Drop Everything

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The clarity you need for today, right here:

Move over, eggnog. President Biden just dropped a fifty-bill surprise on Christmas Eve—like Santa hitting every house on the block in one wild night. Highlights? We now have an official national bird (yes, the bald eagle's finally legit), Paris Hilton's "Stop Institutional Child Abuse Act" scored a big legislative win, college hazing just got a major crackdown, and corrupt lawmakers can kiss their pensions goodbye.

Weeks before Biden hands over the keys to Donald Trump, it's a holiday signing spree to remember. If nothing else, he's leaving an eagle-sized footprint on his way out the door.

Bonus: Bald Eagle nesting pairs declined from hundreds of thousands in the 1900s to fewer than 500 in 1963. Conservation efforts restored their numbers after hunting bans.

The Big Break

Brace yourselves, folks. In Mozambique's capital, Maputo, a 6,000-strong prison break just turned Christmas Day into a real-life action movie. Post-election riots destroyed the high-security facility, letting convicts (including 29 terrorists) escape. It's a grim tale: 33 prisoners have died, 15 have been injured, and frantic crowds are heard fleeing.

Newly re-elected Frelimo leaders scramble to control damage from "subversive protesters." After disputed elections, a nation already on edge faces one more question: Where do you find 6,000 fugitives? The local police chief is urging them to surrender ASAP. Mozambique has more chaos than it can handle.

Myth of 30,000 Feet

Let's talk about the Azerbaijani airliner that never made it to Grozny. There was an ominous detour to Aktau, Kazakhstan, and a fiery crash that killed 38 of the 67 people on board. Officially, it's anyone's guess: A freak bird strike or a Russian air defense crossfire amid local drone attacks?

The missile theory is supported by shrapnel-like damage on the tail, a suspicious "figure-eight" flight path, and spiking GPS jamming. Azerbaijan's media whispers "Pantsyr-S" (a Russian anti-aircraft system) while Russia says, "Wait for the investigation." For now, it's an uneasy standoff—complete with accusations. Azerbaijan is in mourning today, and 29 survivors have stories that might shed light on this mystery high in the sky in the future.

Yes, You Can Eat

You're still staring at that dying fir in the corner. Is the trash bin its final destination? Think again. 25–30 million real Christmas trees Americans buy each year could be more than festive décor—they could be dinner. Crazy? Even Michelin-starred chefs use piney needles, from ice cream to gin. Julia Georgallis says needles taste like rosemary (so put them in the pot), or you can char branches to make pine ash in her book.

Plus, pine needle tea provides vitamin C to fight winter colds—skip cedar, cypress, yew, or pesticide-laden trees. So, instead of curbing that 12-year-old fir you "held hostage," embrace your inner forager. Go rogue and make "spruce ice cream" or pickle veggies with leftover needles. In a climate crisis, you might as well use the whole tree—right down to the last needle. Bon appétit!

💡 Core Wisdom

📸 Lens to Life

The photographer captures prairie lands frozen at minus 30 degrees.

🧮 Core Count: 10,000

A person's average number of taste buds.

🗓️ Flashback:

1512 - Spanish Crown issues the Laws of Burgos, governing settlers' behavior toward native Indians in the New World.

1932 - Radio City Music Hall opens at Rockefeller Center in Manhattan, New York City.

1939 - 20,000 to 40,000 people die in an earthquake of magnitude 8 in Erzincan, Turkey.

1945 - 29 member countries established the International Monetary Fund.

1979 - Invading Afghanistan two days earlier, Soviet forces execute a coup in Kabul, killing President Hafizullah Amin.

I'm glad we could get together here. Looking forward to seeing you tomorrow!

Fatih Taskiran