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Our world stands at a civilizational crossroads. Again. Nations must decide whether they intend to live in the 21st century or the seventh century. That choice may sound melodramatic, but anyone watching events in the Middle East, across Europe, and increasingly inside the United States understands the stakes.

On the eve of Thanksgiving in Washington, D.C., two National Guard troops were shot by a Muslim jihadist shouting “Allahu Akbar.” One of the soldiers, a young woman from West Virginia, later died. The other survived but has a long road of recovery ahead. Americans once again asked how such an attack could occur in the nation’s capital.

The choice is not between peace and war. It is between confronting an ideology that sanctifies domination or allowing it to advance unchecked under the cover of pluralism.

The answer begins with ideology.

Jihadist doctrine divides the world into two irreconcilable spheres: Dar al-Islam, the “House of Islam,” and Dar al-Harb, the “House of War.” The House of Islam consists of territories governed by Islamic law. The House of War includes every land not under Sharia. That category encompasses Israel, Europe, the United States, and vast portions of Africa and Asia.

For jihadists, this division is not theoretical. The ultimate objective is global submission to Islamic rule. The methods vary. Demographics, migration, political participation, and violence all qualify as legitimate tools of jihad, depending on circumstances.

Modern Sunni jihadist ideology draws heavily from Sayyid Qutb, the Muslim Brotherhood theorist whose book “Milestones” remains foundational. Qutb argued that Muslims should adapt their strategy based on their position within a society. When weak or outnumbered, they should emulate Muhammad’s early period in Mecca, focusing on persuasion and coalition-building. As power grows, they should advance to the next stage, asserting political authority and preparing for dominance.

That framework explains why jihadist movements operate differently across regions. We see the political phase at work in Western cities and institutions, including London, New York City, and Dearborn, Michigan. We see the violent phase in Israel, Nigeria, Europe, and parts of the Middle East.

Qutb held that the Quran justifies violence against non-Islamic governments. That claim draws on classical Islamic jurisprudence and has been codified in influential texts. Sunni and Shia jihadist groups alike act on this logic.

Hamas, Hezbollah, the Houthis, and Iran’s Islamic regime wage war against Israel under its banner. Jihadist violence devastates Christian communities in Nigeria. Terror attacks across Europe and the United States follow the same ideological thread.

The question is not whether this ideology exists. The question is how nations respond.

Governments and citizens must decide whether they will confront a violent, medieval worldview or accommodate it in the name of tolerance and stability. That choice applies both abroad and at home.

Some regimes have already chosen regression. Iran’s rulers prioritize hatred of Israel over the welfare of their own people. The country’s severe water crisis stems not from natural scarcity but from ideological fixation and mismanagement driven by revolutionary dogma.

In Gaza, support for Hamas continues to rise. In Judea and Samaria, Hamas cells plot new attacks. Hezbollah smuggles weapons through Syria while Lebanon’s leaders face a stark decision: Embrace modern statehood or remain trapped in perpetual conflict.

American policy toward the region often sends mixed signals. The proposed sale of F-35 fighter jets to Saudi Arabia and its elevation to major non-NATO ally status were promoted as diplomatic successes. Yet the real measure will come in actions, not assurances. Will Saudi Arabia confront jihadist networks within its borders? Will it normalize relations with Israel? Or will it offer symbolic gestures while tolerating extremism?

Qatar presents an even sharper test. Through Al Jazeera, it shapes anti-Western narratives across the region. It has funded or enabled radical activism abroad and provided safe haven to Hamas and Muslim Brotherhood leaders. Any serious strategy against jihadist ideology must address Qatar’s role directly.

President Trump took a step in that direction by issuing an executive order calling for the designation of Muslim Brotherhood chapters as “foreign terrorist organizations.” That order, however, excluded the International Union of Muslim Brotherhood, based in Qatar, and U.S.-based Brotherhood-linked organizations, including the Council on American-Islamic Relations.

RELATED: Political Islam is playing the long game — America isn’t even playing

Photo by John Moore/Getty Images

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis (R) went farther last week by designating CAIR and the Muslim Brotherhood as foreign terrorist organizations under state authority. That move reflects a growing recognition that ideological warfare does not stop at America’s borders.

The West must choose whether it will dismantle Muslim Brotherhood networks domestically and demand that its allies do the same. It must decide whether it will confront Iran, which remains the central destabilizing force in the region. Five months after a U.S. strike on Iranian targets, the regime continues to threaten Israel, the Gulf states, and Western interests.

These decisions carry consequences beyond diplomacy. They shape the world our children inherit.

The choice is not between peace and war. It is between confronting an ideology that sanctifies domination and violence or allowing it to advance unchecked under the cover of pluralism. The path forward demands clarity, resolve, and an honest reckoning with reality.

The century we choose will determine whether the future belongs to modernity and peace or to ancient grievances enforced by terror.

​Opinion & analysis, Islam, Islamism, Islamic terrorism, Iran, Israel, Nuclear weapons, Pakistan, Gaza, Cair, Council on american islamic relations, Europe, Washington d.c., National guard shooting, Jihad, Sayyid qutb, Dearborn, Zohran mamdani, New york city, Immigration, Demographics 

Earlier this week, Glenn Beck made his biggest prediction for 2026: The AI boom will start to cause major power issues, including blackouts and brownouts, for average Americans.

However, what Glenn didn’t foresee was that the strain on our grids has already begun.

“The amount of ERCOT’s large-load interconnection requests ballooned to more than 230 gigawatts this year, a massive increase,” Glenn reads from a recent Dallas News article.

“You’re going to see the grids are not built for this. More than 70% of the large loads are for the data center. The data centers are just beginning to be built. We don’t have the energy. And I’m telling you, this is going to be the Achilles’ heel of this administration,” he explains.

“And believe me, it will only be worse with a Democratic administration. This is going to be the Achilles’ heel because we can’t build these power plants fast enough. And while Donald Trump is fast-tracking these nuclear power plants, it’s not fast enough because as we build these data centers, what’s going to happen is your energy, you’re going to start to have rolling brownouts,” he says.

“Also because of these data centers, you’re also going to see unemployment go up. If you start to have high unemployment, high prices, and rolling brownouts to where you’re having a hard time with electricity yourself, but the data centers for these Silicon Valley companies, they’re getting your power,” he continues.

“This will be an absolute nightmare for all politicians,” he adds.

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A social media user appeared to make a threat against Republican Sen. Mike Lee of Utah, who referred the message to the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

The user appeared to post a heinous meme mocking the horrific assassination of Charlie Kirk and added, “Your [sic] next buddy turn down the rhetoric.”

Former US Attorney Jay Town responded that the meme and the message could be prosecuted as a threat against the senator’s life.

Lee posted a screenshot of the alleged message, which was deleted from the X platform.

“It’s ‘you’re,’ not ‘your,'” Lee responded. “Also, you just committed a federal offense.”

