In recent discussions, various reports have highlighted critical issues spanning environmental changes, international relations, and economic challenges. This article delves into these pressing topics, offering insights into how they connect and their implications for society today.
Ideological bias in the production of research findings Science
Climate/Environment
Hidden climate costs: Rising heat is draining U.S. incomes Earth.com
The Western United States just had its warmest December in recorded history, and likely the warmest in many thousands of years. pic.twitter.com/QrY4KKLsJ7
— Colin McCarthy (@US_Stormwatch) January 6, 2026
Palisades fire report was sent to mayor’s office for ‘refinements,’ Fire Commission president says Los Angeles Times
Blame and Claim The Baffler
Japan
Japan’s nuclear watchdog halts plant’s reactor safety screening over falsified data AP
China?
China buys more US soybeans, total purchases near 10 million tons The Standard
Nvidia requires full upfront payment for H200 chips in China: sources Business Times
China’s economy is heading for a rough 2026 ThinkChina
How Chinese Scholars Perceive the U.S. Lawfare Against Venezuela Inside China
Syraqistan
Next stop: Yemen or Iran? GeoPolitiQ
Iran Signals Readiness for Preemptive Strikes Against Emerging Threats Resistance News Unfiltered. Major shift.
Terrorists of the Jaysh al-Adl assassinated an Iranian military Captain Mahmoud Haqiqat in the province of Sistan and Baluchestan.
The US has designated Jaysh al-Adl a terrorist organisation, but they together with Israel support them, just as they did ISIS and al-Qaeda. pic.twitter.com/GfU2qH4l7z
— Sentletse 🇿🇦🇷🇺🇵🇸🇱🇧 (@Sentletse) January 7, 2026
‘Israel’ discussing military base, security ties with Somaliland Al Mayadeen
For the past 3 months, I’ve been living in Hargeisa, Somaliland.
I’ve been warned by locals that writing this could put me at risk of arrest, but I feel compelled to tell the truth.
Here’s what the media is hiding about the so-called “Israeli recognition” of Somaliland…🧵 pic.twitter.com/ENfammSawO
— Jody McIntyre (@jodymcintyre_) January 3, 2026
Yemen’s STC raises alarm as delegation ‘disappears’ in Riyadh New Arab
Africa
US Launches Airstrike in Somalia During Helicopter Raid Against al-Shabaab Antiwar
Old Blighty
AI companies are using Brexit ‘freeports’ to leech UK water supplies The Canary
European Disunion
Brussels plans special rule book for corporates outside national law FT. Paywalled but here’s a preview.
EU countries gear up to let US tap their citizens’ biometrics Euractiv
Rubio says he plans to meet Danish officials next week to discuss US interest in Greenland Euronews
New Not-So-Cold War
Escalation-Mad Trump’s Coast Guard Seizes “Russian” Ship 5,500 km From US Coasts Simplicius
U.S. Forces Seize Fleeing Russian-Flagged Oil Tanker In North Atlantic The War Zone
Reflagged by Russia, spied on by UK, seized by US: why so much interest in a rusty tanker in the Atlantic? The Guardian
Cold War 2.0 or World War Three: What’s the Difference? Karl Sanchez
Mafia Increases Activities Moon of Alabama. And More Ideas On How To Counter The Mafia’s Increasing Activities Moon of Alabama
South of the Border
US Says It Will Control Venezuela Oil Exports Indefinitely Bloomberg
‘US will take all the oil stuck in Venezuela and sell it in market, at market rates’: Marco Rubio WION
UPDATE:
A helpful Republican Senator tells me the idea here is that the US is showing it does not own the proceeds from the oil it is seizing but still wants to control it. So not going straight to US government (treasury), but to banks (a bank?) to hold at US direction.…
— Lisa Desjardins (@LisaDNews) January 7, 2026
Did Venezuela VP Hand Over Maduro in Deal With the US? Consortium News
The U.S. bets on her, but can Venezuela’s new leader deliver? Her life might depend on it Miami Herald
In post-Maduro Venezuela, US eyes security chief as potential target, sources say Reuters. Gangsters.
The Narco-Trafficking Elite Set to Run Venezuela (w/ Maureen Tkacik) The Chris Hedges Report
Was There Another Incentive to Kidnap Maduro? Larry Johnson
La Guaira: The U.S. bombed a medical supplies distribution center during its terror attack on Venezuela, destroying a warehouse that stored supplies for a nephrology program for patients undergoing hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis, affecting at least 9,000 kidney patients. pic.twitter.com/37D08zQeJN
— Camila (@camilapress) January 7, 2026
***
A lot of people seem unaware of the achievements of the socialists in Venezuela 🇻🇪 before US sanctions wrecked the economy. Here’s a rundown by the numbers (taken from the United Nations and quoted in my book, “Bad News From Venezuela, 20 Years of Fake News and Misreporting”):…
— Alan MacLeod (@AlanRMacLeod) January 7, 2026
🚨 NEW | Keir Starmer is less popular in Britain than Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.
