Professional Appearance: Buyers described the experience as being "like on Amazon," featuring professional-looking ads and user-friendly websites. Unlike dark web markets that typically require cryptocurrency, these surface web operations allow purchases via credit cards and e-transfers.


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Zohran Mamdani officially became the 112th mayor of New York City on January 1, 2026, marking several historic milestones for the city. A 34-year-old Democratic Socialist and former state assemblyman, Mamdani is the city's first Muslim mayor and the first person of South Asian descent to hold the office. 

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the Trump administration escalated its opposition to the EU's Digital Services Act (DSA), claiming it facilitates "extraterritorial censorship" of American viewpoints and unfairly targets U.S. tech companies.  U.S. officials, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio, argue the DSA forces American platforms like X (formerly Twitter) and Meta to apply strict EU content standards globally. They claim this compels platforms to censor speech protected by the First Amendment—such as political humor or dissent—to avoid massive fines.

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The investigation, reported by veteran correspondent Sharyn Alfonsi, detailed the "brutal and torturous conditions" inside El Salvador’s CECOT mega-prison. The report featured interviews with Venezuelan migrants whom the Trump administration had deported to the facility earlier in 2025 under claims of gang affiliation. 

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In December 2025, Jeffrey Epstein survivors Annie Farmer, Haley Robson, and Jess Michaels reported they had not been contacted by anyone from President Donald Trump's Department of Justice regarding the release of investigative files. 

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Rep. Ted Lieu has publicly called for a war crimes investigation by the Department of Justice into the U.S. military's second strike on an alleged drug-smuggling boat in the Caribbean on September 2. He asserts that "killing shipwreck survivors is a war crime". On September 2, U.S. forces conducted a strike on a suspected drug-trafficking vessel. After an initial strike, two survivors were reportedly seen clinging to the wreckage. A second strike was then ordered, which killed the remaining people and destroyed the boat.

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Sixty-two Indigenous cultural belongings from First Nations, Inuit, and Métis communities in Canada have been returned by the Vatican in a significant step for reconciliation. The items arrived in Montreal on Saturday, December 6, 2025, a century after many were originally sent to Rome for a 1925 Vatican exhibition. The collection includes a rare, century-old Inuvialuit kayak used for beluga and whale hunts (believed to be one of only five in existence), an 1831 wampum belt, Cree embroidered gloves, masks, and weapons.

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Alberta Premier Danielle Smith is considering a proposal that would require oil and gas companies to pay a deposit before drilling new wells. The idea is a response to the growing cost of cleaning up inactive and abandoned wells, which has left the provincial government with a large bill.  Speaking at an industry event in early December 2025, Premier Smith suggested that companies could be required to put aside a deposit of around $10,000 per well. This money, along with any accrued interest, would be used to cover reclamation costs once a well is no longer in use.

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At a Special Chiefs Assembly held in Ottawa from December 2-4, 2025, the Assembly of First Nations (AFN) unanimously adopted an emergency resolution to uphold the existing oil tanker ban on the northern coast of British Columbia. The resolution also demands that the federal government withdraw from a recent pipeline deal signed with Alberta. 

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In a December 2, 2025, appearance, Pompeo discussed the administration's ongoing efforts to oust Maduro and combat alleged narco-terrorists, emphasizing that the U.S. needs to continue a serious, sustained campaign. The U.S. under the second Trump administration has significantly increased its military presence and operations in the Caribbean, including strikes on alleged drug trafficking vessels as part of "Operation Southern Spear".

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