Why there’s always room for dessert – an anatomist explains The Conversation
Why Marathon Training is Shortening Your Life
Your heart isn’t designed for continuous strain. The same cardiovascular challenges that enable you to endure longer can also leave you exposed to vulnerabilities.
Exercise undoubtedly saves lives, but chronic high-intensity workouts may pose risks. pic.twitter.com/5QIApyi3Fm
— Metabolic Uncle (@MetabolicUncle) December 24, 2025
Investors Warn of ‘Rot in Private Equity’ as Funds Strike Circular Deals New York Times
Dad’s Microplastic Exposure May Prime Daughters for Insulin Resistance StudyFinds
How Accurate Are Learning Curves? Construction Physics
How Father Christmas Found His Reindeer History Today
The Radioactive Reindeer Problem JSTOR Daily
Climate/Environment
Southern California sees third death from atmospheric river storm drenching region The Guardian
‘The Poor Are in a Very Bad State’: Climate Change Accelerates California’s Cost-of-Living Crisis Capital & Main
Increasing Demand for Minerals Used in Renewables Could Worsen Mining-Related Deforestation: Study Down to Earth
Yes, Asian and African rivers produce 95% of ocean plastic, but nobody questions the origins of this plastic.
Plastic recycling has long been a scam. The industry knew as early as 1974 that it couldn’t be justified economically.
They funded recycling campaigns regardless because the… https://t.co/vnScAWEZ7b
— Vittorio (@IterIntellectus) December 23, 2025
New Study Finds Sea Level Rise is Accelerating, Contradicting Federal Report WBUR
A Massive Stone Wall Built 7,000 Years Ago Was Found Intact Beneath the Sea Off the Coast of France ZME Science
The Koreas
North Korea Reveals 8,700-Ton Nuclear Submarine as Kim Jong Un Warns South Korea Interesting Engineering
Japan
Japan’s Cabinet Approves Record Defence Budget Aimed at Deterring China Channel News Asia
Japan Has Become a Troublemaker in the International Community: Global Times Editorial Global Times
China Urges Travel Agencies to Cut Japan-Bound Visitors by 40%, According to Sources Straits Times
China
India
US Raises Red Flag for India? Pentagon Report Flags China-Pakistan Cooperation in Defence & Space Financial Express. Full report.
Syraqistan
‘Israel’ Detains Santa Claus Amid Raid on Haifa Christmas Celebration Al Mayadeen
Israel ‘Will Never Leave’ Gaza Strip, Defense Minister Says Anadolu Agency
‘They Want to Cleanse Syria of Christians’: A Community Speaks of Betrayal, Terror, and Exile The Cradle
Russia Reportedly Mediating Security Pact Between Israel and Syria with US Approval New Arab
Africa
Trump Says US Launched Strike Against ISIL in Northwest Nigeria Al Jazeera
Nigeria Confirms Ongoing Security Cooperation with US Over Terrorism Threat Anadolu Agency. Commentary:
(1)
What a sad day to be a Nigerian.
This will be the first time since Nigeria’s establishment that another country conducts a military operation on our soil to “help” us dislodge terrorists.
Even at the height of Boko Haram, our government rejected foreign intervention outright…
— Iyo Obietonbara (@sankofa360) December 26, 2025
(2)
Ironically, the individual who was once second in command of ISIS is now the president of Syria and an ally who recently visited the White House. Instead of attacking those elements in Nigeria, Trump should invite them to the White House for discussions. Perhaps a deal could be struck! https://t.co/wTAqRHii4a
— Ajamu Baraka (@ajamubaraka) December 26, 2025
(3)
Their goal: to execute coordinated cross-border strikes on insurgent groups that have taken thousands of lives throughout the region. Keywords: Cross-Border Strikes. Which borders do you think will be crossed to combat terrorists nurtured and empowered to destabilize the region? The prospect of war looms.☠️
— Djehoutimessou Aa (@DjehoutimessouA) December 26, 2025
Burkinabe’s President Traore Takes Helm of Sahel Confederation as AES Unveils Stronger Strategy West African Voice Network
Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger Launch $895M Regional Investment Bank Business Insider
O Canada
The Toronto Tragedy JRUrbaneNetwork
European Disunion
Liberalism’s Denouement in Europe’s Permanent State of Exception Warwick Powell
We warned Merkel repeatedly.
We were told we didn’t understand Germany’s relationship with Russia, which wouldn’t pose a problem for securing Russian energy.
