Filipa Fino, a former Vogue editor, has written a book called Best Dressed that people in the fashion world say will make The Devil Wears Prada look mild. This is not just another fashion book. Fino’s novel is set to come out in May and aims to replace the 2003 book written by Lauren Weisberger, who was Anna Wintour’s personal assistant at Vogue.

According to Page Six, Weisberger’s book made Wintour famous as a cold and harsh boss. But Fino’s story comes from someone who had much deeper access to what really happened. Fino worked as an editor at the magazine for more than ten years, leaving in 2011. She also worked at Allure and Harper’s Bazaar.

A source close to the project said Fino’s book is “being told from an insider, not an intern.” That’s a big difference. Weisberger saw the entry-level chaos, but Fino saw the boardroom drama and high-level scandals.

Fino’s book promises to reveal the secrets no one else could tell

Since Fino worked near Wintour for 11 years at Vogue, the book will likely feature a character based on Wintour, similar to Miranda Priestly in Prada. Fino has recently posted many photos with Wintour, showing she was close enough to see what really went on.

The book changes the names of editors, but designers and models will be named. Every story in the book is based on real events. This is where Fino plans to reveal the truth about some famous moments that people have been talking about for years. Like other celebrities who have faced criticism recently, those named in the book may find themselves under renewed public scrutiny, similar to how Madonna criticized Trump’s latest directive.

The book will talk about the wild story of supermodels Naomi Campbell and Kate Moss meeting Cuban dictator Fidel Castro in 1998. Campbell reportedly asked to meet Castro, and he agreed. Campbell also asked for ten bodyguards for the meeting, and the bill came from the shoot’s budget.

This led to a boss making a racist comment, asking, “Why spend so much money on someone who blends?” That comment shows the kind of toxic culture that existed behind the scenes. Leonardo DiCaprio was also on that trip and was reportedly staying in a room with Moss at the Nacional hotel during the visit.

The lavish fashion world events of that era were notorious for their excess, though the industry has faced scrutiny over various issues, including what a chef revealed about food safety at high-end gatherings.

Fino says she is ready to give the full account of that time. She said, “This was the BlackBerry era of fashion, extravagance and scandals. Everyone has a book, but no one has told the story.” Her long time working close to powerful people gives her the perfect position to write the explosive book the fashion world has been waiting for. Best Dressed comes out in May.

A Venezuelan soldier who fought against US troops during the raid to capture dictator Nicolás Maduro has shared a frightening story. He says American forces used a strange weapon that made hundreds of his fellow soldiers bleed and throw up blood. The White House press secretary posted his interview on X, showing how US troops defeated hundreds of fighters without losing even one soldier.

The soldier was loyal to Maduro and described what happened during the raid. He talked about a weapon that felt like a powerful sound wave. According to the New York Post, he said, “At one point, they launched something. I don’t know how to describe it. It was like a very intense sound wave. Suddenly I felt like my head was exploding from the inside.”

His description sounds terrible. He said his fellow soldiers started bleeding from their noses right away. Some were throwing up blood. They all fell to the ground and couldn’t move. He said they couldn’t even stand up after being hit by this weapon.

The US military’s technology gave them total control

What makes this story even scarier is how easily US forces won using their advanced technology. The soldier said everything started when their systems stopped working. “We were on guard, but suddenly all our radar systems shut down without any explanation,” he said. Then many drones appeared and flew over their positions.

Just a few minutes later, only about eight helicopters showed up. They brought around 20 US troops to the area. That’s a very small number of soldiers for such an important mission. The guard admitted the Americans were far ahead in technology. He said the fight felt like a massacre, not a real battle.

He claimed the US soldiers were shooting with amazing accuracy and speed. “It felt like each soldier was firing 300 rounds per minute,” he said. A former US intelligence officer confirmed that the military has had directed energy weapons for many years. These weapons attack targets using focused energy like microwaves or laser beams.

The source said these weapons can cause symptoms like bleeding, being unable to move, pain, and burning. While they couldn’t confirm every symptom the guard mentioned, they said “we’ve had versions for decades.” This might be the first time such a weapon has been used in actual combat by the US. The operation comes as Trump has been pitching Venezuela’s oil wealth to executives, though the actual resources available remain uncertain.

This advanced technology helped the small team win completely. The guard said those twenty soldiers killed hundreds of Venezuelan fighters without losing anyone. Venezuela’s Interior Ministry says about 100 security forces died during the January 3 attack. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt shared the soldier’s account on X with the caption, “Stop what you are doing and read this.”

The captured guard, who used to support Maduro, now has a clear message. He says, “Don’t tread on Uncle Sam.” He is warning others: “I’m sending a warning to anyone who thinks they can fight the United States. They have no idea what they’re capable of.” After seeing what he saw, he never wants to face that kind of power again. This event has shocked many countries in Latin America, especially after President Trump recently warned that Mexico is now “on the list.” Despite Trump’s claims about Venezuela’s vast untapped oil reserves, experts have questioned whether those riches actually exist.

Microsoft Word is getting a new update that changes how you add hyperlinks to your documents. This may seem like a small change, but it saves a lot of time if you write reports, draft documents, or share resources with your team.

Before this update, linking a phrase required multiple steps. You had to highlight the text, right-click, select the Link option, copy your URL, paste it into a dialog box, and click OK. That’s at least four separate actions just to add one link. You could also use the shortcuts Ctrl+K or Cmd+K.

But even the shortcut felt slow compared to apps like Slack or Discord.  According to  How-To Geek, the update is already live in Word for the web and lets you turn selected text into a link by pasting the URL directly over it.

The new method makes linking text much faster and easier

Now the process is much simpler. First, copy the URL you want to use from your browser or clipboard. Then select the text you want to hyperlink in your Word document. With the text highlighted, just paste the URL. Word automatically recognizes it as a link and applies it to your selected words.

