A Shaolin Kung Fu master will show you how.
— Science Girl (@sciencegirl) January 3, 2026
U.S. Delta Force captures Venezuelan President Maduro in large-scale raid in Caracas; Defense Minister vows to continue fighting Military Watch Magazine
entangled brain ions
Anti-aging injections regenerate knee cartilage and prevent arthritis SciTech Daily
Looksmaxxing dashes conservatives’ hopes with new trans-clavicle Cybertruck UnHerd
New coronavirus infection/pandemic
Magical thinking won’t prevent future pandemics or improve public health Science.org
Review of 200 novel human viruses spanning a century reminds us that the emergence of pathogens is not uncommon CIDRAP
Climate/Environment
Wildfire smoke is a national crisis, and it’s worse than you think Grist.org
Lahore’s smog season, Gen Z doctors talk about climate change in climate news
south of the border
World reacts to US bombing of Venezuela, ‘occupation’ of Maduro Al Jazeera
Report: US attack on Venezuela kills at least 40 people, including military and civilians Anti-war
US detains Nicolas Maduro and his wife Jonathan Turley
Trump administration sends tough personal message to oil companies about Venezuela Politico
Trump’s prime time: a historically perfect military masterclass or just a piece of theater? Simplicius
Why capturing Maduro won’t solve anything Modern War Monitor
Decapitation without Destruction: Why President Maduro’s Abduction poses a Strategic Crisis for the United States by Kautilya the Contemplator
Colombia sends troops to Venezuelan border amid fears of refugee influx The Guardian
Mexico condemns US military action in Venezuela and Maduro detention The Washington Times
China?
There are no human workers in sight in this part of China’s Wuling factory.
Machines are handling the tasks here, showing how far automation in manufacturing has come. pic.twitter.com/n306JjfHuq
— Dominic Lee 李梓祓 (@dominictsz) December 16, 2025
China taxes condoms and cuts childcare costs to boost plummeting birthrate after decades of one-child policy Daily Mail
China’s robot sports boom could eventually lead to humanoid robots being introduced into homes CNN
President Maduro meets with Chinese representative hours before Trump claims he was detained
China’s laser breakthrough: Beijing is quietly winning the next arms race National Interest
India
The year angry men took over Bollywood – what it means for India BBC
The great divide: Why are Bangladesh-India relations at a historical breaking point? – OpEd Eurasia Review
Why 2026 could be a challenging year for India Union Government
Africa
Top 5 African countries with the highest quality of life index at the beginning of 2026 Business Insider Africa
The struggles of Gen Z in South Africa, the world’s most unequal country El Pais
EAC warns of Israeli move to recognize Somaliland, threatens stability in Horn of Africa China Daily
discord in europe
France plans to ban social media for under-15s in 2026, promotes EU-wide digital ID approach Take back the internet
EU urges Venezuela to ‘restraint’ and respect international law after Maduro detains RFI
As divisions between Europe and Washington deepen, Brussels becomes even more vulnerable. impartial observer
old blighty
Data shows rise in racial and religious hate crimes on UK public transport
More over-60s facing homelessness, charity warns Guardian
Israel vs. Gaza, Yemen, Lebanon, Syria, Iran
🚨🇮🇱🇵🇸 Finkelstein: “Genocide in Gaza is a national project”
Jewish-American political scientist Norman Finkelstein isn’t holding back.