The senator also tagged the accounts for FBI Director Kash Patel and U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi.

“This is a clear threat,” he wrote in a follow-up message.

The account was later suspended, and it no longer appears on the platform.

Former U.S. Attorney Jay Town responded that the meme and the message could be prosecuted as a threat against the senator’s life.

“[Find Out] phase is coming when there’s a knock on your door! You can then explain how posting a pic of Charlie getting assassinated with ‘you’re next’ to a US Senator isn’t a threat… …TO A JURY!” he wrote.

Others questioned whether the message constituted a federal offense, but the meme ridiculing Kirk’s death was universally condemned.

Efforts to reach the person who ran the account were unsuccessful.

RELATED: Liberal arts student cites Mao in video calling for more political assassinations after Kirk

While many called for all sides to tone down their political rhetoric in the wake of Kirk’s shooting death in September, others online have lost careers and faced public outrage over their comments ridiculing the incident.

Blaze News has also reached out to Sen. Mike Lee’s office for comment.

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​Sen mike lee, Threat with kirk meme, Threats against republicans, Charlie kirk assassination, Politics 

Philip Rivers knew the playbook going in.

When the 44-year-old quarterback got the call from the injury-plagued Indianapolis Colts, he already had a relationship with coach Shane Steichen. Almost a peer of his at 40 years old, Steichen was the offensive coordinator for the Los Angeles Chargers when Rivers last played in 2020.

‘These kind of things don’t come up.’

With Steichen using the same playbook with the Colts as he did when he was arm-in-arm with Rivers, the 44-year-old quarterback came out of retirement to plug the hole for the Colts as their promising season was falling apart.

On Sunday, the father of 10 stepped in the game and threw a touchdown in a hard-fought battle against the Seattle Seahawks, one of the best teams in the NFL this season. That single TD pass was one more than his opponent, and despite the Colts taking the lead with a late field goal, the Seahawks followed suit and kicked a field goal of their own with 22 seconds left to win 18-16.

At the postgame press conference, Rivers was asked why he wanted to come back after nearly five years away from the game, especially with a strong possibility of failure looming.

“I think about my own boys, you know, my own two sons, but certainly [the] high school team I’m coaching, but this isn’t why I’m doing it,” Rivers replied.

“These kind of things don’t come up. But obviously, this doesn’t come up every day. But I think, maybe it will inspire or teach [them] to not to run or be scared of what may or may not happen.”

RELATED: Christian NFL star apologizes after reference to kids’ game that likely left LGBTQ crowd seething

According to Catholic Vote, since retiring Rivers has been coaching the football team at St. Michael Catholic High School in Fairhope, Alabama, where his son also played quarterback.

It was when talking about his high school team that Rivers began getting emotional in front of the NFL press.

“Certainly I think of my sons and those ball players that I’m in charge of at the school. They’ll say, like, ‘Crap! Coach wasn’t scared!’ You know what I mean. Shoot, sometimes there is doubt, and it’s real, and … the guaranteed safe bet is to go home or to not go for it. And the other one is, ‘Shoot, let’s see what happens,'” he said.

It was in that moment that Rivers’ faith shined through.

“I hope that in that sense that it can be a positive to some young boys or young people. … Whatever God’s will, I’m happy with,” he added.

RELATED: ‘It’s not fair’: No. 1 women’s tennis player states obvious truth about transgender athletes in women’s sports

Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images

Rivers also answered questions about self doubt in his abilities after being away from the professional game so long. He admitted that he initially felt some doubt last week, but he was “thankful to God” those doubts quickly dissipated.

“I’ve been very much at peace and just at peace with everything about it,” he revealed.

The Colts play the San Francisco 49ers next Monday in a game that will likely be a must-win if the Colts want to make the playoffs.

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A Texas real estate loan agent says houses are being abandoned by illegal immigrants.

Deportations combined with updated Federal Housing Administration policies mean fewer foreign residents, both legal and illegal, are qualifying for federal loans.

‘That’s what corporations love — they love the fact there is so many more people, whether they’re legal or not.’

An announcement in late March from the Trump administration shifted FHA policy to stop allowing non-permanent residents access to FHA loans, which are loans guaranteed by the federal government and backed by the taxpayer. According to Congress, an FHA loan requires a down payment of only 3.5% for most borrowers.

DACA recipients, H-1B holders, asylum seekers, and refugees without green cards are some of the categories no longer permitted to use FHA loans. The Trump administration said it also prevented illegal immigrants from accessing loans that they acquired under President Biden.

“Today, HUD terminated Biden’s taxpayer-backed FHA mortgages for illegal aliens,” Housing and Urban Development Secretary Scott Turner wrote on X in March. “American taxpayers will no longer subsidize open borders by offering home loans to those who enter our nation illegally.”

The policy shift left only U.S. citizens, green card holders, and select others eligible for the federal loans. Months later, a loan agent says the changes have resulted in houses being hastily abandoned.

RELATED: Americans priced out while foreigners pour in: Trump admin report slams Biden for spike in rental costs

— (@)

“This week, I started doing foreclosures on undocumented properties,” a content creator named Antts Inc said in a recent viral video.

“Properties that the people had to leave in a hurry. I just left one. Pizza boxes open. Pizza was still there. All the food was still in the pantry. They grabbed whatever valuables they could, left everything else behind. These are foreclosures. So these are homes that were bought using FHA, guaranteed by the government for undocumented people,” he explained.

The loan agent said the properties come for inspection tagged as “possible undocumented immigrant” and typically have abandoned furniture or even items like fish tanks with dead fish.

The creator documents many of the houses he visits on his YouTube channel and predicts rents prices will soon start dropping.

“Rents will come down in some states it’s already happening! Don’t expect them to come down in sanctuary cities or states like California where they all flock to!” he wrote on X.

In Texas, rent costs are already drastically dropping since the same time in 2024.

RELATED: The rate cliff is real — and Washington created it

According to RentHop, studio rent has dropped by more than 11% since last December, while one-bedroom rental costs have decreased by more than 18.5%. For a two-bedroom unit, the price has gone down by about 17%.

Three- and four-bedroom rentals have stagnated or slightly increased, up by 2.6% and 0.7%, respectively.

“They drove rents up,” the Texas resident said about illegal immigrants in another video. “States like California where [illegal aliens] rent one house and there’s three families living there and they share the rent. But if you’re a single family and you’re trying to rent that house now, you gotta pay a ridiculous amount because you are one family competing with three that are living in the other house.”

He added, “That’s what corporations love — they love the fact there is so many more people, whether they’re legal or not.”

On RentHop, rent prices in Texas showed a sharp increase under the Biden administration starting in March 2021 and began a sharp decline under the Trump administration in October 2025.

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​News, Real estate, Rent, Texas, Illegal immigrants, Housing, Hud, Fha, Fha loan, Mortgage, Deportations, Politics 

Resigning Metropolitan Police Department Chief Pamela Smith deliberately manipulated Washington, D.C., crime data to appear lower, according to a new report.