Jenny Ye, a Product Manager on the Word team, said the team believes “everyday tasks like hyperlinking text should feel effortless.” This new method helps you stay focused while writing. When working on a long document, stopping to navigate menus and dialog boxes breaks your concentration and slows you down.

This change removes unnecessary clicks and lets you focus on your writing instead of formatting tools. The time saved on each hyperlink adds up quickly, especially if you’re writing a technical document or bibliography with many citations. Microsoft has been improving its software in various ways, including what the company quietly added to smart TVs. You don’t have to worry about pasting the URL in the wrong place or accidentally deleting your text.

This feature is rolling out now, but it might not appear in your desktop version right away unless you’re running the correct build. If you use Word for the web, you should have access to it now. The company is also working on other projects, such as AI tools designed for healthcare professionals.

For the desktop app, you need specific versions. Windows users need Version 2511 or Build 19530.20006 or later. Mac users need Version 16.104 or Build 25120915 or later. If you’re part of the Microsoft 365 Insider program, you should already see these updates.

Disney+ announced plans to add vertical videos to its platform in 2026. The company revealed the news at CES, saying the new feature will bring short‑form content similar to TikTok and YouTube Shorts to the streaming service. These videos are designed for mobile viewing and aimed at younger audiences who prefer quick, bite-sized content over long movies.

According to Dexerto, the vertical feed could include original clips, highlights from Disney franchises, and other brief stories formatted for portrait screens. Disney executives said the experience will evolve over time and may blend entertainment, news, and sports content, giving users a scrollable feed that keeps them engaged every day instead of just during full-length shows or films.

Currently, Disney+ offers popular titles like Star Wars and The Incredibles, but the new vertical videos mark a shift toward social-style browsing inside the app. Erin Teague, EVP of Product Management at Disney, said about Gen Alpha, “Are not necessarily thinking about sitting down, watching a long-form, two-and-a-half-hour piece of content on their phones.” emphasizing the platform’s strategy to meet younger viewers where they already spend time.

Disney wants to compete with TikTok and YouTube Shorts

Disney hasn’t shared exactly when vertical videos will launch or what they’ll look like. However, the company confirmed these won’t just be trailers or clips from existing shows and movies. They’re planning to create original content specifically for this vertical format.

Teague said “everything’s on the table” when asked about content types. This could include brand-new short videos made just for mobile viewing. It might also feature highlights from popular shows cut into smaller clips. The move comes as Disney works to maintain its image amid recent tragic incidents at theme parks.

Disney stated they will “evolve the experience over time.” The goal is to create a personalized feed that works across different content types. This could turn Disney+ into a daily destination rather than just a place to watch occasional shows.

The company is also considering adding news and entertainment categories. This would give people more reasons to open the app every day instead of just for movie nights. Despite challenges the company faces, including concerning events at Disney World properties, Disney continues pushing forward with digital expansion.

Disney is clearly targeting TikTok’s massive audience. TikTok reportedly has over 1.5 billion monthly active users. However, research shows that constantly watching short videos can have negative effects on attention spans and mental health.

A waiter was serving a couple during happy hour at a Tennessee bar. She offered to refill the man’s discounted Bud Light before the deal ended. But she quickly figured out he was trying to break a rule that could cost her job.

TikTok user Bennett (@bennett_dev) shared the story in a video that got over 14,300 views. She explained how the couple came in for happy hour, which runs from 3 to 6pm. The man ordered a tall Bud Light.

It was 15 minutes before 6 p.m. when Bennett asked if he wanted another beer at the happy hour price. He said yes, so she brought him a fresh one, according to Bro Bible. After finishing their meal, the man asked for a to-go box and a drink cup, revealing he planned to take the discounted beer with him. It’s something the bar explicitly doesn’t allow and could have put Bennett in trouble with management.

The customer tried pulling off a scheme that could cost the server her liquor license

Bennett looked at the table and saw his full beer sitting there untouched. She only saw the woman’s empty water glass, the new tall beer, and a bit left from his first one. “All I could see was her empty glass of water, your tall beer, and the little bit left of [the first one],” she says. “I know exactly what you’re doing, sir.”

Bars and restaurants usually have an on-premise alcohol license. This means they can only sell drinks that customers finish inside the building. To let customers take drinks home, they need a different license called an off-premise license.

If Bennett let the customer take alcohol in a to-go cup, the bar could lose its liquor license completely. Plus, customers can face legal trouble too since many states ban open alcohol containers in public or in cars. Bennett’s work requires staying alert to these situations, much like people who need to stay aware despite noisy distractions.

Bennett gave the man his to-go box but no cup. When he asked again, she questioned what he needed it for. He said “uh, uh, a water” and winked at her. She told him absolutely not, explaining she was on camera and would lose her job. The text on her video read: “Your $5 beer isn’t worth losing my job, sir.” She also stated in another video, “I’m not breaking the law just for a good tip.”

One person shared their similar experience in the comment section. “I had a old man try to do the same with his wine, when he asked for a to go cup I said no you can’t take that wine with you,” they commented.  

“He said it’s for his wife’s iced tea which was empty. I gave him a go to cup full of ice tea and watched him DUMP IT AND POUR THE WINE IN THERE. I literally ripped the cup out of his hands and said “ it’s for her iced tea huh?” And I never felt more satisfied,” they continued. 

Other servers commented on how they would have handled it. One suggested getting a fresh water cup and saying they got him a new one. Bennett replied she didn’t trust him not to pour the beer into it when she wasn’t watching, as she had other tables to serve. Her commitment to following workplace rules shows the kind of dedication that TikTok users are setting as goals for the new year.

Jennifer Lawrence didn’t hold back when Emma Stone got a SAG Award nomination, and she didn’t. The 35-year-old actress sent her longtime friend a sarcastic text that was both funny and a little petty. Lawrence was left out of the nominations for her role in Die My Love, while Stone, 37, made the cut for Bugonia in the Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor category.

