Links 1/3/2026 | naked capitalism

South of the Border: US Coup in Caracas

Trump says US has ‘captured’ Venezuelan President Maduro and his spouse in ‘large-scale strike’ BBC. Larry Wilkerson did say it might be achieved with as little as a brigade a while in the past. That is so so dangerous. Amongst different issues, China and Russia will go on full struggle footings. A contact who taught World South diplomats stated proper after the strikes started:
“One in every of my ex college students is there. Armed mobs are looking down People.” He added later: “The riots in Iran appear to be really fizzling out as counter protestors are taking to the streets to seek out the armed provocateurs. 30+ caught to date plus a manufacturing facility full of ladies making petrol bombs. It might suck to be them.”
And: “I’m undecided what kidnapping Maduro achieved, they’ve a VP who will step into his sneakers. Does Marchado suppose she’ll be greeted with rose petals? And on what grounds will she be put in, she wasn’t even within the presidential race. A lot for democracy.”
And can the militia blow up the oil wells?
🚨In a Fact Social publish, Trump says the U.S. has “captured” Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his spouse and flown them overseas.
Supply: https://t.co/IRtMiiEVfh pic.twitter.com/PszfDyGqoy
— jeremy scahill (@jeremyscahill) January 3, 2026
Venezuelan president Maduro captured and flown out of nation following ‘massive scale’ US assault, Trump says – dwell Guardian. From its feed:
Venezuela will resist the presence of overseas troops, defence minister Vladimir Padrino stated in a video early on Saturday, stories Reuters, as Donald Trump stated Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro had been captured and flown overseas.
A US assault on the nation within the early morning struck civilian areas, Padrino stated, and Venezuela is compiling details about lifeless and injured folks.
Stay: Trump claims Venezuela’s Maduro ‘captured’ after assaults Aljazeera. Stay feed. An entry simply earlier than 6 AM EST:
Sultan Barakat, professor of public coverage at Hamad Bin Khalifa College in Qatar, informed Al Jazeera that the US’s actions in Venezuela sign an finish to respect for worldwide regulation and that it has additionally given worldwide rivals an excuse to do the identical factor.
“That is most likely a nail within the coffin of any worldwide settlement. The very precept of state sovereignty now has been taken aside,” Barakat stated.
There are stories on Twitter of the US taking the Caracas airport, however I see no affirmation in any dwell information feed. And we’ve this from the BBC:
United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio anticipates no additional motion towards Venezuela following the seize of Nicolás Maduro, says a Republican senator.
Mike Lee confirmed Venezuelan President Maduro’s arrest, to face trial on felony fees within the US, following a cellphone name with Rubio.
“He [Rubio] anticipates no additional motion in Venezuela now that Maduro is in US custody,” says Senator Lee.
Lee provides that the US strikes had been “deployed to guard and defend these executing the arrest warrant”.
The following 72 hours are vital for the world.
If the USA succeeds in imposing management over Venezuela, and by extension over the world’s largest confirmed oil reserves, it should mark a significant shift in international energy.
Such a transfer wouldn’t be about restoring democracy or… pic.twitter.com/B1EPd54Uy3
— Ibrahim Majed (@ibrahimtmajed) January 3, 2026
A number of explosions rock Venezuelan capital Caracas CNN
Full-scale army operations look like underway towards Venezuela, with dozens of helicopters with the U.S. Military noticed over the capital of Caracas. pic.twitter.com/kIqfbGjOK4
— OSINTdefender (@sentdefender) January 3, 2026
#BREAKING Reported US army strikes on Venezuela have ‘no substantive foundation,’ violate int’l regulation, says deputy speaker of Russia’s Federation Council in 1st response by Moscow pic.twitter.com/65z5nwhdkw
— Anadolu English (@anadoluagency) January 3, 2026
Observe this tweet is dated simply earlier than the strike began. Had been the Chinese language officers in Caracas when the assault started? Was this a part of what drove the timing?
JUST IN: 🇨🇳🇻🇪 Chinese language officers arrive in Venezuela for talks with President Nicolás Maduro. pic.twitter.com/abviFRZV3f
— BRICS Information (@BRICSinfo) January 3, 2026