She was wrong, and those who followed her were mistaken as well.
Germany must immediately reinstate nuclear energy.
— Richard Grenell (@RichardGrenell) December 25, 2025
New Not-So-Cold War
Multiple Russian milbloggers have started confirming that Ukrainian forces have largely recaptured the key northeastern city of Kupyansk.
Russian milblogger Rybar laments, “we defeated ourselves.” pic.twitter.com/sQniobrhxq
— OSINTtechnical (@Osinttechnical) December 25, 2025
Ukraine Strikes Oil Refinery in Russia’s Rostov Oblast with Storm Shadow Missiles, General Staff Says Kyiv Independent
‼️‼️‼️ BREAKING – NATO Fighter Jets Were Scrambled After Russian President Vladimir Putin Ordered Tu-95MS Strategic Bombers on a Christmas Sortie Toward Northern Britain, According to the Mirror. The Aircraft Flew Over the Norwegian Sea, Prompting an Air Policing Response Amid… pic.twitter.com/x7PbFDEjN4
— Visioner (@visionergeo) December 25, 2025
Access Without Authority: The Structural Failure of US Backchannel Diplomacy with Russia Kautilya the Contemplator
***
Russia Becomes Europe’s Largest Crypto Market BIT Markets
Russia Plans to Monitor Every Click as Kremlin Pushes Internet ID Scheme Intellinews
Three Killed in Moscow Explosion, Including Two Police Officers in Suicide Bombing Intellinews
South of the Border
White House Orders Military to Focus on ‘Quarantine’ of Venezuela Oil Reuters
U.S. Military Killed Boat Strike Survivors for Not Surrendering Correctly The Intercept
This chase for the Bella 1 tanker carrying Venezuelan oil has become a five-day farce.
Daffy Duck is directing the Pentagon with Elmer Fudd running U.S. foreign policy. https://t.co/7TzdKcXs2Y #Venezuela #oil #sanctions #CoastGuard #Geopolitics
— Art Berman (@aeberman12) December 26, 2025
L’affaire Epstein
In 1982, Jeffrey Epstein Was Already Living Under a Fake Passport Identity and Traveling All Over the World. The North Star
Trump: Merry Christmas to all, including the many sleazebags who adored Jeffrey Epstein, attended his parties, and claimed he was the greatest guy on earth, only to “drop him like a dog” when the situation became too heated, falsely asserting they had no connection to him. pic.twitter.com/lQGkx8ffLg
— Acyn (@Acyn) December 25, 2025
Trump 2.0
Trump’s Economic Lies Exposed by Charts: Jobs Falling, Inflation Rising, Reality Ignored Egberto Off The Record
Merry Christmas, America. We are blessed to share a nation and a Savior. pic.twitter.com/SDYujiojXS
— Homeland Security (@DHSgov) December 24, 2025
Tracking How Much of Project 2025 the Trump Administration Achieved This Year PBS
Democrats en déshabillé
Liberal Despair Thomas Frank, Harper’s
All I Want for Christmas is for the Democrats to Play Identity Politics the Right Way. The Hill
Immigration
Stephen Miller Cites Children of Immigrants as a Problem New York Times
Imperial Collapse Watch
THE STIBNITE DOCTRINE Shanaka Anslem Perera
AI
Ashley MacIsaac Concert Cancelled After AI Wrongly Accuses Him of Being a Sex Offender CBC
Nuclear Developer Proposes Using Navy Reactors for Data Centres Financial Post
Nvidia to Acquire Groq Assets in $20 Billion AI Licensing Deal Al Mayadeen
Our Famously Free Press
Washington Post: Venezuela Uses Real and Actual Threat of Invasion and Regime Change as “Excuse” to Prepare to Defend Against Invasion and Prevent Subversion. Whenever the US Threatens a Country, US Regime Media Spins Its Response as Further Proof of the Need for Invasion pic.twitter.com/Tp8uwYnvkw
— Ali Abunimah (@AliAbunimah) December 25, 2025
The Bezzle
Waymo Must Compensate People $22 to Close Stuck Robotaxi Doors Gizmodo
Casino Nation
GAME OVER: THE END OF FINANCIAL REGULATION AS WE KNEW IT LPE Project
Teens Battle Grease and Gravity in This Lively Street Game Aeon
Antidote du jour (via):
See yesterday’s Links and Antidote du Jour here.