When Stone’s friends started congratulating her in their group chat, Lawrence had a very different reaction. She simply replied with “WHAT!” followed by a sad face emoji. According to Unilad, Lawrence shared this story during an appearance at 92NY, revealing how she playfully mocked her friend’s success and kept everyone laughing in the audience.

Lawrence told the audience that while everyone was saying “Congratulations, Emma,” she was busy throwing shade. She even joked that every time Stone tried to speak that day, she would ask her why she wasn’t apologizing for getting nominated. Reflecting on their friendship, Lawrence added, “She’s been beating me for decades, but it’s an honor,” showing that her teasing comes from admiration as much as playful rivalry.

The two stars have a long history of friendly competition

This isn’t the first time these two actresses have gone head-to-head. Back in 2010, Lawrence auditioned for the lead role in Easy A but lost it to Stone. Lawrence admitted in a 2017 interview that she really wanted the part of Olive Pendergast. When Stone was sitting right next to her during that conversation, Lawrence jokingly told her, “Well, guess what? You didn’t get it. You didn’t get it because you suck!” Stone simply replied, “Outside.”

The two were introduced years ago by Woody Harrelson, who worked with Lawrence on The Hunger Games and Stone in Zombieland. Stone texted Lawrence asking for her number, and Lawrence replied “F— off!” They’ve been close friends ever since.

Despite the playful rivalry, Lawrence acknowledged that Stone has been winning roles over her for years, calling it “an honor” to compete with her. Lawrence has always been open about why audiences rejected her earlier work. She explained that some projects simply didn’t connect, but every setback pushed her to improve and take on more challenging roles, helping shape her career into what it is today.

Both actresses are nominated for Golden Globes in different categories. Lawrence is up for Best Performance by a Female Actor in a drama, while Stone is nominated in the musical or comedy section. Stone will find out on March 1 if she wins the SAG Actor Award for Bugonia. In other Hollywood news, fans recently showed support after Mickey Rourke’s GoFundMe reached its goal.

President Donald Trump personally called five Republican senators to criticize them for supporting a war‑powers resolution. The resolution was a symbolic pushback against his administration’s actions in Venezuela, where Trump ordered a surprise military operation that captured Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro. Congressional and White House officials confirmed the calls happened.

Trump called Senators Rand Paul from Kentucky, Susan Collins from Maine, Josh Hawley from Missouri, Lisa Murkowski from Alaska, and Todd Young from Indiana. In some of these calls, he told the senators they were voting against the military, according to two officials, framing their support for the resolution as a threat to national security.

The Wall Street Journal states that he was also initially angry with Senator Steve Daines from Montana, who missed the vote. Trump cooled off after Daines explained he was celebrating his anniversary and would vote with Trump next week. A White House official said Daines and the president are close allies, and that Trump’s frustration was partly about loyalty as much as policy.

The vote was symbolic but Trump took it personally

The Senate vote to advance the war‑powers resolution, 52‑47, marked a rare moment of bipartisan concern over executive military actions without congressional approval. Some Republicans who backed the measure argued Congress should have a say before the U.S. engages further in Venezuela, highlighting a growing rift within the party over foreign policy and presidential authority.

The president knew the vote wouldn’t actually change any policy or reduce his power. But he called the senators anyway because he saw their votes as a personal attack against him. He also believed they were voting against the military operation, which he considers a major success, and against the service members who carried it out. The operation involved seizing millions of oil barrels from Venezuela as part of his broader foreign policy strategy.

During one of the calls, Trump later posted on Truth Social about the senators who backed the resolution, writing, “Republicans should be ashamed of the Senators that just voted with Democrats in attempting to take away our Powers to fight and defend the United States of America. Susan Collins, Lisa Murkowski, Rand Paul, Josh Hawley, and Todd Young should never be elected to office again.”

Susan Collins received a particularly angry call from Trump. He expressed frustration with her vote and complained she never did anything for him, according to someone familiar with the conversation. Trump said supporting his Venezuela efforts was important for the country.

At one point during the call, he was so angry he threatened to support Collins’s opponent in her re-election race. This confrontational approach reflects Trump’s recent pattern of withdrawing from international organizations and taking aggressive stances on foreign policy matters.

But Collins doesn’t have a Republican opponent. Only Democratic Governor Janet Mills and Democrat Graham Platner, an oyster farmer, have announced plans to run against her. The filing deadline is March 15.

When reporters told Collins about Trump’s social media post, she responded dryly that Trump “obviously is unhappy with the vote.” She added, “I guess this means that he would prefer to have Gov. Mills or somebody else.” Collins is the only one of the five senators facing re-election next year and is considered the most vulnerable GOP senator. She’s running in Maine, a state Kamala Harris won by about 7 percentage points in 2024.

President Donald Trump defended his vice president’s claim about Renee Good, a 37-year-old woman killed by an ICE agent in Minneapolis on Wednesday. JD Vance had said Good was part of a “leftwing network” trying to incite violence against federal agents, a claim with no evidence to back it up.

According to The Guardian, when a Fox News reporter pressed Trump on Vance’s comments, he said his vice president “is generally very accurate.” He added that someone near Good when she died was “probably a paid agitator,” suggesting that the reaction of bystanders in videos was staged.

Trump also referenced a video showing federal agents killing Good. “I watched that,” Trump said. “There was a woman screaming: ‘Shame! Shame! Shame! Shame!’ She was a[n] agitator, probably a paid agitator, but in my opinion she was an agitator, a very high-level agitator, so professional. She wouldn’t stop screaming.”

Trump’s bizarre theory about protesters lacks any real evidence

But Trump’s claim that only paid protesters would scream at ICE agents doesn’t match reality. Hundreds of recorded incidents over the past year show regular people reacting this way. The video shows someone screaming “shame” at two different times.