Tradition, Science, Medication

How I outgrew Nietzsche Unherd
The Shared Stroll; A Reflection on Jim Holt’s Excursions to the Fringe of Thought The One % Rule
New Cell paper from the workforce that found glymphatic clearance (how your mind removes waste throughout sleep).
Sleep hours DIDN’T predict mind cleansing. Neither did REM or deep sleep.
They discovered what really issues – and why some sleeping drugs would possibly undermine it 🧵 pic.twitter.com/PcXOX2TPqB
— Dr. Dominic Ng (@DrDominicNg) January 2, 2026
‘Chinese language Peptides’ Are the Newest Biohacking Pattern within the Tech World New York Instances (resilc)

#COVID-19/Pandemics

We’re coming into peak flu season, and a brand new variant often known as “subclade Ok,” is spreading rapidly throughout the nation, driving a pointy rise in sickness and hospitalizations. Public well being officers say this present wave might final for weeks to return. @WmBrangham spoke with John Hopkins… pic.twitter.com/e7T0TRPlRJ
— PBS Information (@NewsHour) January 2, 2026

Local weather/Atmosphere

Clusterf&%okay alert!
The three-year operating common for the worldwide floor temperature anomaly is now 1.52°C above the 1850-1900 pre-industrial baseline. That is possible the most popular 3-year operating imply in over 120,000 years. pic.twitter.com/HI7UfLamGa
— Prof. Eliot Jacobson (@EliotJacobson) December 30, 2025
Glaciers are melting. It might reawaken the world’s most harmful volcanoes CNN
Wildfire smoke is a nationwide disaster, and it’s worse than you suppose Grist
Why there’s no escape from Delhi’s greatest killer Sky
How the local weather disaster confirmed up in People’ lives this 12 months: ‘The shift has been swift and stark’ Guardian
Forcing way of life modifications might weaken help for local weather motion, examine finds Unbiased. Sigh. There will likely be compelled way of life modifications. You possibly can select just a few now or have much more later. Shortage and disaster will make them inevitable.
The Effectively Watchers Mom Jones (guurst)

China?

China should take motion to keep away from Japan-style deflation spiral, students warn South China Morning Submit
Taiwan’s £7.5tn secret weapon is disintegrating Telegraph
Beijing seems to warn it might intercept Evergreen ships transporting HIMARS to Taiwan, in struggle or peace Pekingology
China Arms a Container Ship | Picket/Surveillance | First Strike | Value Efficient | Expendable What’s Occurring With Transport? YouTube

Japan

Pacifist Japan has slowly reworked from completely self-defense to a army build-up Los Angeles Instances

European Disunion

Christine Lagarde’s pay is 50% larger than disclosed by ECB Monetary Instances (Micael T)
Individuals in Germany are more and more frightened about their jobs, based on a survey DPA Worldwide
French farmer protests: union requires ‘mass restart’ of motion Connexion
The Agricultural Revolt on Europe’s Southern Periphery: Greece’s Warning to the EU’s Federalist Challenge New Japanese Outlook (Micael T)
Germany begins sending types to 18-year-olds asking them if they’re match for struggle as conscription legal guidelines come into impact Every day Mail
Finland goals to spice up reservist numbers to 1,000,000 – by elevating higher age restrict Pressure Information
Aftonbladet’s survey exhibits: 22 % of ladies don’t wish to have kids Aftonbladet through machine translation (Micael T)

Previous Blighty

UK authorities vows to ‘defend’ choice to strip Shamima Begum of citizenship Center East Eye (resilc)
Jewish teams warned ban on Maccabi Tel Aviv followers attending match might be seen as ‘antisemitic’ Guardian

