Mario Nawfal

ALUMINUM-LITHIUM: THE METAL THAT BEAT TITANIUM Titanium is usually hailed as the hero of the future. Indestructible, corrosion-proof, and abundant. It's the metal that launched a thousand dreams: skyscrapers that never rust, bridges that outlive civilizations, and bio-buildings that breathe and shift like living things. It’s all there, locked behind the Kroll process, a 1930s bottleneck we haven’t broken in nearly a century. But what if the real 21st-century metal snuck right past us? Enter aluminum-lithium. It's not as exotic, not as poetic. But it quietly delivers what titanium only promises: higher strength-to-weight ratio and affordability. Yes, you read that right. When it comes to aerospace and high-performance structures, aluminum-lithium alloys already outperform titanium in key metrics. Lighter. Stronger. Easier to manufacture. Recyclable. And unlike titanium, it doesn’t need a Cold War-era extraction ritual to escape from ore. This isn’t theoretical. Airbus, SpaceX, and Boeing have been using Al-Li alloys for years in aircraft frames and rocket bodies. Why? Because they want strength without weight, and they don’t want to pay titanium prices for it. So why aren’t our cities reflecting this? Why are our towers still clad in concrete and steel, aging like milk in the sun, instead of shimmering with ultra-light alloys that could last centuries? Because we’re stuck in a materials mindset that mistakes familiarity for inevitability. We wait for titanium to get cheaper instead of using what’s already better. We romanticize impossible alloys instead of engineering with the ones right in front of us. Aluminum-lithium is not perfect. It’s finicky to weld. It can be more brittle in extreme cold. But it doesn’t need to be perfect, it just needs to be good enough to change how we build. It’s time to stop treating buildings like disposable tech and start thinking in centuries. The Romans gave us aqueducts that still stand. We give our grandkids drywall and mildew. If we want the future to look like the future, we need to stop waiting for titanium to break free, and start building with the material that already did. Aluminum-lithium won the strength-to-weight race. Now it just needs architects to notice.

Drones are the future of battlefields! This is the force reshaping warfare... t.co/pIlOUgWolc

🇺🇸THE HEAT IS ON: SPACEX RAPTOR EDITION The SpaceX Raptor engine endures temperatures hotter than 3,300°F during flight—enough to melt steel like butter. To survive, it relies on advanced cooling tech, including liquid methane flowing through channels to absorb and dissipate heat. It’s not just an engine; it’s a literal fire-breathing dragon built to conquer space. Source: @SpaceX @mcrs987

FAREWELL TO A LEGEND: PERRY, BELOVED SHREK DONKEY, PASSES AWAY AT 30 Perry, the iconic miniature donkey of Bol Park and inspiration for Donkey in Shrek, has died after battling a painful hoof disease. Known for his feisty, playful personality, Perry spent decades lifting spirits and bringing joy to visitors, cementing his place as a cherished local figure. Handlers are planning a memorial to honor the life of this beloved community icon. Source: Palo Alto Online

🇮🇱 ISRAELI POLICE ARREST AT LEAST 6 IN TEL AVIV PROTESTS Clashes erupted during a rally in Tel Aviv, leading to the arrest of at least 6 protesters. Source: Times of Israel t.co/OAPeG1Cs4m

🚨🇺🇸ROB SCHNEIDER PITCHES CONSERVATIVE ALTERNATIVE TO 'THE VIEW' Comedian Rob Schneider has proposed a new all-women panel show as a conservative, entertaining alternative to ABC’s The View. Schneider met with LA Times owner Dr. Patrick Soon-Shiong to discuss funding the project, joined by actress Cheryl Hines. The show promises humor, independence, and household names in its cast. Distribution remains a challenge, but Schneider aims to provide competition to The View, calling for more diversity in political perspectives on TV. Source: OutKick

🚨🇬🇧TRAGEDY IN UK’S LAKE DISTRICT: MAN FALLS 70M TO HIS DEATH A man has died after falling 70 meters from Sharp Edge, a ridge on Blencathra mountain in the Lake District. Rescue teams, supported by a helicopter, recovered his body amid icy conditions, with temperatures dropping to 2°C. Sharp Edge is known for its challenging terrain, described as both exhilarating and dangerous for climbers. Keswick Mountain Rescue: "Our thoughts and condolences go to the man's family and friends." Source: Sky News