First, the person screamed it twice as agents tried to pull Good from her car before opening fire. Later, as the person got closer to the agent who killed Good, they or someone near them shouted the word eight more times as he walked away. This latest controversy adds to Trump’s recent foreign policy decisions that have raised eyebrows.

Trump also complained that the screaming made it hard for him to watch the video on TV. He said news outlets “turned her down, turned her off” because she was “so loud and so crazy and just not normal.” Trump claimed that when people see something like a neighbor being shot at close range, “they don’t go screaming and screaming, and the same words.”

“The news sort of turned her down, turned her off because you’re trying to watch – she was so loud and so crazy and just not normal,” he said.“When somebody sees something like that,” he said, referring to the point-blank shooting of a neighbor, “they don’t go screaming and screaming, and the same words. So, I guess you could say, professional, but I didn’t think she did a very good job.”

Trump finished by saying “You have agitators and we will always be protecting ICE, and we’re always going to be protecting our border patrol and our law enforcement.” The president has been making bold claims lately, including his statements about Venezuela’s oil wealth.

The Trump administration is now paying people who share information about fraud in Minnesota. U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced this during a Fox News interview. Anyone with details about the fraud cases can get cash rewards for coming forward.

Minnesota is currently dealing with a major fraud investigation. The state faces multiple claims of money laundering and misuse of taxpayer money. Federal authorities are looking into several childcare centers and food programs that allegedly took government funds without providing actual services.

“We know that these rats will turn on each other,” Bessent said on The Ingraham Angle. He explained that the government wants whistleblowers to share who was involved, what happened, when it occurred, where it took place, and how the fraud was carried out.

The whistleblower program targets ongoing corruption in the state

He believes these payments will help speed up the investigation. Officials say the program could lead to faster prosecutions and recover millions in lost taxpayer funds, highlighting the administration’s focus on accountability.

Several childcare facilities and food distribution centers in Minnesota are accused of fraud. These locations allegedly received federal funding but never actually provided childcare or served food. Instead, investigators say they used the money for laundering schemes. The Quality Learning Center was one of the main facilities at the center of these allegations.

A state audit revealed serious problems with how grant programs were monitored. The Department of Human Services’ Behavioral Health Administration gave out hundreds of millions in federal funding for mental health and addiction services with little oversight. A video by Nick Shirley last month showed daycare centers that appeared closed despite getting millions in government money.

The Trump administration has frozen several federal funding streams to Minnesota. This includes money from the Department of Health and Human Services and the U.S. Department of Agriculture. However, a federal judge temporarily stopped the administration from freezing about $10 billion in funding to five Democratic-led states on Friday. Trump recently made headlines for his conversation with President Petro regarding international relations.

Bessent pointed out that the fraud is still happening. He mentioned a recent case where someone convicted of fraud tried to bribe a juror. “They thought they could get away with it, but the system caught them,” Bessent said. “Even now, these schemes continue, and we need every whistleblower to come forward.” The person received $200,000 to bribe the juror but kept $80,000 for themselves and only offered $120,000 as a bribe.

Homeland Security investigators are now involved in the Minneapolis fraud investigation. The Treasury Department is also checking whether any of the stolen funds reached the terror group al-Shabab. While Trump has stated his views on international law, federal investigators continue pursuing these fraud cases under existing legal frameworks.

President Trump said that he wants to limit credit card interest rates to 10 percent for one year. However, he didn’t explain how he plans to make this happen. Such a policy would need approval from Congress or action from regulators.

Trump first talked about this idea during his campaign. According to The New York Times, he said he would put a temporary cap on credit card interest rates at 10 percent.But after taking office, Trump didn’t follow through on this promise. 

His team stopped a rule from the Biden administration that would have limited credit card late fees to $8. His administration also tried to shut down the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, the country’s main watchdog for consumer finance, without getting approval from Congress.

Trump’s administration has already weakened consumer protections

Russell Vought, who runs the White House budget office, has been leading the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau since early last year. He stopped bank inspections and ended many lawsuits against financial companies accused of breaking consumer protection laws.

He also tried to fire more than 90 percent of the agency’s workers and recently said he hopes the bureau will be gone within the next two or three months. Federal court cases have stopped him from doing this so far.

On Friday, Trump wrote on social media that Americans won’t be “ripped off” anymore by credit card companies charging 20 to 30 percent interest or even more. He added the word “AFFORDABILITY!” to his post. The president has been making bold statements on various topics lately, including his plans to annex Greenland.

Polls show people are less happy with Trump’s economic policies as midterm elections get closer. Trump has changed his message about affordability. Last month, he called it a “fake narrative” and “con job” created by Democrats. He said at a cabinet meeting, “It doesn’t mean anything to anybody”.

Right now, the average credit card interest rate is just under 20 percent, according to Bankrate.com. If Trump wants Congress to pass a law lowering credit card fees, he has support from Senators Bernie Sanders and Josh Hawley. The two senators introduced a bill last year to cap fees at 10 percent for several years, but it didn’t move forward without help from the administration.

Hours before Trump’s social media post, Sanders criticized him online. Sanders wrote that Trump promised to cap credit card rates at 10 percent and stop Wall Street from taking advantage of people. Instead, Trump removed regulations on big banks that charge up to 30 percent interest on credit cards.

While Trump focuses on domestic economic promises, his administration has also been taking aggressive action overseas, including a deadly military strike against ISIS. Credit card companies make $130 billion each year from interest and fees, according to a 2024 estimate from the consumer bureau.

Industry groups strongly oppose any limits on interest rates. Last year, the American Bankers Association and 52 state bankers associations wrote a letter against a 10 percent interest cap, saying that government price controls raise costs instead of lowering them.