The House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform’s majority staff released an interim report on Sunday as part of its ongoing investigation into allegations that MPD leadership pressured commanders to alter crime stats. The committee launched the probe into the department in August.

‘Chief Smith should resign today.’

After interviewing seven acting MPD commanders and one suspended MPD commander, the committee found that the department’s leadership placed “a higher priority on suppressing public reporting of crime statistics than stopping crime itself.”

The commanders allegedly told lawmakers that “they were not only pressured, but also instructed, to lower crime classifications to lesser intermediate offenses in such a way that those offenses would not be included in the [daily crime report] reported to the public.”

Smith allegedly created a “toxic management culture” that propagated a “culture of fear, intimidation, threats, and retaliation,” the report read.

Lawmakers concluded that the MPD’s crime data remains at risk of manipulation despite Smith’s recent resignation announcement.

RELATED: Whistleblower alleges widespread manipulation of DC crime stats, fueling Oversight Committee probe

James Comer. Photo by Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images

“Every single person who lives, works, or visits the District of Columbia deserves a safe city, yet it’s now clear the American people were deliberately kept in the dark about the true crime rates in our nation’s capital,” stated committee Chairman Rep. James Comer (R-Ky.). “Testimony from experienced and courageous MPD commanders has exposed the truth: Chief Pamela Smith coerced staff to report artificially low crime data and cultivated a culture of fear to achieve her agenda. Chief Smith’s decision to mislead the public by manipulating crime statistics is dangerous and undermines trust in both local leadership and law enforcement.”

“Her planned resignation at the end of the month should not be seen as a voluntary choice, but as an inevitable consequence that should have occurred much earlier. Chief Smith should resign today,” Comer added.

Former Police Commander Michael Pulliam was placed on administrative leave in May and later suspended after he was accused of manipulating crime data. Smith stated at the time that the department was committed to immediately addressing “any irregularity in crime data.”

“Any allegation of this behavior will be dealt with through our internal processes, which will ensure those members are held accountable,” she declared.

RELATED: DC police commander under investigation for allegedly manipulating crime stats

Photo by Andrew Harnik/Getty Images

However, Smith announced her resignation last week, effective December 31. While she did not give a reason for her departure, some critics questioned the timing amid the ongoing allegations against her and the department.

These allegations against the department and its leadership emerged amid President Donald Trump’s warning that his administration would take over D.C. if its leaders failed to address the area’s crime crisis.

The MPD did not respond to a request for comment.

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​News, Washington dc, Washington d.c., D.c., Dc, Michael pulliam, Pamela smith, Pam smith, Metropolitan police department, Mpd, House committee on oversight and government reform, James comer, Trump administration, Trump admin, Politics 

Most people assume a diagnosis of clinical depression involves objective testing — a blood draw, a brain scan, or some clear biological marker. According to Dr. Josef Witt-Doerring, that assumption is wrong.

“They make you pick from nine symptoms. And it’s like if you have five out of nine of these symptoms — so it’s, like, low mood, anxiety, sleep problems … lack of interest in things … feelings of guilt. It’s just a very arbitrary list of symptoms that kind of make sense,” Witt-Doerring explains.

“They make sense for people who are depressed. And the way the people who wrote this diagnostic manual wanted to define depression was like, ‘Oh, well, if you just have any combination of five of them out of nine, we’ll say you have depression,’” he continues.

And there’s a reason for this lower standard of care.

“Where the big issue is happening in the U.S. and in much of the sort of the Western medicalized world right now is within family medicine. Because depression is so common, 80% of our prescriptions are being handed out by family med docs,” Witt-Doerring tells Stuckey.

“There are incentives that make it so the doctors want to see you in a very short period of time. So the aim of the game is billing insurance in this country. And so if you saw one person for an hour versus four people in an hour, and shorter visits, it works out that you essentially make double,” he continues.

The story behind SSRIs is no more comforting.

“Back in the 1950s, a drug was discovered called iproniazid, and it was being used as an anti-microbial for patients with tuberculosis,” he tells Stuckey, pointing out that while the drug was meant to cure people of tuberculosis, it also resulted in them perking up emotionally.

“They said, ‘Hmm, you know, they’re more energetic, they’re more lively, maybe this drug has some promise as an antidepressant. Let’s go and give to depressed patients.’ And so they went and they did that, and it worked,” he continues.

However, the official narrative that was born of this discovery could have “gone in two ways at this time.”

One narrative could have been that the drug has energizing properties that perked patients up, and what doctors were witnessing was a “drug effect.” The other narrative was that “maybe these drugs are actually helping these depressed patients because they don’t have enough serotonin, norepinephrine, dopamine.”

“And so one narrative survives and the other dies. And so the narrative that survives is that the patients have these chemical imbalances. And the reason for that is because it’s a better commercial narrative,” he explains, before pointing out that after the brains of depressed people versus non-depressed individuals were studied, not a single biomarker had been found.

And rather than curing depression, they’re “simply masking symptoms.”

“You could have a moral argument and say, ‘Yeah, morally I disagree with that.’ But you could also just say, ‘Well, I don’t really care. I just want to feel well and I’m suffering.’ And I think that’s totally fair because we want people to feel better,” he explains.

“But then the issue is we don’t tell them about, ‘Hey, these are drugs just like any other drug. They’re going to wear off over time, and there’s also risks of prolonged use because our brains aren’t used to being on them,’” he says.

“It’s just a lie,” he continues. “You know, it’s just a misleading message about the safety of the drugs and how they work.”

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​Free, Video, Upload, Camera phone, Sharing, Video phone, Youtube.com, Relatable, Relatable with allie beth stuckey, The blaze, Blazetv, Blaze news, Blaze podcasts, Blaze podcast network, Blaze media, Blaze online, Blaze originals, Fda, Big pharma, Pharmaceutical companies, Ssris, Depression, Clinical depression, Depression scam, Pharma scam 

The trial for a sitting Wisconsin judge is set to begin after she allegedly helped an illegal alien avoid ICE arrest in April.

Milwaukee County Circuit Judge Hannah Dugan’s trial will begin Monday. Dugan is charged with obstruction of federal proceedings and concealing a person from arrest in connection with Eduardo Flores-Ruiz, an illegal alien who later pled guilty to re-entering the U.S. and no contest to one count of battery.

According to court filings, Dugan became ‘visibly angry’ when she learned about ICE’s presence, Reuters reported.

According to the Associated Press, the trial will begin with opening statements from the defense and prosecution as well as testimony from the prosecution’s first witness. The prosecution’s case will likely span most of the week, with around two dozen witnesses ready to take the stand.

Dugan faces up to six years in prison if convicted of both charges.

RELATED: Trial update: Wisconsin judge accused of helping illegal alien escape detention set to appear at final pretrial hearing

Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images

Dugan is accused of assisting Flores-Ruiz in evading Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents upon learning that they were waiting outside her courtroom to arrest him.