Israel v. The Resistance

Israel is working a two-tier import system for Gaza, permitting industrial merchants to usher in “dual-use” objects that humanitarian organizations are barred from importing, based on reporting by the Guardian.
Objects blocked for assist teams on safety grounds embody… https://t.co/22B2VmPpYI
— Drop Web site (@DropSiteNews) January 2, 2026
Abraham Accords: Much less Historic Than Marketed Libertarian Institute (Kevin W). From final month, nonetheless germane
AIPAC IS RETREATING FROM ENDORSEMENTS AND ELECTION SPENDING. IT WON’T GIVE UP ITS INFLUENCE. Intercept (resilc)
Pictures: 1000’s march in Turkiye in help of Gaza on New Yr’s Day Aljazeera
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No less than seven killed as protests unfold in Iran ITV. Observe that safety forces had been apparently among the many lifeless.
Trump says if Iran “kills peaceable protesters,” the U.S. will “come to their rescue” CBS. doug c: “I assume just a few will likely be shot from a roof prime now?”
Trump Says U.S. Is ‘Locked and Loaded’ if Iran Kills Protesters New York Instances (resilc)
Trump’s Menace to ‘Rescue’ Iranian Protesters Is Reckless Daniel Larison
US and Israel Prepping for a New Assault on Iran by Making a Narrative of Authorities Chaos Larry Johnson. As a lot as I like Johnson, I differ with this framing. The US possible believes its PR as in it has satisfied itself that there’s a possibility the place one doesn’t exist a lot. Secondly, Bibi’s pressing must go after Iran now on account of cratering US in style help of Israel leads Israel to vastly overhype any supposed alternatives or threats.

Saudi Arabia units executions file in 2025, placing 356 folks to loss of life New Arab (resilc)

Saudis v. UAE

Saudi Arabia backs Yemeni president’s name for Riyadh talks, urges southern factions to attend Anadolu Company

New Not-So-Chilly Warfare

SITREP 1/2/26: Odessa Strain Peaks, as Zelensky Publicizes Main Senior Workers Reshuffle Simplicius
Zelensky names spy chief to move presidential workplace after corruption row BBC
Will Zelensky survive 2026? Occasions in Ukraine. Leans towards a Betteridge Legislation violation
Is Trump Simply Too Rattling Good? Or is that Putin? Olivier Boyd-Barrett. IMHO buries a key concept, that the latest barrage of press tales, notably a significant piece within the New York Instances, in regards to the US and Ukraine “separating” is a disinfo operation.
Putin Assassination Try Foiled. Trump Threatens Assault On Iran Amid Protest Jamarl Thomas, YouTube. From Helmer by e-mail:
Within the Jamarl Thomas podcast I’ve tried to go from the army information on the bottom to the political information on the bottom, and thence to the strategic penalties:
— If the CIA/Ratcliffe are telling the reality and if Trump believes it, then no US settlement on Russian phrases is feasible within the weeks forward.
— if GRU/Kostyukov is telling the reality, and the assault was focused on the President or the nuclear command-control bunker, this triggers Russian nuclear retaliation doctrine. Wanting nuclear retaliation, what can Putin do if the American facet is set to go on supporting Zelensky (plus Budanov) and if Trump is endorsing this line? Observe that for the trade of information on the drone operation, the Russian facet despatched Admiral Igor Kostyukov, chief of GRU army intelligence. The US facet despatched an unnamed naval officer of captain’s rank who isn’t Rear Admiral Manero, the listed head of the Pentagon’s illustration in Moscow — it is a deliberate US insult.
— The Russian facet should conclude now that by means of the drone assault plan on Novgorod, just like the June 1 assault on the Tupolev nuclear bomber fleet, the US is threatening to assault extra forcefully sooner or later within the confidence it might probably overwhelm Russian deterrence capabilities, and with the timing of Budanov’s appoint to be counted as effectively, the US facet is assured it might probably hold preventing on the entrance to forestall collapse, hold the regime in energy in Kiev for the long run, hold hanging at Putin’s and Russia’s vulnerabilities, and so forth.
Drawback in Moscow — what message to ship again for efficient deterrence? How lengthy to delay earlier than sending it?
I’m puzzled by the concept that an settlement with the US on Russian phrases is one thing Helmer sees as potential on any time-frame wanting having to return to grips with an imminent political or army collapse. Trump is a weak individual and President and there are too many opposed home factions, even when Trump had been able to sticking to choice, versus falling in with the final one that spoke to him.
Ukrainian Strikes on Russia’s Power Property Hit a Month-to-month Document Bloomberg
Listening to what common Ukrainians are saying in regards to the struggle Accountable Statecraft (resilc)
Lithuania is making ready to explode bridges on the border with Russia and Belarus TopWar (Micael T)

Huge Brother is Watching You Watch

DHS Says REAL ID, Which DHS Certifies, Is Too Unreliable To Affirm U.S. Citizenship Purpose
Keir Starmer is beginning 2026 with a plot to tear up our freedoms with one atrocious transfer Categorical (resilc). What should you go away your cellphone at house rather a lot, or begin doing so if this goes by means of? We had been very eager about Justine Haupt’s rotary 4G cellphone, however sadly it was to not be.