President Donald Trump met with major U.S. oil companies at the White House to push them to invest $100 billion in Venezuela. But ExxonMobil’s CEO had a blunt response that showed just how hard this will be.

Darren Woods told Trump that Venezuela is “uninvestable” and needs major changes to its legal system and investment protections before his company would consider going back. Woods only agreed to send a team to look at the situation.

According to The Washington Post, the meeting included executives from ExxonMobil, Chevron, ConocoPhillips, and Shell. Trump promised the companies would make huge profits if they invest in Venezuela’s oil industry. But the firms are hesitant because of the country’s weak economy, security problems, and history of taking over foreign companies’ assets. Chevron is currently the only U.S. company working in Venezuela.

The past losses won’t matter in new deals

Trump said American companies would have a chance to rebuild Venezuela’s damaged energy systems and boost oil production to record levels. He claimed the companies would spend at least $100 billion of their own money. Trump also said he would decide which companies get permission to operate there.

Woods pointed out that Venezuela’s government has taken ExxonMobil’s property twice before. The company is still owed about $1 billion. ConocoPhillips is owed almost $9 billion after losing its assets there. But Trump told companies that past losses won’t give them special treatment in future deals. 

Trump said, “American companies will have the opportunity to rebuild Venezuela’s rotting energy infrastructure and eventually increase oil production to levels never seen before.” He added that this effort could bring “massive wealth” to the companies that invest there and benefit U.S. energy markets. He also said they’re starting fresh and that what happened before was “their fault” under a different president.

Trump promised that security wouldn’t be a problem for companies, even though Venezuela remains extremely dangerous for businesses. He didn’t explain how the U.S. would keep workers safe. Some critics have questioned Trump’s understanding of Venezuela’s complex situation following his recent policy announcements.

While major oil companies were cautious, some smaller executives showed enthusiasm. Jeff Hildebrand from Hilcorp said his company was “fully committed and ready to go.” Shell’s CEO said the company currently produces 45,000 barrels a day in Venezuela and could increase that if the right legal setup is created.

Getting U.S. companies to drill more in Venezuela is a key part of Trump’s plan to fix the country’s economy. Venezuela once produced nearly four times more oil than it does today. But its infrastructure has fallen apart, and companies lost billions when the government seized their assets. It would cost tens of billions of dollars and take up to a decade to return to past production levels.

The plan faces a major problem with oil prices. Oil is currently trading below $60 per barrel, and Trump wants to push prices even lower. But experts say companies need oil at around $80 per barrel just to break even in Venezuela. Ed Hirs, an energy economist, said “the math doesn’t work” and no company will invest in a losing project.

This has led Trump to suggest the U.S. might subsidize companies that invest in Venezuela. But Democratic senators have warned oil executives that Congress could cancel any subsidies the administration offers. Meanwhile, smaller U.S. oil producers are angry about the Venezuela plan.

They say it hurts the domestic industry by supporting a foreign competitor while U.S. companies are already struggling with low prices and laying off workers. The president’s approach has even drawn criticism from some Republican lawmakers regarding his recent decision-making process.

Billie Eilish has publicly criticized the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement after an officer fatally shot a woman in Minneapolis earlier this week. The artist posted a series of messages on her Instagram Story, responding to the incident and urging her followers to take the situation seriously.

The shooting took place during a federal immigration enforcement operation when 37-year-old Renee Nicole Good was killed by an ICE officer. Federal officials said the agent acted in self-defense, but local leaders and witnesses have challenged that account.

In her social posts, Eilish re-shared graphics labeling ICE a “federally funded and supported terrorist group,” accused the agency of tearing families apart and harming innocent people, and called for its abolition. According to Billboard, she also encouraged people to contact members of Congress to demand accountability for the officer involved in the shooting.

The campaign to abolish ICE gains momentum after deadly shooting

“ICE IS A FEDERALLY FUNDED AND SUPPORTED TERRORIST GROUP UNDER THE DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY THAT HAS DONE NOTHING TO MAKE OUR STREETS SAFER,” one of the graphics Eilish shared read. 

The singer also shared a post calling for ICE to be abolished. It listed 32 people who reportedly died in ICE custody last year. Another post urged Americans to call their Congress representatives to demand ICE be defunded and for the officer who shot Good to be arrested and charged right away.

ICE’s actions under President Donald Trump have caused major controversy since he took office. But the backlash reached new heights this week after the Minneapolis shooting. The Department of Homeland Security, Trump, and Vice President JD Vance claimed Good tried to run over agents with her car before the shooting. They said the officer acted in self-defense.

However, video footage shows Good was actually driving in the opposite direction. The widely shared video contradicts the official claims about what happened. The Trump administration has also been targeting narco-terrorists in new operations that have raised concerns among critics.

Trump watched the shooting video in the Oval Office with a New York Times reporter present. He struggled to explain what occurred. “It’s a terrible scene,” Trump said, according to the newspaper. “I think it’s horrible to watch. I hate to see it.”

Eilish has consistently opposed Trump’s policies and endorsed Kamala Harris in the 2024 election. Before Friday, the nine-time Grammy winner had also shared posts criticizing ICE raids happening in her home city of Los Angeles. Recent military actions have also drawn comparisons, with officials comparing certain groups to terror organizations as strike-related casualties continue rising.

Russian investigators have shared disturbing new details about the deaths of crypto millionaire Roman Novak and his wife, Anna. The couple was reportedly forced to watch each other being tortured to death by their kidnappers. Their dismembered bodies were found in a Dubai desert in October.

According to LAD Bible, the 38-year-old crypto businessman and his 37-year-old wife, a former TV reporter, were targeted for their large cryptocurrency fortune. The couple was tricked into attending a meeting at the Hatta mountain resort with people pretending to be investors. Once there, they were kidnapped.