According to court filings, Dugan became “visibly angry” when she learned about ICE’s presence, Reuters reported. She also falsely told law enforcement that they needed a judicial warrant to carry out an arrest, according to the prosecution.

Flores-Ruiz was allegedly shown a side door through which he fled the scene. He was apprehended by ICE agents outside the courthouse after a short foot race.

Dugan lost a bid to dismiss the charges against her in August. U.S. District Judge Lynn Adelman rejected the argument that she was acting in her official capacity as a judge, ruling that “there is no firmly established judicial immunity barring criminal prosecution of judges for judicial acts.”

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​Politics, Hannah dugan, Judge dugan, Judicial activism, Eduardo flores-ruiz, Obstruction of arrest, Ice, Immigration and customs enforcement, Trump, Judge lynn adelman, Trump administration 

Republican Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky revealed alleged details about the suspect arrested for the Jan. 6 pipe bomb plantings in Washington, D.C., that might undermine the official narrative of the incident.

The mystery of the pipe bombs seemed to be solved on Dec. 4, nearly five years after they were found, when Justice Department officials announced that they had arrested 30-year-old Brian Cole Jr. of Woodbridge, Virginia.

‘It’s well known that individuals with mental conditions are susceptible to providing inaccurate and unwarranted “confessions.”‘

On Friday, Massie posted a long thread on social media claiming that information from an FBI whistleblower led him to conclude the suspect did not have the capability or motive to plant the bombs.

“Last night I received a disclosure from a new FBI whistleblower regarding the J6 pipe bomb case,” Massie wrote. “This is the third disclosure I’ve received from current and former employees of the government regarding the pipe bomb case in recent weeks.”

Massie said the suspect lived in a community with residents who worked with the FBI, Secret Service, and police.

“He wanders around his neighborhood several times a day while walking a dog. Other than walking his dog, he doesn’t engage in any other activities outside his home,” he wrote.

“He does not interact with anyone,” Massie added. “He doesn’t wave or acknowledge others or even say hello. He does not even look at other people when he walks by. He appears to live in his own world.”

The suspect had a detached demeanor and doesn’t appear to be interested in interacting with the world around him, according to the whistleblower.

“His behavior is awkward. It’s obvious he has a mental disability, and likely lives in a permanently vulnerable, intellectual, and emotional state. It’s well known that individuals with mental conditions are susceptible to providing inaccurate and unwarranted ‘confessions,'” Massie continued.

The person also claimed that authorities did not take the precaution of evacuating neighbors, which would have been necessary if they believed he had “in fact been engaged in making bombs and stockpiling bomb materials.”

RELATED: Police walked past DNC pipe bomb to look under a bush where bomber sat 17 hours earlier

Massie offered his personal opinion in conclusion.

“The FBI employee disclosing this information to me doesn’t believe the FBI has arrested a person who is capable or motivated, or even interested enough in affairs outside of his own small world, to execute the J6 pipe bomb plot on his own,” the congressman said.

The viable pipe bombs were found near the headquarters of the Republican National Committee and the Democratic National Committee on the day of the rioting at the U.S. Capitol.

Surveillance video showed one individual appearing to place them the night before the rioting. The Federal Bureau of Investigation had offered a $100,000 reward for information leading to a suspect’s arrest.

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​Whistleblower jan 6, Jan 6 pipe bomber, Brian cole jr, Politics, Rep thomas massie 

In response to Texas Rep. Jasmine Crockett’s newly launched Senate run, Republican Sen. John Kennedy of Louisiana offered a lighthearted analysis of the Democrat’s rising star.

Crockett announced her highly anticipated Senate bid in early December after her Democratic colleague Colin Allred opted to run for a House seat instead. Crockett is now expected to face off with Texas state Rep. James Talarico (D) in a contentious primary ahead of the 2026 election.

‘She is wrong on every single issue.’

Although Democrats have embraced Crockett as an up-and-coming political leader, Kennedy offered some much-needed advice about the Senate race to his colleagues across the aisle.

“We all have the right to express our opinion,” Kennedy said. “You’re not free if you can’t say what you think, and the congresswoman has a right to her opinion.”

RELATED: ‘Complete lizard person’: Chuck Schumer gives stunningly tone-deaf remarks following Australia attack

Nathan Howard/Bloomberg via Getty Images

“But I have the right to mine,” Kennedy added. “And somebody needs to tell the congresswoman, it will be in her best interest, they need to tell her that the voices in her head are not real.”

Kennedy pointed out that Crockett’s progressive policies combined with her many, many questionable comments will not bode well in a red state like Texas.

“She is wrong on every single issue,” Kennedy said. “The people of Texas will never embrace her message. I don’t know why she’s doing this, but you have the right in America to do dumb things if you want to.”

RELATED: ‘Very low-IQ person’: Jasmine Crockett launches Senate campaign with funny video that may give the GOP the last laugh

Photo by Win McNamee/Getty Images

To Republicans’ delight, Crockett actually has a shot at winning the Democratic primary. One poll has Crockett ahead of Talarico, a more moderate Democrat, by eight points. Although she is projected to sweep the competition on the Democrat side, her poll numbers against Republican challengers make a GOP victory in 2026 look promising.

Republican Sen. John Cornyn of Texas, the incumbent in the race, is polling a comfortable six points ahead of Crockett. This margin narrows against Republican challenger Ken Paxton, who is currently projected to have just a two-point advantage.

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​Jasmine crockett, John kennedy, Texas, Ken paxton, John cornyn, James talarico, 2026 primary, Colin allred, Senate race, Politics 

A United Airlines flight from Washington, D.C., to Tokyo made an emergency landing following an engine failure on Saturday afternoon.

The United Airlines Boeing 777-200ER landed at Washington Dulles International Airport shortly after taking off for Tokyo. During takeoff, the plane started a brush fire near the runway, according to AeroXplorer.

‘United is grateful to our crews and to the teams at Washington Dulles for their quick work to help ensure the safety of everyone involved.’

Multiple spokespersons explained that the plane experienced a loss of power in one engine shortly after takeoff, AeroXplorer reported. This loss of power reportedly caused a discharge that ignited the brush fire.

No injuries were reported among the 275 passengers and 15 crew members.

Emily McGee, the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority spokesperson, said, “The fire was extinguished and the flight returned to Dulles, landing safely at about 1:30 p.m. when it was checked by airport fire responders.”

RELATED: Video shows Japan Airlines plane collide into Delta airplane at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport

Photo by Joan Valls/Urbanandsport/NurPhoto via Getty Images

United Airlines hailed the preparedness of the crew, which ensured the safe return of the flight.

“Shortly after takeoff, United flight 803 returned to Washington Dulles and landed safely to address the loss of power in one engine. There were no reported injuries. We’ve temporarily closed a United Club lounge at Dulles to help assist our customers and work to get them to their destinations. United is grateful to our crews and to the teams at Washington Dulles for their quick work to help ensure the safety of everyone involved,” a United Airlines spokesperson said at the time.

