Israeli Ambassador to the United States Michael Herzog and his wife, Shirin, hosted a Chanukah celebration at the Israeli Embassy in Washington, D.C.
This year’s event was themed “to be the light” and took place against the backdrop of ongoing security challenges, including the grim reality that 100 Israeli hostages remain captive in Gaza. These individuals were abducted during the October 7 massacre, now over a year and three months ago.
The gathering featured speeches from Congressmembers Virginia Foxx and Daniel Goldman. John Kirby, the White House National Security Spokesperson, delivered a heartfelt prayer for the hostages. The event also saw attendance from additional members of Congress, prominent Jewish leaders, journalists, and civic figures.

Even Vice President Kamala Harris couldn’t help but laugh at her own tendency for confusing statements during a speech on Tuesday following the election.
Speaking at Prince George’s Community College in Maryland, Harris addressed a crowd of young people, urging them to “stay in the fight” despite her loss in November.
“I ask you to remember that this struggle is not new. It goes back nearly 250 years to Lexington and Concord,” she told the audience. “Generation after generation, it has been driven by those who love our country, cherish its ideals and refuse to sit passive while our ideals are under assault. … This fight now, it continues with you. You are its heirs.”

Miami’s barrier islands, known for their numerous tall luxury buildings, are experiencing a concerning trend, with a recent study in Earth and Space Science revealing that around three dozen of these buildings are sinking, Fox reports.
The study identified that 35 luxury condominiums and hotels in Sunny Isles Beach, Surfside, Miami Beach, and Bal Harbour have experienced subsidence in recent years.
The research was conducted by experts from institutions such as the University of Miami, Florida Atlantic University, University of Houston, University of Hanover in Germany, GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences, and California Institute of Technology.

Michael Levy, whose brother, Or Levy, was kidnapped by Hamas from the Nova festival on Oct. 7, 2023, addressed the U.N. Security Council on Wednesday and told the global body to demand the release of the hostages.
“For 439 days, I’ve woken up every morning with a pit in my stomach, wondering where my brother is. Wondering if he’s cold. If he’s hungry. If he managed to survive another day,” Levy told the Security Council. “Every moment he remains in captivity is a moment of unbearable suffering for him and all of us who love him.”
The Hamas terror group didn’t only violate international law blatantly, he said, it is also committing “an assault on humanity itself.”

Mosab Hassan Yousef destroys pro-Palestinian college students at the Oxford Union.
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Ukraine was behind the assassination of the head of Russia’s radiological, chemical and biological defense forces in a bomb explosion in Moscow early Tuesday, a person familiar with the operation said.
Ukraine’s Security Service, or SBU, carried out the killing of Lieutenant General Igor Kirillov and his assistant, the person said, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss the operation. The SBU’s press office declined to comment.
The two servicemen died when an explosive device planted on a scooter detonated near the entrance to an apartment building, Russia’s Investigative Committee said in a statement. The committee said investigators had opened a criminal case for murder.

At his final Chanukah celebration at the White House, President Joe Biden promised to ensure the release of the remaining 100 hostages held in Gaza.
Biden made this pledge to a crowd of hundreds, vowing, “I’ve gotten over 100 hostages out. I will not stop until I get every single one of them home,” which was met with loud applause.
Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff, who has spearheaded the administration’s fight against antisemitism, spoke before Biden. He reaffirmed his commitment to continuing this battle, saying, “Tonight, I am rededicating myself to fighting antisemitism and hatred of all kinds,” and vowed to carry on these efforts even after the administration’s term ends in just over a month.

During a press conference at Mar-a-Lago on Monday, President-elect Donald Trump was asked if he would consider pardoning New York City Mayor Eric Adams (D).

His answer: he’s open to it.

President-elect Donald Trump on Monday leveled accusations against President Biden and the Pentagon, suggesting they were withholding details about large drones that had been observed flying over parts of New Jersey and New York.
“The government knows what is happening,” Trump, 78, remarked after representatives from Biden’s administration claimed ignorance despite widespread sightings and even photographs captured by thousands of residents in the Garden State and New York City.
“Look, our military knows where they took off from — if it’s a garage, they can go right into that garage. They know where it came from and where it went, and for some reason they don’t want to comment,” Trump stated during a comprehensive, 70-minute press conference in Palm Beach, Florida.