The captors tortured Roman and Anna to get access codes to their cryptocurrency wallets. Investigators believe the wallets turned out to be empty. When the kidnappers realized there was no money, they killed both victims.

The empty wallets may have sealed their tragic fate

Roman had created a crypto app called Fintopio, which helps with quick digital transfers. He had raised about £380 million in investment for the app. However, he was later accused of stealing money from his investors.

Local reports described Roman as a skilled manipulator who convinced businessmen from China and the Middle East to give him huge amounts of money. He had even served prison time for stealing money before. His case shares similarities with other high-profile fraud cases involving CEOs who deceived investors.

After killing the couple, the murderers tried hard to hide evidence. They cut up the bodies and put them in thick plastic bags. They poured strong chemicals on the remains to speed up decay and destroy DNA evidence. The bodies were buried in the desert near the Oman border. Police found them in October after searching a large area of sand.

Russian and UAE police worked together on the case. The killers kept the couple’s phones on for two days to mislead investigators. The phones showed movement from Hatta to Oman, then to Cape Town, South Africa, before the signals stopped in early October. Police found Anna’s blood at a villa, blood in a rental car, and knives near the crime scene.

Three Russian men were arrested in early November after they returned to Russia from Dubai. The suspects are Konstantin Shakht, 53, Yury Sharypov, 46, and Vladimir Dalekin, 45. Shakht used to be a murder investigator but later became involved in drug smuggling. Sharypov and Dalekin both fought for Russia in the Ukraine war.

Svetlana Petrenko from the Russian Investigative Committee confirmed the killers had help. She said accomplices helped organize the kidnapping, rented cars and places to hold the victims, and got rid of personal items and knives across different areas.

This tragedy serves as a warning about romance scams and financial deception that target wealthy individuals. Shakht denies the charges, but Sharypov and Dalekin have pleaded guilty. All three remain in custody until December 28. Roman and Anna left behind young children, who are now living with their grandparents.

During President Trump’s cabinet meeting on Tuesday, December 2, viewers spotted an embarrassing typo on US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth’s nameplate. The White House broadcast the meeting around the world, so everyone saw the mistake. Officials misspelled Hegseth’s title as “SSECRETARY OF WAR” instead of “SECRETARY OF WAR.”

The typo quickly became the main topic online, taking attention away from the actual meeting discussions. The most likely reason is that a White House official simply made a mistake while making the nameplates. However, some people online claimed the extra “SS” was a deliberate reference to the Nazi party, which is clearly wrong and ridiculous.

The nameplate wasn’t the only thing that went viral from the meeting, as per Unilad. Social media users also noticed President Trump appearing to fall asleep during the 2 hour, 17 minute session. People started calling him “Dozy Don” and “Commander in Sleep” online.

The president has faced similar accusations before

This is reportedly the third time in recent weeks that Trump has been accused of sleeping during meetings. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt defended him, telling the media that “President Trump was listening attentively and running the entire three-hour marathon Cabinet meeting.”

Before the sleeping moment, Trump had criticized journalists for questioning his physical health. He said journalists “always find something new, like, ‘Is he in good health?'” and sarcastically added, “Biden was great.” Trump sounded frustrated with the press focusing on his health. The administration has previously called out certain news outlets for their coverage.

Trump said he gives “the right answers” and solves their “little problems,” but they still write stories saying “Biden was in wonderful health.” He complained that if he skips one day of press conferences, the media immediately says “There’s something wrong with the President.” He explained that he does “four news conferences a day” and answers questions from “very intelligent lunatics. You people.”

The meeting covered several serious topics, including the administration’s tough approach on drug trafficking, health concerns, and a rant about Somali migrants.

Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt recently confirmed that Trump supports Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem’s suggestion to expand the current travel ban. The ban already stops immigration from 19 countries, including Afghanistan. Trump has also vowed to halt all immigration from certain countries.

The Tuesday cabinet meeting will likely be remembered more for the nameplate typo and Trump’s sleeping moment than for the actual policy discussions.

A California doctor and his wife were shot and killed in their driveway, and police now believe their own son was responsible. Eric Cordes, 63, worked as a radiologist, and his wife Vicky Cordes, 66, both died in Simi Valley.

According to Unilad, the Simi Valley Police Department said officers found the couple on Sunday, November 30, after getting reports of gunshots at their home. Both Eric and Vicky were taken to the hospital but died from their injuries. Police say this was a planned attack, not a random shooting.

Detectives discovered the black car that left the scene was registered to Keith Cordes, the 37-year-old son of Eric and stepson of Vicky. After the shooting, the gunman drove away in a black sedan with out-of-state license plates. Police used automatic license plate recognition software to find the vehicle driving south on the 210 Freeway.

The suspect fled but police tracked him down using technology

Different police departments worked together to track down the car. They found it abandoned and burned outside Ayala Park. Inside the destroyed vehicle, investigators found a dead body. The San Bernardino County Medical Examiner later confirmed it was Keith Cordes.

Police believe Keith set the car on fire before killing himself. Officers found a gun in the vehicle that matched the weapon used to shoot Eric and Vicky. This evidence makes Keith the main suspect in the case. Similar to how doctors uncovered disturbing details from a body, investigators carefully examined all evidence in this tragic case.

Dr. Cordes worked in the local area for almost 30 years. His death shocked his coworkers and neighbors. Adventist Health Simi Valley, where he worked, called him a dedicated radiologist who served the community “with compassion and excellence for nearly 30 years.” They said their hearts go out to his family during this terrible time.

Focus Medical Imaging, another place where Dr. Cordes worked, praised his commitment to the area. They called him “a brilliant, hardworking doctor, and a respected colleague” who spent his entire career serving Simi Valley and never left for other communities.

The community continues to process this shocking tragedy, which has left many people declaring how disturbing such violent incidents have become. Neighbor Mike Hylton said Dr. Cordes was the director of radiology at Adventist Health. His son heard the gunshots and saw a car speeding away from the house. Simi Valley Police are still investigating what led to the shooting.

