read more

Time names ‘Architects of AI’ Person of the Year 2025

time-architects-of-ai-2025

Lead Time magazine on Thursday selected the “Architects of AI” as its 2025 Person of the Year, saying this was the year artificial intelligence moved unmistakably into mainstream life. The magazine emphasized the people who conceived, designed and built AI systems rather than the technology itself. The decision follows a year of high-profile public and … Read more

Major Weight Loss and Knee-Pain Relief Seen With New Eli Lilly Drug

retatrutide-weight-loss-knee

Lead: On Dec. 11, 2025, Eli Lilly reported results from a 68-week randomized trial showing its experimental drug retatrutide produced unprecedented weight loss and meaningful knee-pain relief in people with obesity and knee arthritis. In a trial of 445 participants, weekly injections of retatrutide at 12 mg yielded an average weight loss of 28.7 percent … Read more

From Iran to China to Venezuela: How the Seized Tanker Hid Its Location

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The US military seized an oil tanker identified as the Skipper in a helicopter-launched raid off Venezuela on Wednesday evening, after analysts flagged months of misleading tracking data. Public ship trackers and satellite imagery show the 20-year-old vessel alternated between declared positions and extended gaps in reporting, with its AIS last declared on 7 November … Read more

What we know about the tanker seized off Venezuela

tanker-seized-venezuela

The United States seized a very large crude carrier (VLCC) off Venezuela in a high-profile operation on 11 December 2025, removing a vessel that analysts identify as Skipper and that was carrying about 1.1 million barrels of crude. The ship had been sanctioned by the US in 2022 while operating under a different name and … Read more

Time’s 2025 Person of the Year: The Architects of AI

architects-of-ai-2025

Lead: Time magazine on Thursday named “The Architects of AI” its 2025 Person of the Year, singling out the executives, researchers and designers who drove artificial intelligence into the mainstream. The announcement said 2025 was the year AI’s full potential became visible, reshaping industries and public debate and making a reversal unlikely. The issue carries … Read more

Luxury cars and private villas: How Minnesota defendants spent millions meant to feed children

minnesota-fraud-luxury-spending

Files and court exhibits made public in December 2025 show that defendants in a wide COVID-era fraud scheme in Minnesota diverted taxpayer money intended to feed children into luxury purchases and overseas transfers. Federal trials and sentencing hearings disclosed evidence including private-villa reservations, first-class tickets, a 2021 Porsche Macan and multiple international wire transfers. Sentences … Read more