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Federal authorities reportedly disrupted a New Year’s Eve terror plot by arresting several alleged members of a pro-Palestinian extremist group.

The FBI told Fox News Digital that the bureau captured four alleged members of an extremist subgroup of the Turtle Island Liberation Front.

‘The group also planned to target ICE agents and vehicles.’

FBI Director Kash Patel described the arrested individuals as members of “a radical offshoot” that is “motivated by pro-Palestinian, anti-law-enforcement, and anti-government ideology.”

According to Patel, the suspects were planning coordinated improvised-explosive-device attacks on New Year’s Eve at five locations across Los Angeles, California.

Federal agents arrested the suspects in Lucerne Valley, where they were allegedly preparing to test explosive devices ahead of the attack, Fox News Digital reported.

The arrested individuals were charged with conspiracy and possession of a destructive device.

RELATED: Person of interest detained after deadly shooting at Brown University — but very little has been shared about the individual (UPDATE)

Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

Patel announced that FBI New Orleans arrested a fifth individual believed to be tied to the subgroup who was also allegedly planning a separate attack.

The FBI director credited investigators and law enforcement partners for saving “countless lives.”

FBI Los Angeles is expected to hold a press conference on Monday to provide additional details to the public.

RELATED: How Trump can dismantle far-left extremist networks

Pam Bondi. Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images

“After an intense investigation, the Department of Justice, working with our @FBI, prevented what would have been a massive and horrific terror plot in the Central District of California (Orange County and Los Angeles),” Attorney General Pam Bondi stated. “The Turtle Island Liberation Front — a far-left, pro-Palestine, anti-government, and anti-capitalist group — was preparing to conduct a series of bombings against multiple targets in California beginning on New Year’s Eve. The group also planned to target ICE agents and vehicles.”

“PROTECT THE HOMELAND and CRUSH VIOLENT CRIME. These words are not slogans, they’re the investigative pillars of this FBI,” FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino said.

“Thank you to our dedicated law enforcement and DOJ partners for the collaborative effort. God bless America, and all those who defend Her [sic].”

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For decades, Google Chrome reigned as the top web browser for laptops, desktops, and mobile. However, the emergence of generative AI aims to break the mold with a new series of agentic web browsers that can complete tasks with little to no user input. While it might sound convenient to hand over your digital life, security groups are already sounding the alarm, warning that these new browsers come with huge security and privacy risks.

Huge privacy and security risks make these new browsers a liability for anyone who values his personal data.

What is a web browser?

Let’s start with the basics. A web browser is the app on your phone, tablet, or computer that provides a window into the internet, allowing you to search Google, go to websites like Blaze News, and more. Chances are pretty high that you’re reading this article on a browser right now. The most popular browsers today include Google Chrome, Apple Safari, Microsoft Edge, and Mozilla Firefox.

What is an agentic web browser?

An agentic web browser is a typical web browser with artificial intelligence injected into the code, giving it special abilities powered by generative AI. “Agentic” means that the AI in the browser can act as an “agent” on your behalf, autonomously completing tasks on the web that you assign, kind of like a personal assistant.

Some examples of agentic tasks include researching information on Google, booking a hotel on a travel site, filling out online forms for your doctor, buying products on Amazon, and more.

This is a totally new browsing category that just emerged, and its complete list of abilities is not fully fleshed out yet. Unfortunately, even as developers race for agentic browser dominance, huge privacy and security risks make these new browsers a liability for anyone who values his personal data.

Dangers of agentic web browsers

The makers of Brave, a popular web browser that prioritizes privacy and security, were the first to point out the flaws in Comet, the new agentic browser by Perplexity. Their research detailed how a hacker could use “indirect prompt injections” to carry out a malicious attack on the user, prompting agentic AI to navigate to the user’s banking site, extract saved passwords, or steal sensitive information directly from the host PC, all without the user’s knowledge. Perplexity has since responded with its prompt mitigation plan.

Similar concerns cropped up over Atlas, the new agentic browser by OpenAI. According to Axios via antivirus software developer Malwarebytes, researchers quickly discovered that the prompt bar could be exploited to bypass safety protocols and inject instructions to carry out malicious activities. Again, these vulnerabilities allowed researchers to access important data on the host computer. OpenAI refutes these vulnerabilities, claiming that ChatGPT, the AI that powers Atlas, can’t access other apps, files, or passwords.

The real problem with agentic browsers

It’s not a coincidence that the new agentic web browsers from OpenAI and Perplexity both have the same security issues. Their core designs are inherently flawed.

The problem stems from the fact that an agentic browser can complete personal tasks and manipulate private data without the user’s input or knowledge. From the moment you sign up, these browsers receive the keys to your entire digital life, and although you may provide instructions, who’s to say that the AI will always obey?

If an agentic browser can buy products for you, it can purchase the wrong ones. If it can manage your money, it can transfer your funds to a third-party bank account. If it can control your digital life, it can mismanage or even exploit your privacy. And by the time you figure out what happened, it could be too late.

Even if a hacker isn’t behind the keyboard sending out commands, there’s no guarantee that the AI itself will perform as designed. In fact, the only thing we know for sure about generative AI is that it can lie about its activities, hallucinate facts, and even teach itself new concepts all on its own.

RELATED: How to escape the surveillance state: Pick the right search engine

Photo Credit: Snizhana Galytska/Getty Images

At the worst, a hacker could destroy your digital life through an agentic browser on your computer. At the very least, an agentic browser could destroy your digital life by itself. Neither option sounds great.

Word of warning

Don’t try an agentic web browser right now. They are simply not ready. Don’t download one to your device. Don’t log into one with your account. Don’t hand over your information. Stay away for as long as you can, at least until some of these vulnerabilities are sorted out, and even then, proceed with caution. The consequences of using an agentic browser are far too risky for the sliver of convenience you’ll receive in return.

An inescapable problem

Unfortunately, you can’t avoid agentic web browsers for long. Right now, you have to go out of your way to download Atlas from OpenAI or Comet from Perplexity. Soon, though, agentic browsers will be practically everywhere.

Google and Microsoft are both working on agentic features for Chrome and Edge, two of the most popular web browsers on the planet. Mozilla, the developers behind Firefox, have AI features in the pipeline, though they claim that users can turn these off. As for Apple, the company hasn’t shared any plans to give Safari an agentic upgrade, but considering how far behind Apple is with Apple Intelligence, this looks unlikely, at least for the foreseeable future.

Agentic web browsers are an interesting — if not dangerous — gimmick that will quickly blossom into a mass consumer product overnight. Unless developers shore up the vulnerabilities in these browsers between then and now, hackers will undoubtedly have a new, shockingly effective way to steal data, money, and more. The only way to protect yourself is to deactivate these features as they roll out, or find a browser that doesn’t support agentic AI at all.