🚨🇺🇸CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND OIL INDUSTRY SUE VERMONT OVER CLIMATE LAW The U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the American Petroleum Institute filed a federal lawsuit against Vermont’s new law requiring fossil fuel companies to pay for climate change damages. The lawsuit argues the law violates the U.S. Constitution, conflicts with the federal Clean Air Act, and unfairly targets out-of-state companies. Vermont, the first state to pass such a law, aims to recover costs linked to greenhouse gas emissions since 1995. The law has drawn attention from other states like New York. Source: Fox Business

🇺🇸JAMES CARVILLE: I WAS STUPID “I lost it myself. We made it about Trump and we didn’t make it about voters and that’s all. It’s never a good idea. And how could I, at 80 years old, been doing this for 50 years, lapse into that level of stupidity?” t.co/0R8lPQ7DRN

🇺🇸 CHAMATH: MY BIGGEST POLITICAL WINNER FOR 2025 ARE FISCAL CONSERVATIVES “I think that we are going to test a very important concept in 2025, and I hope it works, which is that of austerity. And the reason why austerity has to work is that the only thing left after austerity is to cut entitlements. And I think that in doing this, we're going to figure out how much waste, fraud and abuse exists in the United States federal government.” Source: @theallinpod, @Chamath

🇲🇲MYANMAR FREES THOUSANDS IN INDEPENDENCE DAY AMNESTY Myanmar’s military regime announced the release of 5,864 prisoners, including 180 foreign nationals, to mark 77 years of independence from British rule. The government claims the move is based on “humanitarian grounds,” commuting life sentences for 144 inmates to 15 years. However, Aung San Suu Kyi, Myanmar’s former leader and Nobel laureate, remains imprisoned, serving 27 years on 14 charges, which she denies. Meanwhile, ethnic armed groups continue battling military forces, with rebels recently capturing key territories, including a 271km border stretch with Bangladesh. Source: Al Jazeera

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🚨🇺🇸 OAKLAND RECORDS 7TH HOMICIDE IN FIRST WEEK OF 2025 A woman was fatally shot at an East Oakland gas station late Thursday night, marking the city’s 3rd homicide of the year and 7th since Monday. Police responded to the Kwik Serv on East 12th Street, but the victim later died in the hospital. Oakland’s early 2025 violence follows a brief drop in homicides late last year. Source: San Francisco Chronicle

🚨MEET MOHAMED BZEEK: FOSTER DAD TO TERMINALLY ILL CHILDREN Mohamed Bzeek, a 65-year-old in Los Angeles, has cared for 80 terminally ill children, offering them love in their final days. Mohamed: “The only house that accepts dying orphans in LA is my house.” 10 children have passed away in his arms. Bzeek names abandoned babies, ensuring they feel safe, loved, and part of a family, even if only for a short time. Despite his own cancer battle, he remains committed: “If I am scared, what about them? We should help each other.” Source: LA Times, Guardian of Angels

🚨🇺🇸 RECALL ALERT: 39,000 JOHN DEERE MOWERS About 39,000 John Deere ZTrak™️ mowers with Kawasaki Engines are being recalled because faulty voltage regulators can overheat, posing a fire hazard. Models Z720E, Z730M, Z740R, and Z760R sold from 2018-2024 are affected. No injuries yet, but owners should park them and call for a free repair before they turn their lawn care into a bonfire. Source: KRON4

🚨🇺🇸INFLUENCERS TAKE PAYPAL’S EXTENSION 'HONEY' TO COURT OVER 'STOLEN' COMMISSIONS 2 class-action lawsuits accuse Honey, PayPal’s popular coupon extension, of hijacking affiliate commissions from creators by improperly claiming credit for sales. The lawsuits argue that Honey uses "last-click attribution" to steal commissions even when it doesn’t find a coupon. This practice harms YouTubers and content creators who rely on affiliate earnings. Honey denies wrongdoing, claiming it follows standard industry practices and helps shoppers save money. Legal experts say the case may face hurdles since last-click attribution is widely accepted, but it’s far from a slam dunk for PayPal. With major creators like Marques Brownlee and Hank Green speaking out, Honey risks losing the influencer partnerships it depends on for promotion. 3 million users already uninstalled Honey, dropping its user base from 20 million to 17 million in just days. Sources: Business Insider, Digital Information World

