Older Americans Quit Weight-Loss Drugs in Droves KFF Health News
Scientists just cracked the multiple sclerosis code after decades of searching.
Two specific gut bacteria are triggering the disease, and they've proven it using identical twins and mice.
This changes everything we know about MS: pic.twitter.com/1YOHkSekqv
— Craig Brockie (@CraigBrockie) January 6, 2026
South of the Border
Even supporters of the Venezuelan opposition are demanding Maduro's release Council Estate Media
Former Army Ranger Explains Trump's Venezuela Disaster Katie Halper, YouTube. I've seen Greg Stoker before and like him a lot. Interesting how he projects intelligence and dudeness.
Seven U.S. troops injured in Venezuela raid that captured Maduro, Pentagon says CNBC
Trump on drugs Julian Macfarlane
* * * BREAKING: Trump confirms that he kidnapped Maduro and attacked Venezuela because he wants personal control over their oil.
This is so utterly pathetic in every single way possible. How can any freedom loving person support this? pic.twitter.com/xc8JEXWWMj
— Brian Krassenstein (@krassenstein) January 7, 2026
The US and Venezuela have reached an agreement to export up to $2 billion worth of Venezuelan crude to US ports, President Trump said, a move that could redirect oil shipments meant for China and ease pressure on Venezuela's sanctioned oil industry https://t.co/SiHz3RlJQl pic.twitter.com/jZR7CdmxMl
— Reuters (@Reuters) January 7, 2026
Big Oil doesn't share Trump's dream of making Venezuelan oil great again CNN
* * * US is making plans to intercept Venezuela-linked oil tanker that Russia has claimed jurisdiction over, sources say CNN (resilc)
So as the Navy was busy figuring out how to get that one runaway tanker Oil flotilla sails from Venezuela despite US blockade Reuters
And is Bloomberg spinning for Team Trump? Chevron Lines Up 11 Oil Ships as Venezuela's Dark Fleet Vanishes
AI images of Maduro capture reap millions of views on social media Guardian
Russia Sends Submarine to Escort Tanker the U.S. Tried to Seize Off Venezuela Wall Street Journal. Suddenly it is depicted as a rusting, empty tanker.
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum addresses Trump:
“So, you voted to build a wall…
Yes, Americans, even if you don't understand geography very well—since for you America is not a continent but your country—it is important to know that before the first bricks are laid, there… pic.twitter.com/jdvUrtLcsC— Global Insight Journal (@GlobalIJournal) January 6, 2026
Climate/Environment
Hotter weather thickens the blood of wild mammals: We traced this in African striped mice PhysOrg
New, high-definition Global Warming Stripes graph using @NASA GISS temperature data.
The 2- and 3-year averages are now +1.5°C, while the 2025 annual value was only a little bit lower, due to La Niña.
Join us later today on Climate Chat, where we look back, and forward to 2026 https://t.co/Bnn5wMHPcs pic.twitter.com/b4aa2I9BZn
— Leon Simons 🌍 (@LeonSimons8) January 4, 2026
La Niña still has some gas left in the tank.
The 30-day relative Niño 3.4 Index has dipped to -0.86˚C, the lowest of the event so far.
La Niña has contributed to a weaker subtropical jet stream, suppressing the chance for East Coast snowstorms, which will probably continue. pic.twitter.com/m9LzdIb3Ga
— Ben Noll (@BenNollWeather) January 4, 2026
‼️Hundreds of High minimums records smashed with extreme margins in Greece,Turkey,Macedonia,Bulgaria,Albania and North Africa:mins up to 19C!
Next days we might see TROPICAL NIGHTS in Greece
It's one of the most extreme events in European history
0 cold records in Central Europe https://t.co/ySip3NuSy9— Extreme Temperatures Around The World (@extremetemps) January 5, 2026
Northern Greenland ice dome melted before and could melt again New Scientist
Farmers face devastating water cuts as Colorado River disappears Farm Progress
China?
