Author: sorecery
A new study published in Science Advanceshas revealed that prototaxites—the giant structures that towered over Earth’s landscapes some 400 million years ago—were neither plants, nor fungi, nor animals. Instead, they belonged to a completely unknown and now‑extinct lineage. These organisms were enormous for their time: up to 26 feet long and more than 3 feet wide, rising like colossal pillars on a planet where the tallest plants barely reached a few inches. Their cylindrical forms dominated vast stretches of the supercontinent Gondwana, jutting out of the ground as massive, leafless, branchless columns. For more than 160 years, scientists proposed that prototaxites might be primitive trees, giant algae, or enormous fungi—but every theory ran into contradictions.…
At first glance, it looked like nothing more than debris. But once the dust was brushed away, that insignificant scrap of dirt turned out to be one of the most profound discoveries in the region. This was the Gezer Calendar. The tablet dates back to the 10th century BCE, placing it in the era of King Solomon. Unlike the grand victory monuments or royal decrees usually pulled from the earth, this inscription is remarkably simple. It’s a list of agricultural seasons. Carved in the rough, scratching script of Paleo-Hebrew, the text breaks down the year for a farmer. It simply…
The Senate’s compromise to end the ongoing partial government shutdown survived an important hurdle on Monday night, teeing up the legislation for a vote in the House of Representatives on Tuesday. The House Rules Committee, the final gatekeeper before most bills get a chamberwide vote, advanced the upper chamber’s deal with the White House with little internal discord among Republicans on the panel. But the measure could face issues on the House floor during a second procedural hurdle called a “rule vote,” which needs a simple majority of lawmakers to unlock debate and a vote on final passage. House votes normally fall…
Five-year-old Liam Conejo Ramos and his father, Adrian Conejo Arias, asylum seekers who were detained by federal agents last week and sent to a Texas detention facility, arrived back in Minneapolis on Sunday after a judge ordered the government to release them. “I’m happy to finally be going home,” Conejo Arias, who is originally from Ecuador, told ABC News’ John Quiñones in an exclusive interview as the pair flew from San Antonio back to Minneapolis. “Liam is very happy to be going back,” Conejo Arias added. “He’s going to see his mom and his brother again.” Exclusive ABC News videos show Conejo…
Pakistan has been battling a separatist movement in Balochistan for decades, where rebels target state forces, foreign nationals and non-locals. At least 10 security officials and 11 civilians have been killed as armed men launched coordinated attacks across Pakistan’s Balochistan province, officials said, in the latest incident in the violence-hit southwest region. Several police stations in the provincial capital of Quetta were targeted by alleged ethnic Baloch gunmen in an attack that began at about 3am local time on Saturday (22:00 GMT on Friday). Pakistan has been battling a separatist movement in Balochistan for decades, where rebels target state forces,…
1. Introduction: The Return of Great Power Territoriality The geopolitical architecture of the North Atlantic underwent a profound stress test in the opening weeks of 2026, precipitating a diplomatic crisis that threatened to fracture the cohesion of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and redefine the parameters of United States foreign policy in the High North. Following the inauguration of President Donald Trump for a second term, the United States executed a strategic pivot from the rhetorical overtures of 2019 to a policy of coercive diplomacy aimed at securing permanent, sovereign control over Greenland. This shift was not merely a…
In the mid-2020s, South Asia’s geopolitical landscape shifted dramatically with Sheikh Hasina’s ousting in Bangladesh, leading to the rise of Jamaat-e-Islami as a key political player. The United States’ engagement with this historically marginalized Islamist party reflects a strategy to counter Chinese influence, yet raises concerns about stability and minority rights ahead of the 2026 elections.
Literature & Military History (Dhaka) — The literary world is buzzing this week with the release of Cheetahs in the Red Dust, a gripping new book by retired military officer turned author, Mostafa Anwarul Aziz. The highly anticipated work offers an unprecedented, boots-on-the-ground account of the Bangladesh Special Forces’ heroism in the Central African Republic, shedding light on the classified realities of modern peacekeeping. https://a.co/d/gP54oMb A Warrior’s Promise Kept Aziz, who retired from the Bangladesh Army in 2025 to focus on writing for the next generation, has penned what critics are already calling a “modern war classic.” The book chronicles…
The U.S.-Europe alliance faces a critical challenge as European troops deploy to Greenland, defying Washington’s interests and prompting President Trump’s economic retaliation with tariffs against several nations. The deployment signifies NATO’s commitment to defending Danish sovereignty amidst escalating geopolitical tensions, which have strained diplomatic relations and heightened Arctic conflict.
DATE: January 17, 2026 LOCATION: Caracas / Washington D.C. BYLINE: Global Affairs Desk (Caracas) — The Venezuelan flag flies over Miraflores Palace today, but the power behind the throne was secured not in the streets of Caracas, but in the Oval Office, sealed with a golden medallion. Maria Corina Machado, the “Iron Lady” of the opposition, has formally assumed the presidency of Venezuela, marking the end of the Chavista era and the beginning of what analysts are calling the “Petro-client State” arrangement with the United States. This transition follows the dramatic January 3 extraction of Nicolás Maduro by U.S. forces—a…