🚨🇺🇸 RAPPER 2 LOW FIRES OFF (LITERALLY) DURING PODCAST 2 Low accidentally shot his gun while reaching into his pocket on the 1 on 1 With Mike D podcast. After a quick break, they picked up the interview like nothing happened. Source: @CollinRugg

OCTOPUSES: SMARTER THAN YOUR AVERAGE TURKEY, MAYBE YOUR DOG Octopuses aren’t just sea weirdos—they’re ocean geniuses. With 500M neurons, 300M in their arms, they solve problems, use tools, and can even wait for better snacks like they’re in some underwater Marshmallow Test. California and Washington banned octopus farming in 2024, because these “alien” brains might deserve better treatment than most farm animals. Meanwhile, Spain’s planned octopus farm is sparking global outrage. Are octopuses smarter than turkeys or just better escape artists? Either way, their intelligence is making us rethink who gets a spot in the animal welfare club. Source: Popular Science

🚨 12-HOUR NEWS RECAP 🇺🇸 Trump came out swinging after Judge Merchan scheduled his sentencing for Jan. 10, calling it a “Rigged Charade” and slamming the “illegal gag order” meant to hide Merchan’s “disqualifying and illegal conflicts.” 🇺🇸 In the House, Rep. Mike Johnson secured reelection as Speaker on the second round of voting. The GOP drama? Par for the course, but Johnson’s back in the seat. 🇺🇸 Biden’s decision to give the Medal of Freedom to George Soros has critics in an uproar. The billionaire’s funding of soft-on-crime DAs and anti-Israel protests isn’t sitting well with the right—or parts of the left. 🇺🇸 America begins a solemn farewell to Jimmy Carter, as his remains start their final journey from Plains, Georgia. The tributes are a rare sign of unity in today’s divided politics. 🇨🇳 A fire tore through Liguang Market in Zhangjiakou, northwest of Beijing, killing 8 people and injuring 15. The tragedy marks a devastating start to the new year. 🇨🇳 The FBI issued a red flag to lawmakers, warning of a Chinese disinformation campaign alleging U.S. Congress members are bribed by Taiwan to pass pro-Taiwan policies. Beijing’s game of distraction and division continues. 🇩🇪 In Berlin, AfD leader Alice Weidel ripped into police for failing to arrest an “Arab influencer” who launched fireworks into a child’s bedroom. Her verdict? “Berlin has surrendered to migrant violence.” 🇺🇸 In Brooklyn, 71-year-old Grandma Linda Rosa became a subway legend when 4 teens tried to rob her. After taking a punch to the face, Rosa grabbed 2 attackers by the hair and slammed them to the ground. The internet crowned her a legend. 🇬🇧 Nigel Farage is coming for Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch, accusing her of lying about Reform UK and declaring her seat a key target in the next election. The Farage vs. Tories feud is heating up. 🇺🇸 Ice-T had a fiery showdown with a New Jersey cop over expired plates. Pulled over near the DMV, he claimed he was on his way to fix the issue, but the cop wasn’t having it, threatening to tow his Porsche. Ice-T? Not cool with it.

🇺🇸SPACE COAST IN ACTION: NASA AND SPACEX HARD AT WORK As NASA teams gear up on ML-2, SpaceX quietly rolled a Falcon 9 booster and payload fairing past the @NASASpaceflight cams. The Space Coast truly never sleeps!

🚨🇺🇸IAN CARROLL ON THE LAS VEGAS CYBERTRUCK BOMBING: DON’T BELIEVE EVERYTHING YOU SEE “If evidence starts pointing toward a war with China, Iran, or Russia, it’s probably a setup by the deep state.” t.co/LIvuMwzROi

LONELINESS > SCREEN TIME: WHY COLLEGE STUDENTS CAN’T SLEEP Turns out, it’s not TikTok keeping college students awake—it’s loneliness. A study from Oregon State University found 63% of lonely students suffered from insomnia, nearly double the sleeplessness of their less lonely peers. For non-lonely students, screen time only became a problem after a whopping 8-10 hours daily—which, honestly, is impressive dedication to doomscrolling. Researchers suggest colleges invest in mental health resources and activities to help students feel less like extras in a zombie movie. Source: OPB