China bans export of dual-use items to Japan amid tensions over Taiwan Aljazeera (Micael T)
China's 50% domestic chips tools drive lifts stocks, faces limits Asia Times (Kevin W)
China Deploys Type 052C Class Air Defence Destroyer For Operations Near Japan: How Capable Is It? Military Watch
Africa
Turkey's intelligence chief declares Africa a strategic priority Middle East Eye (resilc)
The climate crisis, aid cuts and deepening poverty are combining to drive a crisis in Madagascar Independent
European Disunion
Rubio Tells Lawmakers Trump Aims to Buy Greenland, Downplays Military Action Wall Street Journal. Lead story.
US says using military is among ‘options' to acquire Greenland Financial Times
US discussing options to acquire Greenland, including use of military, says White House BBC. We warned you Trump meant it. But this is still noise until we see troop movements. Will Trump engage in threat display?
EU Commissioner Kubilius: A US military operation in Greenland would be the end of NATO TASS via machine translation (Micael T)
In the midst of the Greenland crisis: Ulf Kristersson prepared to give your face to Donald Trump Arbetet via machine translation (Micael T)
Europe whistles past the Venezuelan graveyard Responsible Statecraft
Europe's failure to condemn Trump's illegal aggression in Venezuela isn't just wrong – it's stupid Guardian (resilc)
Housing crisis: From market failure to state failure Hintergrund via machine translation (Micael T)
Finland's preschool classrooms lead the fight against Russia Associated Press (Micael T)
Old Blighty
Watch out for bombs on your morning walk, residents warned Telegraph
UK North Sea Oil Enters Survival Mode as Investment Dries Up OilPrice
Britain's Secret Role In Yugoslavia's Destruction Kit Klarenberg
Israel v. The Resistance
‘Land without laws': Israeli settlers force Bedouins from West Bank community New Arab
Israel issues tender to build over 3,400 settler homes in occupied East Jerusalem Anadolu Agency
Israel has announced a new system for digitally tracking Palestinians 24/7 without trial. An announcement read:
“Following the directive of the political echelon, and after joint staff work by the IDF, Shin Bet, Israel Police, the Ministry of Justice, and the Legal Advisor for…
— Shaiel Ben-Ephraim (@academic_la) January 5, 2026
New Not-So-Cold War
Ukraine's allies sign declaration on troop deployment after ceasefire France24 (resilc)
View from Moscow: Europe and Russia have reached a point of clarity, and it is bleak International Affairs (Micael T)
Time to read up on the the Charge of the Light Brigade:
🚨🇭🇺BREAKING: Hungary REVEALS Ursula's European Union is going to War.
“In Brussels, they've decided to go to war. They have decided in favor for it.”pic.twitter.com/E4kaBudMrj
— Based Hungary 🇭🇺 (@HungaryBased) January 6, 2026
Why sanctions on Russia helped start the war in Ukraine and will prolong it Ian Proud
Did Russia Just Send a Message to Donald Trump? Who Ratted out Maduro? Larry Johnson
Nazis rise in Russian liberal opposition Events in Ukraine
Washington Commits $2.7 Billion to Break Russia's Grip on Nuclear Fuel OilPrice (resilc)
Big Brother is Watching You Watch
The Nation's Strictest Privacy Law Goes Into Effect ars technica. A rare bit of good news!
Here is the Agreement Giving ICE Medicaid Patients' Data 404 Media
Imperial Collapse Watch
The Politics Of Destruction Aurelien
From Gaza to Venezuela, the US has been unmasked as the serial villain Jonathan Cook (Randy K)
Why ‘Might Makes Right' Is Dangerous For All of Us Moon of Alabama (Kevin W). The related Jacques Baud video is here. Amazing sang froid given his givens.
Ukraine Allies Gathering & Hoping /Lt Col Daniel Davis YouTube. Daniel Davis very brave. He explicitly compared Trump to Hitler, see starting at 29:00.