🇻🇪 Maduro -31
🇺🇸 Trump -56
🔴 Starmer -56
🟩 Hamas -58Net favourability ratings via @YouGov, 4-5 Jan pic.twitter.com/2lrnA00mEl
— Stats for Lefties 🍉🏳️⚧️ (@LeftieStats) January 5, 2026
Trump 2.0
‘I’m Just Talking About Globally’: Forget Greenland, Says Rubio, US Reserves Right for Military Invasion Anywhere It Wants Common Dreams
Trump proposes massive increase in 2027 defence spending to US$1.5T, citing ‘dangerous times’ AP
The Plot to Steal the World: Crypto-Fascists and Trump’s World War Crime Spree Dougald Lamont
How Trump 2024 Neo-Coned America First. The Dissident
Israel expanded propaganda contract with Trump’s former campaign manager All-Source Intelligence
Blackstone stock sinks after Trump plans steps to ban institutional investors from buying single-family homes Yahoo! Finance
Police State Watch
ICE officer fatally shoots driver through car window in Minneapolis Minnesota Reformer
Here’s the best angle of the ICE shooting in Minneapolis. Absolutely unnecessary. The victim is reported to be a legal observer and U.S. citizen. pic.twitter.com/mbq1bYwW9U
— Houtan Yaghmai, Esq. (@houtan_esq) January 7, 2026
Live updates: Minneapolis Public Schools cancels classes for the rest of the week The Hill
Walz orders MN National Guard to prepare for possible deployment following ICE killing Minnesota Reformer
Deadly Minneapolis Encounter Is the 9th ICE Shooting Since September New York Times
Accelerationists
Palantir co-founder Joe Lonsdale publicly endorsed a post calling for the extermination of “commies,” responding “Exactly” and asking, “What did you think founding Palantir was supposed to be about?” on X.
— Drop Site (@DropSiteNews) January 6, 2026
Imperial Collapse Watch
The Great Unraveling Has Begun New York Times. Grim numbers: “…from 1989 to 2014, battle-related deaths from cross-border conflicts averaged less than 15,000 a year. Beginning in 2014, the average has risen to over 100,000 a year.”
Tooze’s Imperialist-Cosplay VS. Stupid Imperialism Un-Diplomatic
Trump withdraws US from 66 international organizations and treaties USA Today
Mamdani
It’s Dangerous to Overestimate the Left’s Strength Labor Politics. Is this a joke?
Mamdani Kisses the National Security Ring Ken Klippenstein
Spook Country
BlackNest: Inside Canary Mission’s Secret Web of Unlisted Sites Drop Site
From an article on the intelligence purpose of prediction markets written by two military intelligence officers. Prediction markets are basically a system of paying HUMINT assets, anonymously but in the open, using money provided by casual gamblers and speculators. https://t.co/S5AW6Jsk6m
— Palantir Neurodivergent Fellow 👊🔻🇵🇸 (@postcyborg) January 6, 2026
Why Polymarket Is Not Paying Bets On The U.S. Invading Venezuela Forbes
After Venezuela, traders start betting on Trump’s next target: Panama, Greenland, even Iran Money Control
“MAHA”
U.S. Unveils New Dietary Guidelines MedPage Today
US builds case to retain measles elimination status as infections mount Reuters
HHS freezes $10B in funding for 5 states — 3 federal updates Becker’s Hospital Review
Sweeping cuts are being made to the US childhood vaccine schedule Sheena Cruickshank
If a kid gets meningococcemia because they didn’t get the meningitis vaccine and then loses their limbs due to overwhelming sepsis where should they wear their wearable? https://t.co/8hcblq8PxU
— Dr. Annie Andrews (@AnnieAndrewsMD) January 6, 2026
The golden age of vaccine development Works in Progress
Healthcare?
The Other Health Care Cliff Americans Are About to Fall Off HEALTH CARE un-covered
AI
OpenAI Launches ChatGPT Health, Wants Access to Your Medical Records Gizmodo
Mem-ageddon: AI chip frenzy set to drive DRAM prices up by 70% The Register
Our Famously Free Press
The New York Times Publishes Pro-War Propaganda About Venezuela, Funded By The U.S., Chevron and ExxonMobil. The Dissident
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Owners Couldn’t Bust the Union, so They Shut Down the Paper Communication Workers of America
Economy
America is Losing Blue Collar Jobs Apricitas Economics
Here’s the key data: Hiring
Hiring was anemic in November.
The 3.2% hiring rate was one of the worst since the Great Recession era.The United States is in a hiring recession. Virtually no jobs added since April outside of healthcare.
Both blue-collar and white-collar… pic.twitter.com/HYDbYWMxqq
— Heather Long (@byHeatherLong) January 7, 2026
Class Warfare
While living in his car, LBCC student launches campus club to support his homeless classmates Long Beach Post
Antidote du jour (via):
Bonus:
A full year passed with no answers. Our cat vanished, and with every week that went by, hope grew quieter. We searched, put up signs, and held on as long as we could—until accepting the possibility that he might never come home.
Then today happened.
My wife and I were out on a… pic.twitter.com/WL0I8hvlqC
— Mr PitBull (@MrPitbull07) January 7, 2026
See yesterday’s Links and Antidote du Jour here.
