Happy Friday Everyone! Today’s newsletter: 852 words…3.2 mins
🗞 Today’s Edition: U.S. Strikes ISIS In Nigeria, Kimmel Roasts Trump From The UK, Turkey Foils ISIS Attacks, Honduras Swings Right… & much more!
📜THE HIGHLIGHT
One killer insight to stash in your back pocket
💥 U.S. Strikes ISIS In Nigeria
The U.S. launched airstrikes on ISIS targets in northwest Nigeria’s Sokoto State, killing multiple militants.
The operation—requested by Nigeria and coordinated with Abuja—used over a dozen Tomahawk missiles fired from a U.S. Navy warship in the Gulf of Guinea, per AFRICOM.
💬 Trump declared the strike on Truth Social, citing ISIS attacks on Christians. Language was unmistakably maximalist: “hell to pay,” “perfect strikes,” and a very on-brand Christmas sign-off.
May God Bless our Military, and MERRY CHRISTMAS to all, including the dead Terrorists, of which there will be many more if their slaughter of Christians continues.
🇳🇬 Nigeria’s stance: Abuja confirmed formal engagement and full coordination, stressing it retains sovereign control over counterterror ops.
Nigerian officials, including Foreign Minister Yusuf Tuggar and military spokespersons, stated that Nigeria shared intelligence, President Bola Tinubu authorized the operation, and it was carried out in conjunction with Nigerian forces.
The goal: degrade terrorist capabilities while protecting civilians—U.S. firepower, Nigerian legitimacy.
🔍 Context:
Nigeria faces sustained violence from Boko Haram and ISIS splinters.
The strike mirrors recent U.S. hits on ISIS in Syria, signaling renewed expeditionary muscle.
War Secretary Pete Hegseth teased “more to follow.”
💡Bottom line: This follows prior US concerns (including threats of intervention by President Trump over violence against Christians), but the strikes proceeded with explicit Nigerian cooperation and requests, distinguishing them from other American strikes through unilateral action.
♟️THE CHESSBOARD
Geopolitics Decoded In 3 Moves
🇹🇷 Turkey Foils ISIS Christmas Attack
Turkish authorities detained 115 suspected ISIS members in nationwide raids, foiling alleged plots targeting Christmas and New Year celebrations. Police searched 124 locations, acting on intel warning of attacks against non-Muslims during the holidays.
137 warrants issued; 22 suspects still at large.
Seized firearms, ammunition, and ISIS-linked documents, including comms with conflict zones.
Disrupted financing, propaganda, and attack planning in one sweep.
💡Why it matters: With a 900-km border with Syria, Turkey remains a frontline state. Ankara is signaling zero tolerance—at home and abroad—just as global pressure on ISIS ramps up.
🇨🇳 China Sanctions American Defense Firms
In 2025, China rolled out sanctions on U.S. defense firms over Taiwan arms sales and escalating Trump-era tariffs. 28 companies were added to an export-control list, plus 10 more to Beijing’s “unreliable entities” list, with ~25 additional firms added in March.
Who got hit:
Units tied to Lockheed Martin, Raytheon, Boeing, General Dynamics, plus Leidos and AeroVironment.
Penalties include bans on dual-use exports, China investment, and executive travel.
💡Why it matters: Mostly symbolic pain—but loud signaling. Taiwan remains the red line.
🇭🇳 Honduras Swings Right—With a Trump Push
Conservative Nasry Asfura won Honduras’ Presidential election with 40.26% of the vote. He narrowly beat Salvador Nasralla (~39–40%) and leftist Rixi Moncada (~19–20%), following recounts triggered by system glitches.
The Trump factor:
Endorsed Asfura publicly—and warned U.S. aid could vanish if he lost.
Announced a pardon for ex-President Juan Orlando Hernández, a National Party ally convicted on U.S. drug charges.
💡Why it matters: Washington’s muscle mattered. Honduras just pivoted right—amid cartel pressure and regional stakes.
🗽THE EMPIRE FILES
Political Drama From DC To NYC
🎄Kimmel Roasts Trump…From The UK
Jimmy Kimmel aired a political “Alternative Christmas Message” on UK broadcaster Channel 4, spoofing Britain’s royal address to attack President Trump—from overseas.
Branding Trump “King Donny the Eighth,” Kimmel claimed “tyranny is booming,” reviving his feud after ABC briefly suspended his show amid FCC scrutiny and conservative backlash.
Why it matters: The optics were brutal: a U.S. late-night host dodging domestic broadcast risks by roasting his own president abroad. Free speech, sure—but also a coward’s workaround in America’s culture war.
💵 Logan Paul Tries to Cash Out Pikachu
Logan Paul is auctioning his Pikachu Illustrator Pokémon card—bought in 2021 for ~$5.3M—with expectations of $7–12M when bidding opens Jan. 12, 2026 via Goldin Auctions.
The PSA 10 card is the only perfect-grade example worldwide; Paul already pocketed a $2.5M advance.
⚡Influencer capitalism meets asset inflation. Paul’s pitch—collectibles > stocks—screams peak-era confidence, even as markets wobble and nostalgia trades like blue chips.
🤖 CODES & POWER
Tech Wars, Crypto Chaos, and AI’s Black Mirror Moments
📧 Gmail Finally Lets You Ditch the Cringe Address
Google is quietly rolling out a long-requested feature: users can change their Gmail address without losing data. The update—so far spotted only on Hindi support pages—suggests an India-first rollout.
Old address stays live as an alias.
Inbox, Drive, YouTube = untouched.
Catch: 12-month cooldown on future changes.
⚡Your 2009 email era may finally be over.
📲 Crypto’s $2.7B Hack Problem—Back and Bigger
Hackers stole $2.7B in crypto in 2025, the worst year ever, per Chainalysis and TRM Labs.
The headline hit: $1.4B from Dubai-based Bybit—blamed on North Korean state hackers, now linked to $6B in crypto thefts since 2017.
⚡As crypto adoption grows, security and enforcement remain the core bottlenecks shaping market confidence.
📺 FUN FACTS & TRIVIA
Cheddar Cheese
Cheddar Cheese originated in England