Why will the international system enter an irreversible post-Western phase in 2026, and why? New Eastern Outlook (Micael T)
Empire's Body Count: The Hidden Carnage of the U.S. Since 1967 William Murphy
US weapons stocks booming, CEOs gloating after Maduro toppled Responsible Statecraft (resilc)
Who Has the World's Oil, and Who Can Actually Produce It Visual Capitalist (resilc). Note that Venezuela's proven reserves are considerably overstated.
China, Russia won't ‘dare test' US, says Hegseth after show of military might in Venezuela South China Morning Post (guurst). First hubris, then nemesis.
Trump 2.0
Trump warns Republicans they have to win midterms or he'll ‘get impeached' ABC (Kevin W)
Grassley, Durbin protest exclusion from Venezuela briefing, given ‘law enforcement' justification The Hill
Supremes
How Bribery Became Legal – US Code 666 and the Roberts Court Christopher Armitage (Chris N). Important.
Economy
More of this, please:
On March 8, Switzerland will vote on the initiative “Cash is Freedom”. It ensures the sustainable existence of cash and protects the Swiss franc against any replacement without a vote of the people and the cantons. 🎙️ Press conference for the launch held this morning. https://t.co/zpuTMkGQRB
— The Solari Report | Catherine Austin Fitts (@solari_the) January 6, 2026
THE HARD BIFURCATION: The Convergence of Financial Liquidity and Physical Insolvency https://t.co/MBgGrZMpap The global economy is experiencing a structural breakdown in the conversion of financial claims into physical output… The bankruptcy of US Magnesium in September 2025…
— Dr. Steve Keen (@ProfSteveKeen) January 6, 2026
Ugly Charts of US Auto Sales, 2025: Stellantis, Nissan Flirt with Catastrophe. GM, Ford, Honda Sales Rise but far below Peaks. Toyota & Hyundai-Kia Set Records Wolf Richter. We have been writing occasionally about how much of the auto industry is in trouble.
Electric car discounts are unsustainable, says industry group BBC (Kevin W)
VW's New Year's Resolution Is to Bring Back Physical Buttons Car and Driver
Mr. Market is Giddy
Financial conditions keep loosening as investors get excited about the potential for both fiscal and monetary stimulus this year. Yields on junk bonds have fallen to the lowest since 2022, despite bankruptcies starting to creep higher: pic.twitter.com/X5IVUMkZzw
— Lisa Abramowicz (@lisaabramowicz1) January 7, 2026
AI
There's something not healthy about app doctors Aftonbladet via machine translation (Micael T)
I strenuously differ with respect to my GP and IM Doc regarding the importance of GPs. This is more rationalization of the shortage of primary care physicians and the resulting crapification of care:
Remember when I said AI would replace most GP doctors, because those doctors are little more than Big Pharma pill-pushing vending machines in the first place? Well, it has begun: “NEWS RELEASE: Utah and Doctronic Announce Groundbreaking Partnership for AI Prescription Medication…
— HealthRanger (@HealthRanger) January 7, 2026
APHORISTIC INTELLIGENCE BEATS ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE Atlantic
The mother of one of Elon Musk's children says his AI bot won't stop creating sexualized images of her NBC (Kevin W)
The Bezzle
Here's everything Elon Musk promised in 2025 – and failed to deliver Mashable (resilc)
‘Same at Kia and Hyundai:' Toyota Tech Gets Work Order. Then He Looks at Step 5 motor1(resilc)
Class Warfare
Telling. Financiers assert primacy over the countries in which they live: Pensions are not a ‘plaything' in domestic investment drive, governments warned Financial Times
Rhode Island Eyes Tax on Rich to Counter Trump Policies Bloomberg
Antidote du jour (via):
And a bonus:
Rare footage of Central Park's coyote couple engaging in courtship play—affectionate pawing, nipping, and chasing— at night in a fenced-off area, as seen via thermal imaging. 🐺 ❤️ 🐺 pic.twitter.com/N9K5ADe09a
— Manhattan Bird Alert (@BirdCentralPark) January 7, 2026
A second bonus:
When an animal gives very clear instructions
— Science girl (@sciencegirl) January 7, 2026
See yesterday's Links and Antidote du Jour here.