​Tech 

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) delivered wildly insensitive remarks following the tragic terrorist attack in Australia, sparking outrage across social media.

Schumer’s stunning fumble came after a father and son allegedly targeted a Jewish gathering on the first night of Hanukkah, murdering at least 15 innocent civilians at Bondi Beach in Australia. Rather than simply remarking on the brutality and tragedy of the event, Schumer took the opportunity to slip in some sports commentary.

‘Retire. Immediately.’

“Of course, I’m going to say a few words about the terrible shooting in Australia,” Schumer said on Sunday.

“First, of course, as I always say, no matter what, go Bills!” Schumer added. “They beat the Patriots today. It’s a big deal.”

RELATED: Pakistani national suspected in terror attack on Jewish gathering in Australia on first night of Hanukkah; over a dozen dead

Photo by George Chan/Getty Images

Commentators and political personalities quickly clarified that the “big deal” Schumer failed to prioritize was actually the terrorist attack that claimed the lives of innocent people, not the football game.

Republican Rep. Mike Lawler of New York issued a short but effective statement in response to Schumer.

“Retire. Immediately,” Lawler said in a post on X.

RELATED: Person of interest detained after deadly shooting at Brown University — but very little has been shared about the individual (UPDATE)

Photo by Heather Diehl/Getty Images

Jesse Kelly similarly criticized Schumer’s insensitive instincts, calling his humanity into question.

“Just a complete lizard person,” Kelly said in a post on X. “Stopped being human a long time ago.”

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America isn’t divided by politics. According to Brent Buchanan, it’s actually divided by biology.

Buchanan makes the case that voters no longer make decisions logically but emotionally, driven by something hardwired into human behavior.

“I began looking at academic research on what actually drives human behavior, specifically when it relates to voting. And the question goes back to, ‘What drives human behavior, period?’” he tells BlazeTV host Steve Deace on the “Steve Deace Show.”

And Buchanan’s answer to that question, while complicated, is actually quite simple. At the end of the day, it is survival that informs our decision-making.

“It doesn’t matter if somebody’s voting, buying a car, getting married. It is all this biological fact that our brains were built to conserve energy. And the least caloric way that we can take in, process information, and make decisions is emotionally through our subconscious, through the inside part of our brain, not through the prefrontal cortex,” he explains.

“It makes a lot of sense … biologically, we were built for survival. And everything we do is based around survival. And even though we’re not being chased by wild animals or going without food for days or weeks on end as the whole population used to do a long time ago, those innate senses and that biology is still with us,” he continues.

“I mean God created us for a reason, with a purpose, and it was to survive, and it was to procreate and to spread His gospel,” he says, adding, “And all of those are biologically built into us.”

Deace agrees with Buchanan, pointing out that during the election cycle last year, “the most effective message” was the Trump ad that read, “Kamala Harris is for they/them. Trump is for you.”

“The most extreme candidate tends to lose. And why does the most extreme candidate tend to lose? Because they’re viewed as most threatening to somebody’s safety, security, or belief system. So that was a wonderful way to cast Kamala Harris as way more extreme of the two candidates running for president,” Buchanan responds.

“Secondarily, it plays into in-group, out-group factors. That also goes back to our survival instincts, where if somebody is on the out-group, they are your enemy,” he continues.

“So with a lot of young men, a lot of non-white voters, they saw that message, and they didn’t say, ‘I’m making my decision on this election based on the transgender issue.’ But that issue became a proxy for extremity,” he says, adding, “That is what won Donald Trump the election.”

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Hollywood icon Rob Reiner, 78, and his wife, Michele Singer Reiner, were found dead in their Brentwood, California, home Sunday in what police are calling a homicide, the Los Angeles Times reported.

Law enforcement sources told the paper that a family member was being interviewed in connection with the deaths.

‘No one has been detained; no one is being questioned as a suspect.’

A spokesperson for the Reiner family confirmed the deaths Sunday evening, the Times said: “It is with profound sorrow that we announce the tragic passing of Michele and Rob Reiner. We are heartbroken by this sudden loss, and we ask for privacy during this unbelievably difficult time.”

A source not authorized to speak publicly about the investigation but who reportedly has knowledge of it confirmed that there was no sign of forced entry into the home in the 200 block of Chadbourne Avenue, the Times reported. The source also told the paper that the Reiners had injuries consistent with a stabbing.

LAPD Deputy Chief Alan Hamilton said Sunday that detectives were working to secure a search warrant before launching a “thorough” investigation inside and outside the home, the Times said.

“At this time, the Los Angeles Police Department is not seeking anyone as a suspect or as a person of interest … and we will not be doing that until we conduct our investigation and move forward,” Hamilton said, according to the paper. He said many family members would be interviewed but that “no one has been detained; no one is being questioned as a suspect,” the Times added.

Hamilton confirmed that the person who initially reported the incident was at the house, but that person’s identity wasn’t being released at this time, the paper said.

RELATED: Bill Maher attempts risky intervention on Trump-deranged pal Rob Reiner: ‘You have to talk to people’

Margaret Stewart of the Los Angeles Fire Department told the Times that the department was called to the Reiner home around 3:30 p.m. for medical aid, and the two bodies were found in the home.

Reiner was first famous for his portrayal of Michael “Meathead” Stivic on the legendary 1970s sitcom “All in the Family,” which also starred Carroll O’Connor as Archie Bunker.

He then gained wide acclaim over the years for directing movies such as “When Harry Met Sally,” “The Princess Bride,” “This Is Spinal Tap,” “Stand by Me,” and “A Few Good Men.”

Reiner also was not quiet about his far-left politics, and he often railed against President Donald Trump and Republicans.

Just a few months ago, fellow left-winger Bill Maher tried to talk some sense into Reiner during Maher’s “Club Random” podcast, insisting that Reiner and other leftists have to learn to communicate with political opponents. Reiner countered that “if somebody says, ‘Two plus two is four,’ and the other guy says, ‘No, it’s not,’ how do you begin the discussion?”Last year, Reiner called Trump “the Convicted Felon” in an X rant saying then-President Joe Biden should end his re-election bid: “It’s time to stop f**king around. If the Convicted Felon wins, we lose our Democracy. Joe Biden has effectively served US with honor, decency, and dignity. It’s time for Joe Biden to step down.” The X post has since been deleted.Reiner in 2020 posted on X that “Donald Trump is actively trying to kill our children,” according to the Washington Examiner. But that post also has been deleted.In 2019, he posted the following on X: “Every elected Republican knows that this President is guilty of countless Impeachable offenses. But they, along with many White Evangelicals & White Supremacists have made a pact with [Vladimir] Putin. But unlike a pact with the Devil, this one can be unsigned.” That post also has been deleted.In 2018 Reiner blamed a government shutdown on the Republican Party’s “racism” and added that the GOP is “frightened to death of the browning of America.” That X post also has been deleted.Reiner in 2017 posted on X that the “fight to save democracy” from Trump “is now an all out war”; he added a “treason” hashtag in the post focusing on Russian collusion. That post also has been deleted.Just after Trump’s 2016 election win, Reiner called him a “moron” and noted that Trump’s victory means “we are fighting the last big major battle of the Civil War.”