Imperial Collapse Watch

World flashpoints: the conflicts to observe in 2026 Nation Thailand
Democracy in retreat amid rising international battle and assist cuts, warns David Miliband Unbiased
The Ottoman Empire “Debt Lure”: How Britain Purchased The Center East YouTube

Trump 2.0

America Talks Powerful, Acts Misplaced Paulo Aguiar
An Israeli cybersecurity billionaire demanding to remove People assured First Modification Free Speech and President Trump threatening struggle and sending in troops to Iran is the whole lot we voted towards in ‘24.
Trump voters spent the week threatening a tax revolt as a result of they… https://t.co/AD2n3t7mFV pic.twitter.com/n5uI9jfdKg
— Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene🇺🇸 (@RepMTG) January 2, 2026
4 methods Crew Trump reminded us of Bush-Cheney in 2025 Accountable Statecraft (resilc)
* * *
Trump’s Tangled Net of Deal-Making, Coverage and Riches New York Instances (resilc)
Trump’s wealth grew in 2025, however his traders took lumps Axios
* * *
‘Their first intuition was to loot’: how Trump’s acolytes are plundering the Kennedy Heart Guardian (resilc)
FCC Bans Sale Of All Overseas Drones In The U.S. Jalopnik (resilc)

Immigration

ICE Drives Unmarked Vehicles. This Public Database Tracks Their License Plates. Intercept (resilc)

GOP Clown Automotive

GOP lawmakers, annoyed with dysfunctional Congress, head for the exits The Hill

Mamdani

Zohran Mamdani’s Message Goes Nationwide: Tax Justice, AI, and the Finish of Austerity Politics Egberto
Mamdani Demotes NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch Ken Klippenstein
Mamdani Revokes Govt Orders That Adams Signed to Help Israel New York Instances

Gunz

California ban on brazenly carrying weapons is unconstitutional, court docket guidelines Guardian

Financial system

World financial system in 2026: Three eventualities and a dystopia ElPais
Aluminum costs soar on Trump tariffs, international shortages, and China provide chain strikes Kevin Walmsley
World property bubble watch: Miami, Tokyo and Zurich flagged as highest-risk cities Nation Thailand

Mr. Market is Giddy

Gold and Silver Regular at New Yr as Index Promoting Looms Bloomberg
Central banks enter the gold commerce to choke off smuggling Monetary Instances

What AI means for the way forward for policing Axios

The Bezzle

⚡️Non-public fairness is frozen as a result of the system can not agree on actuality.
And when value settlement disappears, capitalism stops allocating capital and begins preserving appearances.
1. What is definitely taking place
PE companies purchased belongings assuming:
• zero charges
• limitless… https://t.co/jwdpYPIARj
— SightBringer (@_The_Prophet__) December 31, 2025
https://t.co/f8qQJ5NUYz pic.twitter.com/Dti0ZYXpRp
— Warren B. Mosler (@wbmosler) January 2, 2026

Class Warfare

Listing of Corporations Laying Off Staff in January Newsweek (resilc)
U.S. households extra pessimistic on funds regardless of regular inflation Investing
‘A state of disaster’: file variety of People are pessimistic about US healthcare system Guardian
Mother and father Are Going Broke From Their Children’ Sushi Obsession Wall Avenue Journal. No archived or syndicated model but.

WTF is fallacious with these supposed adults? Did they by no means be taught the phrase “no”?

Antidote du jour. John U: “Sierra Newts underwater”:

And a bonus (guurst):

Child hedgehogs resting safely on their mom’s abdomen whereas floating on water
pic.twitter.com/ntDCTpSVsc
— Science woman (@sciencegirl) December 23, 2025

A second bonus: