IDF uncovers largest-ever Hamas attack tunnel, near northern Gaza border crossing
From The Times of Israel
The Israel Defense Forces on Sunday revealed the largest-ever Hamas attack tunnel discovered by the military, in the northern Gaza Strip, close to the Erez border crossing with Israel.
The tunnel, of which around four kilometers (2.5 miles) were uncovered by the IDF, goes down some 50 meters (165 feet) underground in some areas and appears to be wide enough for vehicles to pass through. It did not enter Israeli territory.
One of the shafts was found just 400 meters (a quarter mile) from the Erez Crossing, which until Hamas’s October 7 onslaught facilitated the movement of Palestinian civilians into Israel for work and medical care.
Biden campaign says Trump’s repeated anti-immigration comments ‘parroted Adolf Hitler’
From CNBC
Vincent Alban | Reuters
The Biden campaign slammed former President Donald Trump for echoing Nazi sentiments with his repeated statements on Saturday night that immigrants are “poisoning the blood” of the United States.
“Donald Trump channeled his role models as he parroted Adolf Hitler, praised Kim Jong Un, and quoted Vladimir Putin while running for president on a promise to rule as a dictator and threaten American democracy,” Biden-Harris 2024 campaign spokesperson Ammar Moussa said in a statement on Saturday.
The Republican frontrunner most recently repeated the anti-immigrant remarks at a New Hampshire rally and in a Truth Social post Saturday night. But Trump has used this language nearly verbatim at least as early as September.
“It’s poisoning the blood of our country. It’s so bad, people are coming in with disease,” he said in a September interview with far-right political propagandist Raheem Kassam.
In his “Mein Kampf” manifesto, Hitler used similar rhetoric about blood poisoning, declaring it an existential threat to the Aryan race.
“President Trump gave a great speech,” Trump campaign spokesperson Steven Cheung said about the former president’s remarks. “Contrast that with mainstream media and academia at-large who have given safe haven for dangerous anti-Semitic and pro-Hamas rhetoric.”
A victim of early success on solar, Mass. now lags behind
From The Boston Globe
A new solar-ready roof on the barn at the Pequoig Farm of The Farm School in Athol.LANE TURNER/GLOBE STAFF
The dairy barn at The Farm School in Athol is home to about a dozen cows, a few small rooms filled with cold tanks and pasteurizing equipment, and, most days, classes of Boston-area middle schoolers learning about work, farming, and being good environmental stewards.
By now, the barn could also have been home to 88solar panels to help power the farm’s operations and offer another lesson for visiting students — one about clean energy, and how everyone has to do their part to address the climate crisis.
But The Farm School has run into a hurdle that’s tripping up communities, nonprofits and solar developers across the state: a maxed-out electric grid that’s slowing Massachusetts’ progress on solar energy to a crawl at the very time that it ought to be soaring.
A Kentucky family gets an early gift: a baby owl in their Christmas tree
From The Associated Press
LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) — One Kentucky family got a little something extra when they picked out their Christmas tree this year: a baby owl.
Lexington resident Michele White told WDKY-TV that it’s a tradition for the family to pick out a Christmas tree every year and this year seemed no different. They had the tree in their home for four days and didn’t notice anything unusual.
“I have three dogs,” White said. “We use this room nonstop: watch TV; the kitchen’s right here; no indication.”
Holiday tradition with heart
The 18th annual Festival of Trees benefits fuel program
From The Sentinel & Enterprise
LEOMINSTER — It’s not too late to bid on one of the dozens of beauties on display at city hall that are up for grabs as part of the 18th Annual Festival of Trees, a holiday tradition that shows true love for the city.
The trees are festively dressed up and donated by many local businesses, organizations, and residents. People have the option to bid on the trees, with the highest bidder taking the tree home.
All proceeds benefit the Mayor’s Fuel Assistance Program and support city events throughout the year, including the Winter Stroll.
Themed creative decorations on the trees set up inside Tata Auditorium include Super Mario Bros., the tooth fairy, Taylor Swift, and more. They can be viewed and bid on this weekend – Saturday, Dec. 16 and Sunday, Dec. 17 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and on Monday Dec. 18 from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. – with extended hours for the final day. Bidding ends on Monday at 6 p.m. when the Leominster Fire Department whistle goes off.
Florida Republican party chair suspended amid rape accusation
Party demands Christian Ziegler’s resignation after he was accused of raping woman he and wife had prior relationship with
From The Guardian
The Republican party of Florida suspended its chairman, Christian Ziegler, and demanded his resignation during an emergency meeting on Sunday, adding to calls by Governor Ron DeSantis and other top officials for him to step down as police investigate a rape accusation against him.
Ziegler is accused of raping a woman with whom he and his wife, Moms for Liberty co-founder Bridget Ziegler, had a prior consensual sexual relationship, according to police records.
“Christian Ziegler has engaged in conduct that renders him unfit for the office,” the party’s motion to censure Ziegler said, according to a document posted on the social media platform Twitter/X by the Lee county GOP chairman, Michael Thomason.
Ziegler tried to defend himself during the closed-door meeting, but the party board quickly took the action against him, Thompson said.
“Ziegler on soap box trying to defend himself, not working,” Thompson posted before confirming the votes.