A video went viral this week showing a self-driving Waymo car rolling right into the middle of an active police standoff in Los Angeles. The robotaxi surprised everyone watching, from people on the street to millions online.

According to Daily Dot, the video, recorded by someone nearby, shows the driverless car turning left and driving straight toward a line of armed officers. A suspect was lying face-down on the ground next to a truck during this tense moment. You can hear nervous laughter from people watching as the robotaxi drives through the scene like it wandered onto a movie set.

A police helicopter was flying overhead while officers shouted commands at the suspect. The Waymo car just kept moving through the chaos without stopping. Waymo quickly responded after the video spread on X and other platforms.

The self-driving car treated a dangerous standoff like regular traffic

A company spokesperson told the Daily Dot that the car was fully autonomous and carrying passengers in Los Angeles when this happened. The car found a street blocked by police vehicles, so its system turned into an area that wasn’t blocked, where other regular cars were also driving.

The spokesperson said safety is their top priority for riders and everyone on the streets. They confirmed the Waymo car was near the standoff for only 15 seconds before leaving the area. Waymo’s official response to the incident provided more details about how their system handled the situation.

This moment sparked a serious debate about how self-driving cars handle situations that can’t be fully programmed. During pure chaos, like an armed standoff, can the AI really make the best choice? The main problem is that the car was avoiding traffic well, but it didn’t seem to understand the high-danger situation around it.

Social media users had mixed reactions to the video. Some made jokes about the robotaxi’s bold confidence, while others questioned how the system understands danger. One user pointed out how absurd it looked, saying even the suspect on the ground was looking up at the Waymo, wondering why it drove through. Another joked that the car simply saw someone who needed a ride.

An X profile named “RT” shared the video with the caption “Waymo with passengers just drove into a middle of standoff. It doesn’t have a crossfire in its program – it guessed the best option is to go under the fire. The RoboCop we deserve.”

Not everyone found it funny though. Some accounts posted dramatic takes, with one claiming the car thought going through was the best option. The fact that passengers were inside the car makes this incident more serious than if it were empty.

This raises concerns about how surveillance systems monitor public spaces and how technology interprets dangerous situations. One user wondered if the car was thinking to itself when it slowed down in the intersection.

A Texas woman recently bought a brisket sandwich from Buc-ee’s and found something that made her stop eating right away. Her discovery is now making other customers worry about the quality of food at the popular travel center, especially since prices keep going up.

According to Bro Bible, the customer, known as @rrositaafresita on TikTok, posted a video that got over 54,400 views. She showed what happened after she bit into her sandwich and noticed the meat looked strange. She decided to rinse off all the BBQ sauce to get a better look, and what she found was shocking.

After washing away the sauce, the brisket looked terrible. The meat came in thick, uneven pieces with lots of fat and looked disturbingly pink in the middle. She wrote in the video, “Decided to rinse the BBQ off and this is what I saw.”

Good brisket should never look like this

Anyone who knows barbecue can tell this isn’t how properly cooked brisket should look. Real brisket needs to be cooked slowly for a long time – usually about an hour to an hour and a half for each pound. This long cooking process breaks down the tough parts of the meat and gives it a dark, even color with a soft texture. The meat in the video was clearly missing this important step. Buc-ee’s might be using a different cut of beef, cooking it too fast, or using some quick method instead of traditional smoking.

This problem feels even worse when you think about how expensive fast food has become. Getting takeout used to be cheap and easy, but now it’s almost a luxury. Prices went up because of higher labor costs, problems from the pandemic, and expensive supply chains. Fast-food prices at major chains jumped between 39% and 100% from 2014 to 2024. That’s much higher than the overall inflation rate of 31% during the same time. When people pay these high prices, they expect good quality food.

Many people commented on the TikTok video saying they weren’t surprised because they’ve had similar bad experiences with Buc-ee’s hot food. “The best thing at Buccees is free , the restrooms , the rest is tourist trap garbage,” one of them wrote. Another user explained why food quality at Buc-ee’s has been so poor.

“Nothing is cooked fresh at Bucees except the fudge and rolled nuts. They also demand vendors give them the lowest price on everything then mark it up to ridiculous prices to make a huge profit off its customers,” they wrote.

Food quality issues have been popping up across social media lately, with viral food content sparking major concerns.

Even more concerning, one person shared, “I don’t like bucees brisket sandwiches. I’ve had one twice and both times they had a chemical taste.” When customers report finding raw meat and tasting chemicals while paying higher prices, there’s clearly a serious problem that needs to be fixed. This situation mirrors other shocking viral health claims on TikTok that have left people concerned about safety.

Australian couple Andrew and Laura got a huge surprise when they walked into a Twin Peaks restaurant on a Friday night after moving to Texas. The family sat down with their young children because the place “looked cool on the outside.” But they quickly realized they had made a big mistake.

According to Bro Bible, the couple shared their experience in a TikTok video that got over 560,000 views. They explained they were on a family walk and wanted to find a place to eat dinner on the way home. They had driven past Twin Peaks a few times and thought it looked like a nice American restaurant with a “Colorado/lodge style vibe.” They admitted they should have looked up the restaurant before going in.

Twin Peaks isn’t just a sports bar. It’s known as a “breastaurant” because the servers wear revealing tops that show cleavage. That’s already unusual for a family dinner, but Friday nights are even more extreme because the staff wear much more revealing outfits.

Twin Peaks turns into something completely different on Friday nights

Some Twin Peaks locations, like one in Fort Worth, have lingerie nights every Friday. On these nights, the servers wear black lingerie instead of their normal tops while serving discounted food and drinks. That’s a huge change in atmosphere.