In a scathing statement, he argued that the destruction of the Gaza Strip is not just the result of Israeli government policies, but also reflects broader harm. pic.twitter.com/uV1fGpUsaF
— Mario Nawfal (@MarioNawfal) January 1, 2026
Severe weather in Gaza hits Israel’s most vulnerable and injured in war Al Jazeera
UN Secretary-General is ‘deeply concerned’ about Israel’s targeting of NGOs
United Nations urges Israel to withdraw death penalty bill for Palestinians
Israel and the politics of fragmentation: The hidden hand behind separatist projects in Yemen, Somalia and Libya Middle East Monitor
A new war that’s not so cold war
Russia makes biggest territorial gain in Ukraine since French invasion in 2022 France 24
Erdogan: Russia-Ukraine war threatens Black Sea trade The Caspian Post
Why nuclear power plants are a major sticking point in Ukraine’s peace plan NY Times
big brother is watching you
Google is tracking digital fingerprints again Mashable
Modern cars collect data from drivers without their consent, raising privacy alarm WebPro News
imperial collapse watch
Americans who work full time can save on the cost of living on $32 an hour.
After taxes and insurance, she takes home $3,200 each month.
Rent, utilities, and childcare costs $2,800 (not including food, gas, and necessities).
This is not a living expense. It’s a slow economic squeeze. pic.twitter.com/wJV8S1Y54Q
— Matrix Mysteries (@MatrixMysteries) January 1, 2026
Homeless driver exonerated in California as RV camping spreads in Los Angeles NY Post
Utah meth operation reveals how cartel drugs infiltrate the streets KUTV News
Trump 2.0
Live updates: Trump says US will ‘run’ Venezuela after Maduro takes The Hill
Trump warns Colombian president after US ‘detention’ of Maduro Andor Agency
Marjorie Taylor Greene joins AOC and Democrats in condemning President Trump’s Venezuela operation: ‘Hey, were we wrong?’ Daily Mail
Trump’s move to topple Maduro carries risks – what happens next unclear BBC
musk is important
Tesla’s annual sales drop 9% as BYD overtakes global EV leader TechCrunch
Elon Musk’s dream story, what is the reality of Optimus robot? Cryptopolitan
Did Elon Musk Just Confirm He’s Giving Money to Republicans for the Midterm Elections? “America is Cheers if This Happens” Yahoo Finance
Democratic Party Death Watch
Republicans overturn Democrats on North Carolina voter rolls Carolina Journal
Minnesota fraud scandal poses danger to Democrats in Senate race The Hill
immigration
More than 100 arrested in raids on holiday migrants across Central Coast, sparking outrage Los Angeles Times
Blackwater successor hunts down immigrants for ICE
There is no longer freedom of speech
Israeli billionaire’s call to limit free speech sparks anger among conservatives Newsweek
Israeli billionaire’s call to restrict free speech provokes conservative Fury Blaze media
Mr. Market is in a bad mood.
Why Donald Trump is toasting the falling dollar The Times
Oil market could absorb Maduro shock as global supply expands Bloomberg
The 2025 house price crisis in chart form: What changed and what stayed the same Investopedia
A.I.
The average forward-looking income of an OpenAI worker will make your jaw hit the floor
How Google AI puts people at risk of harm with misleading health advice The Guardian
New study shows how AI could transform heart disease drug prescribing Euronews
‘Remove the top’: Grok AI floods sexual images of women The American Bazaar
Is the relationship with AI misunderstood? BU News Service
basil
Bitcoin ATM fraud hits record high of $333 million; FBI exposes cryptopolitans
Meta stock falls after-hours as fraud advertising ‘strategy’ report refocuses on regulatory risks Techstock 2
guillotine watch
And…it sold! 🥚
Hammer price: £19.5 million ($25.7 million)
Final price including fees: £22.9 million ($30.2 million)
A Fabergé winter egg commissioned by Tsar Nicholas II in 1913 went up for auction in London today, setting a record price for a Fabergé egg. https://t.co/iv2YgbWUiJ pic.twitter.com/4fRNdeu0f8
— Muse (@xmuse_) December 2, 2025
Fabergé eggs are elaborate jeweled eggs created by Russian jeweler Peter Carl Fabergé and originally made for the Russian Tsar. pic.twitter.com/SxLElsYuWX
— Very interesting (@interesting_aIl) September 3, 2024
Antidote (via)
See yesterday’s link and antidote here
