🚨 U.S. Senate advances bill 60-40 to reopen federal government.

Following Tucker Carlson’s defense of Nicolás Maduro, it was revealed that his recent guest, Robert Amsterdam, is a paid lobbyist for the Venezuelan regime. FARA filings show that Amsterdam’s firm received over $4 million in just four months from Maduro’s government to lobby for the removal of U.S. sanctions. Carlson has said he speaks regularly with Amsterdam, who remains registered as a foreign agent representing the Venezuelan government.

Ukrainian drones have struck Russia’s massive Black Sea oil export terminal at the port of Tuapse. Footage shows what appears to be a Ukrainian USV detonating in the Tuapse harbor.

Massive explosions and a large fire broke out Sunday at an industrial factory in Lima’s San Juan de Lurigancho district, according to local media and footage from the scene. No casualties have been reported so far.

The first released onboard footage shows a UK-supplied Raven SAM system operated by Ukrainian forces shooting down Russian Kh-59 and Kh-101 cruise missiles. Developed by British engineers in just a few weeks, the Raven has proven to be a highly effective and low-cost air defense system.

Ahmed al-Sharaa, the current president of Syria following the ouster of Bashar al-Assad, will meet with President Trump at the White House next Monday. He will be the first Syrian leader ever to visit the White House. Just a few years ago, al-Sharaa was the head of al-Qaeda’s Syrian branch and was imprisoned by the United States as part of the War on Terror, spending five years in a detention facility for terrorists.

During recent IDF operations across Judea and Samaria, three terrorists were eliminated, six explosive devices were seized, and more than 60 wanted suspects were arrested. In Hebron and Qalqilya, troops confiscated an M16 rifle, two Airsoft pistols, and ammunition. In the town of Samu’, forces uncovered a weapons production workshop and detained several additional suspects during more than ten separate raids.

Edan Alexander, a 21-year-old U.S.-Israeli IDF soldier freed after 584 days in Hamas captivity through a Trump-brokered deal, delivered a remote acceptance speech for the Fox Nation Patriot Awards’ Honor Award. Speaking from Israel, he thanked President Trump for securing his release and said, “Serving Israel and standing for America remains the greatest privilege of my life.”

U.S. Senate on Thursday blocked a measure barring U.S. President Donald Trump from launching war on Venezuela.

U.S. President Donald Trump has granted pardons to disgraced former Tennessee House Speaker Glen Casada and one of his co-conspirators following their corruption convictions and sentencing, according to WSMV. In a statement to WSMV, Casada confirmed: “Yes, the president called me today and granted me a full pardon. I’m grateful for his trust and confidence in my innocence throughout this entire ordeal. I’m now a private citizen and look forward to spending time with my family and friends. Hundreds of people have been praying for this outcome, and I’m deeply thankful to the president and to the Lord for answering those prayers.”

Swedish Gripen fighter jets could be delivered to the Ukrainian Air Force as soon as next year, according to Ukraine’s Ministry of Defense. Sweden is also exploring ways to help finance the deal, including the possible use of frozen Russian assets to fund the aircraft.

Belgium’s National Security Council convened an emergency meeting Thursday to address an unprecedented surge in drone sightings over the past week near airports and military bases across the country. On Tuesday, unidentified drones were spotted near every major airport in Belgium, prompting a temporary closure of national airspace. While officials have not made any public statements regarding responsibility, sources within Belgian security services said there is “little doubt” that a state actor is behind the incidents — “very probably Russia.”

Senate Budget Committee Chairman Lindsey Graham is advocating for another budget reconciliation package — a process requiring only a simple majority in the Senate and allowing Republicans to bypass a Democratic filibuster to advance President Trump’s funding priorities.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian issued a grave warning today amid the worsening water crisis in the nation’s capital, saying the government may be forced to order a full evacuation of Tehran if conditions do not improve by December. The Karaj Dam — which has a maximum capacity of 180 million cubic feet and supplies drinking water to Tehran and a neighboring province — is reportedly down to just 7% of its capacity. According to Mehdi Maghsoudi, Director of Karaj Water Affairs, the city’s supply of clean water could be exhausted within two weeks.

The FAA announced Thursday that a ground stop has been issued for LaGuardia Airport in New York until 7:15 p.m. ET due to staffing shortages, as the government shutdown continues.

Tucker Carlson responded to Megyn Kelly’s criticism over his interview with Nick Fuentes, saying: “Do your own interview. You’re not my editor—buzz off. If you want to yell at Fuentes, I’ll give you my cell number. Call him.”

U.S. President Donald J. Trump has reportedly voiced concerns to senior aides about the possibility of launching military action to remove Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. The potential operations — which could include airstrikes on military and government sites as well as covert ground missions — have raised fears that such actions might fail to force Maduro from power and could instead spark a full-scale war between the United States and Venezuela, according to officials familiar with the discussions who spoke to The Wall Street Journal.

Sean Dunn, 37, a former Department of Justice employee who gained online notoriety as the “sandwich thrower” after throwing a salami Subway sandwich at a Customs and Border Protection immigration agent in Washington, D.C., last August, has been found not guilty of misdemeanor simple assault by a D.C. jury.

According to two sources familiar with the matter, federal prosecutors are preparing grand jury subpoenas to investigate intelligence officials from the Obama era who authored an assessment concluding that Russia interfered in the 2016 presidential election to aid Donald Trump. — Reuters

Russia’s Volgograd oil refinery, one of the largest in the region, has been shut down after a Ukrainian drone strike damaged the facility last night. According to Reuters, the attack damaged the refinery’s main processing unit, CDU-5, along with a hydrocracker.