The couple joked in their video that they tried hard not to look at the waitresses while waiting for their food. Andrew even switched seats with his wife so he faced the wall instead of the dining room. However, Laura later explained that Andrew actually moved because “my daughter wanted him to sit next to her,” not to avoid looking at the servers.

Despite the awkward situation, the couple said the food was delicious, and the staff was friendly. Restaurant workers being put in uncomfortable situations isn’t uncommon, as some establishments force servers into embarrassing dance performances just to deliver expensive meals.

You might think they should have known better since Australia has Hooters. But the couple explained things are totally different back home. They said Hooters on the Gold Coast is “genuinely known as a family restaurant” and the waitresses don’t dress “very raunchy at all.” They admitted they were “NOT expecting a ‘breastraunt’ when we saw the Twin Peaks sign.” Speaking of Australian surprises, a small Australian brand recently won a major legal victory against Eminem.

Some people in the comments section joked that Andrew knew all along what he would see in a Twin Peaks restaurant. “Well played Andrew,” one wrote. “And the Oscar goes to…” another joked.

A drunk raccoon was caught after breaking into a Virginia liquor store on Black Friday. The animal went on what officials called a “liquor-fueled rampage” before passing out.This happened in Ashland, Virginia, where the raccoon caused a lot of property damage.

According to Fox News, police followed a trail of broken liquor bottles and found the animal passed out on the bathroom floor, according to Hanover County Animal Protection and Shelter. The raccoon was lying next to a garbage can and toilet.

Officials shared a photo of the passed-out animal at the scene and said in a social media post that they brought the “very intoxicated” raccoon back to the shelter to sober up before letting him return to the wild. “After a few hours of sleep and zero signs of injury (other than maybe a hangover and poor life choices), he was safely released back to the wild, hopefully having learned that breaking and entering is not the answer,” they said on Facebook.

The raccoon broke through the ceiling to get inside

The town named the raccoon “Cole” after catching him. Officials said Cole had a “wild weekend” and joked he probably needed a ride home. He didn’t use the front door to break in. Instead, Cole broke through the ceiling of the Virginia ABC store to get inside.

Cole smashed several liquor bottles during the break-in. The shelter said there’s no security footage of what happened because the raccoon “took the cameras down with him” when he came through the ceiling. Animals entering stores and destroying property is nothing new, of course. A few days ago, a bear wreaked havoc in a Pennsylvania Family Dollar store and chased a 11-year-old kid.

Police took the drunk raccoon to the animal shelter to let him sleep it off. The shelter later said Cole showed “zero signs of injury (other than maybe a hangover and poor life choices)” after he woke up.

Once Cole sobered up, officials released him back into the wild. They said they hope he learned his lesson about how “breaking and entering is not the answer.” While Cole’s wild behavior made headlines and gave readers a good laugh, not all animal encounters result in a non-violent ending.

Police responded to the shelter’s statement with a GIF of Simon Cowell clapping. The whole incident happened on Black Friday, and despite the damage Cole caused, he made his mark on the day’s history.

Texas Tech University System Chancellor Brandon Creighton sent out a memo on Monday with strict new rules about how teachers can discuss race, sex, gender identity, and sexual orientation in class. Teachers who don’t follow these rules could face serious punishment. The approval process they must now go through is complicated, and the Board of Regents makes the final decision on what can be taught.

According to Fox News, the memo lists six specific beliefs that teachers cannot “promote” in their classes. This doesn’t just mean avoiding certain words. It means teachers cannot present ideas like “one race or sex is naturally better than another.” The rules also ban promoting the idea that “hard work or merit-based success are racist, sexist, or tools of oppression.”

Creighton explained that “promotion” means presenting these beliefs as true or required and pushing students to agree with them, instead of discussing them as just one opinion among many. The new process directly affects how teachers do their jobs and their freedom to teach.

The approval system creates major obstacles for academic freedom

If a teacher’s course material covers any of these restricted topics, they must follow a complex new system just to keep their lesson plan. First, they need to decide if the material is relevant and necessary. If it’s required for professional licenses, certifications, or patient care, it can stay in the course, but the Board of Regents still gets informed.

If the material isn’t required for those professional reasons, the teacher must submit it for approval to the department chair, the dean, and the provost. These officials then send their recommendation and explanation to the Board of Regents for final approval. This creates a long chain of command for normal course changes. The memo says this depends on the “honest participation of every teacher.” It warns that not following these rules “may result in punishment according to university policies and state law.”

The memo has already had a big impact. Kelli Cargile Cook, a retired professor who started Texas Tech’s Department of Professional Communication, was so upset by the changes that she wrote a resignation letter instead of teaching her planned spring class.

“I’ve been teaching since 1981, and this was going to be my last class. I was so looking forward to working with the seniors in our major, but I can’t stomach what’s going on at Texas Tech,” she said. “I think the memo is cunning in that the beliefs that it lists are at face value, something you could agree with.

Concerns about classroom safety and teacher protection have already made teaching more challenging in recent years.

She said having the politically appointed Board of Regents, who aren’t teachers or researchers, approve what gets taught is a serious problem. She also criticized the memo for treating “settled facts” like historical figures being racist as just “one viewpoint among many.”

Creighton became chancellor last month after Tedd L. Mitchell retired. He says these new rules are needed to provide “clarity, consistency and guidelines that protect academic excellence.” A system representative confirmed the memo is meant to guide teachers as they prepare for the spring semester.

However, Andrew Martin, president of the Texas Tech chapter of the American Association of University Professors, called the memo a “profound disappointment.” He said the new rules violate the First Amendment and actively harm transgender students and colleagues.

Meanwhile, educators sharing their classroom experiences online continue to draw attention to teaching challenges. This isn’t the first time the Texas Tech System has limited classroom content. System leaders put restrictions on discussing gender identity in September. These new requirements are directly connected to Senate Bill 37, which Creighton wrote before becoming chancellor.