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Another advertiser wants consumers to know how hard people worked on its artificial intelligence-driven ad.

Sweetshop Films is behind the recently pulled McDonald’s Christmas commercial that appeared on YouTube but lasted only about four days before being dropped like a hot Christmas coal.

‘The results aren’t worth the effort.’

The ad was generated entirely by AI for McDonald’s Netherlands, which took ownership of the fact that it was poorly received.

“The Christmas commercial was intended to show the stressful moments during the holidays in the Netherlands,” the company said in a statement, per the Guardian.

“However, we notice — based on the social comments and international media coverage — that for many guests this period is ‘the most wonderful time of the year,'” they added.

Sweetshop Films defended its use of AI for the ad. “It’s never about replacing craft; it’s about expanding the toolbox. The vision, the taste, the leadership … that will always be human,” said CEO Melanie Bridge, per NBC News.

Bridge took it one step farther, though, and claimed her team worked longer than a typical ad team would.

“And here’s the part people don’t see,” the CEO continued. “The hours that went into this job far exceeded a traditional shoot. Ten people, five weeks, full-time.”

These statements were not met with holiday cheer.

RELATED: Coca-Cola doubles down on AI ads, still won’t say ‘Christmas’

X users went rabid at the idea that Sweetshop, alongside AI specialist company the Gardening Club, put more effort into producing the videos than a typical production team would for a commercial.

The Gardening Club reportedly made statements like, “We were working right on the edge of what this tech can do,” and, “The man-hours poured into this film were more than a traditional Production.”

“So all that ‘effort’ and they still managed to produce the ugliest slop [?] just goes to show how useless gen AI is,” wrote an X user named Tristan.

An alleged art director named Haley said she was legitimately confused by the idea of the “sheer human craft” claimed to be behind the AI generation.

“What craft? What does that even look like outside of just clicking to generate over and over and over and over again until you get something you like?” she asked.

Another X user name Bruce added that “AI users are like high schoolers who got good grades because they tried hard, then are shocked to find at university they get judged on results, not effort. I have no doubt they try hard. But the results aren’t worth the effort.”

RELATED: ‘Unprecedented’: AI company documents startling discovery after thwarting ‘sophisticated’ cyberattack

Photo by Tim Boyle/Getty Images

The Sweetshop CEO did indeed express that the road to the McDonald’s AI ad was a painstaking endeavor, claiming that “for seven weeks, we hardly slept” and “generated what felt like dailies — thousands of takes — then shaped them in the edit just as we would on any high-craft production.”

“This wasn’t an AI trick. It was a film,” Bridge said, according to Futurist.

The positioning of AI generation as “craftsmanship” is exactly what Coca-Cola cited for its ad in November, when it said the company pored through 70,000 video clips over 30 days.

The boasts resulted in backlash akin to what McDonald’s is receiving, which included reactions on X like, “McDonald’s unveiled what has to be the most god-awful ad I’ve seen this year — worse than Coca-Cola’s.”

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What’s the deal with people typing in all lowercase? You’ve seen that, right?

everything they type looks like this. it doesn’t matter if it’s a text. it doesn’t matter if it’s a post on x. it doesn’t matter if it’s a comment on someone’s photo. everything they type is lowercase.

‘If I see “LOL,” that’s a Boomer/Gen X. If I see “Lol,” that’s a Millennial. If I see “lol,” I know that’s one of my own.’

This style of typing is largely a Zoomer phenomenon, though some older people trying to act young do it too.

I am not a Zoomer, though I am interested in the Zoomers. I have written about them before, am writing about them now, and will write about them again. They are, whether we like it or not, the future, or at least the near future, so they should be of interest to us.

So why exactly do the Zoomers type in lowercase?

No cap

I asked a trusted Zoomer resource of mine, Caleb Wallace Holm, to provide his usual insight. He told me, “Zoomers have been doing it since we got our phones. It’s a way to demonstrate nonchalance and also a means of distinction from previous generations.”

All this makes sense. Younger generations almost always try to demonstrate nonchalance or uncaring. To be formal is to be old and stodgy, and you don’t want to be old. To be overly concerned is to be your dad, and you don’t want to be your dad.

So the young seek out ways to show they are relaxed and ways they can possibly differentiate themselves from the old. When you are young, you want to be new and different, so there is nothing particularly new about the logic of Zoomer lowercase typing.

Laugh lines

What is new is the acting out of this mini-rebellion of distinction in the digital domain, as the digital world didn’t exist for prior generations in the same way it does for the Zoomers.

And it is this new element — life in the digital space — that differentiates Zoomers most profoundly from the rest of us in a multitude of ways. As I have written before, Zoomers are the first disembodied generation, and this has profound impacts on how they exist in the world.

Holm told me he can discern how old someone is just by the way they “laugh” online. He remarked, “If I see ‘LOL,’ that’s a Boomer/Gen X. If I see ‘Lol,’ that’s a Millennial. If I see ‘lol,’ I know that’s one of my own.”

While I never would have thought of this on my own, it made complete sense once I heard it. Of course an astute member of the generation that was raised on the internet would be adept at discerning someone’s age simply by the way they “laugh” online.

The lowered life

Though the attempt to differentiate oneself from prior generations by way of typing in all lowercase makes sense and follows a fairly expected trajectory, there is something off about it. You might call the Zoomers many things, but earnest, excitable, mentally well, and aspirational are probably not among the descriptors you would choose to use.

They barely drink alcohol out, but they smoke tons of weed in. SSRI use is rampant, and a general malaise or an overly-ironic stance is fairly standard operating procedure among their cohort. The Zoomers are the most medicated generation in history and don’t appear to respond to any traditional incentive structure. Not great.

Nonchalance is one thing. Not caring about anything at all is another thing. I do wonder if the lowercase typing of the Zoomers is less about studied nonchalance than it is a lack of any vital spirit. I wonder if this lowercase typing represents something even more toxic than laziness. If the Zoomers were, in general, very well-adjusted, very social, and very mentally well and characterized by earnest effort, I may not wonder if the lowercase typing signaled something negative. But they are not those things, so I have to wonder what it represents, whether done intentionally or not.

RELATED: ‘6-7’ gets 86’d! JD Vance jokes about banning meme — and one company actually does it

Photo by Brett Carlsen/Getty Images

Type casting

And yet, not all Zoomers are listless or on SSRIs, and not all Zoomers type in lowercase. Holm, my Zoomer resource, doesn’t. He types like I do — with capitalization — though he is also fluent in the language of his people (the Zoomers). And he is also full of life and spirit. And though I often joke with him that he is the most powerful Zoomer living, he is not at all alone. There are other vital Zoomers out there who type with proper capitalization.