🚨SOUTH KOREAN INVESTIGATORS PUSH FOR IMPEACHED YOON'S ARREST Investigators have urged acting President Choi Sang-mok to order security forces to enforce an arrest warrant for impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol. Security personnel blocked prosecutors from arresting Yoon during a 6-hour standoff yesterday. The warrant stems from Yoon’s controversial December 3 martial law declaration, marking the first arrest warrant issued for a sitting president in South Korea. Police have summoned the presidential security chief for questioning next week, further escalating tensions. Source: Newsmax

🚨TRUMP ALLIES RAISE $200 MILLION FOR INAUGURATION, LIBRARY, AND PACs This record-breaking effort includes $150 million collected by the Trump Inaugural Committee, surpassing the $107 million raised for his 2017 inauguration. Major contributions have come from corporations such as Pfizer, Amazon, Meta, and OpenAI, as well as cryptocurrency firms like Ripple, which committed $5 million, and Robinhood, which donated $2 million. Donors contributing $1 million or more will receive exclusive access to high-profile events, including formal dinners and black-tie balls with Trump and Vance. Lobbyist David Tamasi described the corporate donations as a "time-honored D.C. tradition," signaling a pragmatic approach to working with the incoming administration. Source: Newsmax

🚨WASHINGTON POST CARTOONIST QUITS OVER SPIKED BEZOS/TRUMP CARTOON Ann Telnaes, a Washington Post cartoonist, has resigned after the paper rejected her cartoon depicting Jeff Bezos groveling to Trump. Telnaes accused the Post of suppressing her work for targeting its billionaire owner. Editorial Page Editor David Shipley defended the decision, claiming it aimed to avoid redundancy, not stifle critique. The cartoon portrayed Bezos, other tech moguls, and Disney characters offering money to Trump, following Bezos' public support and a $1M inauguration donation. Source: NYT

🚨🇺🇸 HOW A DECORATED ARMY VETERAN PLEDGED ALLEGIANCE TO ISIS BEFORE DEADLY ATTACK Shamsud-Din Jabbar, an Army veteran and Deloitte employee, shocked loved ones by secretly joining ISIS before his deadly New Year’s Eve attack in New Orleans. In chilling videos filmed during his drive to the city, Jabbar declared, “I joined ISIS earlier this year,” and spoke of a “war between believers and disbelievers.” Jabbar’s radicalization began with growing isolation in a Houston-area Muslim community, where he withdrew from worship and immersed himself in conservative teachings. Investigators found extremist recordings he posted online, criticizing modern music and linking it to “the voice of Satan.” Carrying an ISIS flag, he used a rented truck to kill 14 on Bourbon Street before being fatally shot by police. Source: NYT

🚨🇻🇪 VENEZUELA’S OPPOSITION LEADER GONZÁLEZ MEETS URUGUAY’S PRESIDENT This afternoon, Edmundo González met with Luis Lacalle Pou and was warmly greeted by the Venezuelan community in Montevideo. t.co/uv3JXS1Yh4

🚨🇺🇸NYC DOCTORS STRIKE COULD HIT 4 PUBLIC HOSPITALS — AND PATIENTS HARD Over 1,000 doctors at NYC public hospitals are ready to walk off the job on Jan. 13, fed up with burnout, bad staffing, and stalled pay talks. The potential strike targets Queens Hospital, Jacobi Medical, North Central Bronx, and South Brooklyn Health — all serving the city’s most vulnerable communities. Mayor Eric Adams urged the Doctors Council SEIU union and private employers Mount Sinai and PAGNY to delay the strike and resume negotiations. Adams: “A strike of physicians at 4 public safety net hospitals in 3 boroughs poses substantial risks to the health and safety of the city's patients and communities. There is never a good time for any disruption to these and other services, and I am especially concerned about that possibility as we confront freezing temperatures and winter respiratory illnesses.” With flu, Covid, and freezing temps, timing couldn’t be worse. The City Council’s meeting today to try and stop the chaos. Sources: Gothamist

🚨🇺🇸TESLA'S UPGRADED MODEL Y "JUNIPER" SPOTTED IN PALO ALTO, CALIFORNIA The refreshed Model Y has been sighted again in Palo Alto! New images confirm front turn signals are now integrated into the light bar. Source: @TeslaNewswire t.co/KBchsj5RHH

🇺🇸FROM ‘INCREDIBLE’ TO UNTHINKABLE: DIVORCE TURNS DEADLY Jennifer Sheffield called her ex-husband “incredible” in a video about their divorce. 2 weeks later, he shot her, then himself. Tragically, their child was home during this horror. Source: @CollinRugg