It sounds strange, but maybe proper capitalization and vitality, or just normal emotional responses, go hand in hand. And maybe typing in lowercase and perpetual irony go hand in hand.

Maybe performative nonchalance in text form becomes giving up or some other kind of deadness IRL quicker than people realize.

Maybe the way we type to one another matters more than we think. Maybe exclamation marks, capitalization, and real non-ironic enthusiasm reflects a healthy attitude toward the world and one’s place in it.

Maybe there is more to lowercase typing than meets the eye.

The medium is the message, after all.

​Men’s style, Lifestyle, Texting, Culture, Zoomers, Lower case, The root of the matter 

Democrat Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey is taking a stand for Somalians following the discovery that billions of Minnesota taxpayer dollars went to Somalian fraud, and he’s doing it by recording himself trying to eat their food.

The key word is “trying.”

On December 5, the mayor sat down at a Somali restaurant with a few Somalis while the camera rolled. However, the camera caught Frey’s odd facial expressions as he slowly chewed the rice and beans for what seemed to be forever.

“Jacob Frey … was not enjoying the Somalian food that he was eating,” BlazeTV host Sara Gonzales comments, explaining that his failed attempt at making Somalian food look good inspired her to try it herself.

“Is Somalian food as bad as Jacob Frey makes it look?” Gonzales asks, before trying it.

Gonzales tries the food but can’t stomach more than a few bites. And because her reaction was so negative, she received a barrage of angry comments from the left.

“Jacob Frey kind of started it. He made me curious, and he was correct in his facial expressions, and I just — it’s so crazy how you can get death threats over something like that from liberals,” Gonzales comments.

One user on the app X messaged Gonzales, writing, “Your heads [sic] gonna end up on a stick you dumb bitch. … You’re gonna’ get assassinated. Except your [sic] way less relevant than Charlie Kirk.”

“I can’t even explain why people are so pressed that Sara Gonzales said, ‘Somalian food sucks,’” Gonzales says.

“Checked it off my bucket list,” she continues. “Jacob Frey was correct.”

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A Pakistani national is suspected in what one police official called a “terrorist incident” against a Jewish gathering at an Australian beach on the first night of Hanukkah in which at least 15 were killed Sunday, including a 12-year-old.

Another 40 people were hospitalized with injuries, including two officers and three children, after the attack at Bondi Beach, CBS News reported.

‘What we saw yesterday was an act of pure evil, an act of anti-Semitism, an act of terrorism on our shores in an iconic Australian location, Bondi Beach, that is associated with joy, associated with families gathering, associated with celebrations, and it is forever tarnished by what has occurred last evening.’

On Monday morning local time, police said two gunmen — a 50-year-old father and his 24-year-old son — opened fire while the local Jewish community was celebrating the first night of Hanukkah, the network news outlet said.

The 50-year-old gunman died, and his son was hospitalized in “serious condition,” New South Wales Police Commissioner Mal Lanyon said, according to CBS News.

More from the network news outlet:

The 24-year-old was identified as Naveed Akram, a Pakistani national based in Sydney, according to a U.S. intelligence briefing and a driver’s license provided by Australian police. Police previously said the deceased gunman was the son, but Lanyon later clarified that the father was shot and killed by police.

New South Wales Health Minister Ryan Park said the death toll had risen from 12 to 16 overnight, including a 12-year-old child. Three other children are being treated in the hospital, he said.

“This is absolutely horrendous for the community broadly, but particularly the Jewish community. … What we saw last night was the worst of humanity, but at the same time, the very best of humanity,” Park told CBS News, which added that it is unclear if the number of fatalities or injuries included the gunmen.

RELATED: Conservative political group fined $95K after correctly identifying male athletes competing with women in Australia

The international organization Chabad, which represents a branch of ultra-Orthodox Judaism, said one of its rabbis — Rabbi Eli Schlanger — was among the dead, the network news outlet said, citing the Associated Press.

More from CBS News:

Called Hanukkah by the Sea, the event was held to mark the beginning of the Jewish holiday observed from sundown on Sunday until Monday, Dec. 22. More than 1,000 were at the beach when gunfire broke out, said Lanyon. He called the attack a “terrorist incident” and said the perpetrators used “long arms,” referring to long guns such as shotguns or rifles, to carry it out.

New South Wales Premier Chris Minns and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese also characterized the attack as targeted, with Minns saying it “was designed to target Sydney’s Jewish community.” The prime minister said it was “a targeted attack on Jewish Australians.”

“What we saw yesterday was an act of pure evil, an act of anti-Semitism, an act of terrorism on our shores in an iconic Australian location, Bondi Beach, that is associated with joy, associated with families gathering, associated with celebrations, and it is forever tarnished by what has occurred last evening,” Albanese said during a news conference Monday morning local time, the network news outlet noted.

Lanyon added to CBS News that police believed several improvised explosive devices were inside a vehicle at Campbell Parade — a main street that runs parallel to Bondi Beach — which officials discovered shortly after the shooting occurred; a rescue bomb disposal crew was at the scene.

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio in a social media post said “the United States strongly condemns the terrorist attack in Australia targeting a Jewish celebration. Antisemitism has no place in this world. Our prayers are with the victims of this horrific attack, the Jewish community, and the people of Australia,” the network news outlet reported.

More from CBS News:

One video appeared to show someone wrestling with one of the suspected gunmen and taking his weapon from him, according to Minns, who paid tribute to that individual in some of his comments Sunday.

The video was recorded by a bystander along Campbell Parade, a main street that runs parallel to Bondi Beach. In it, a man jumped up from a crouched position behind a parked car and tackled the suspect, who had just fired his weapon toward something out of view.

Following a short struggle, the man disarmed the suspect, pushed him to the ground, and turned the weapon on him, at which point the suspect stood up and walked in the opposite direction. The man then lowered the weapon and raised his free hand in the air. Off to the side, one person appeared to be lying unresponsive on the sidewalk beside a different vehicle.

RELATED: Kids have already found a way around Australia’s new social media ban: Making faces

Minns called the man — whom relatives named Ahmed al Ahmed, a fruit shop owner, to Australian media — a “genuine hero,” the network news outlet said.

More from CBS News:

Mass shootings in Australia are rare. But researchers have recorded dramatic upticks in antisemitic incidents in the country since the Oct. 7, 2023, assault by Hamas terrorists on Israel triggered the war in Gaza, along with spikes in hate incidents against Muslim groups.

In response, the Australian government appointed special envoys last year to address antisemitism and Islamophobia in its communities. However, attacks have continued to happen since then. In July, an arsonist set fire to the door of a synagogue in Melbourne, another major Australian city, seven months after a different synagogue in the same city was burned by criminals in a blaze that injured one worshipper.

This is a developing story; updates may be added.

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​Crime, Australia, Jewish gathering, Terror attack, Pakistani national, Bondi beach, Massacre, Mass shooting, First night of hanukkah, Politics