‘A true miracle’: 7-year-old boy survives 5 days in lion-infested game park in Zimbabwe USA Today
The Year of the Wolves Montana Free Press
Plants and trees are able to predict volcano eruptions Earth.com
How Would Fearmongers and Doomers Invest in The Stock Market? The Sentinel Intelligence
Why “Foaming” The Runway Is No Longer Commonly Used In Aviation AV Geekery
Climate/Environment
Colossal winter storm unleashing snow, ice from Plains to mid-Atlantic Accuweather
Pandemics
Ex-FDA chief says Biden ‘mishandling’ bird flu, urges swift action from Trump The Hill
Several Illinois hospitals requiring masks as respiratory infections climb NBC Chicago
Africa
The Koreas
Washington’s (not so) strong man in Seoul is defying arrest Drop Site News
Japan
Uh…McDonalds Japan just posted an ad in Jindaimoji神代文字
For those of you playing at home this is a script made up in the 18th century in an attempt to prove ancient Japanese had a writing form before they adopted Chinese. https://t.co/1t66K4pXsX— eric ゑリｯ久 (@shinobu_books) January 3, 2025
China?
China’s central bank vows to use multiple monetary policy tools, cut RRR, interest rates at appropriate time Global Times
Chinese Sixth Generation Fighters Poised to Cut Pentagon Demand For F-35s: Lockheed Martin Stock Drops After New Jets’ Unveiling Military Watch
China’s Paper Boat Navy: A Colossus At Risk Of Capsizing – Analysis Eurasia Review
Spinning a tune: Chinese scientist names new spider species after Jay Chou songs Channel News Asia
Old Blighty
Britain’s Collapse and Ireland’s Future Eriugena Review
The UK’s Strategic Shift: Entering External Association with the United States Modern Diplomacy
Syraqistan
Biden administration said prepping $8 billion arms package for Israel, including heavy bombs The Times of Israel. Commentary:
Antony Blinken has a stronger emotional response to the wine list than he does to genocide pic.twitter.com/8EtjwqZo54
— Tim Barker (@_TimBarker) January 4, 2025
***
U.S. Reportedly Setting Up New Base In Northern Syria The Warzone
Pentagon vehemently denies reports of new US base in Syria’s Kobani Al Arabiya
***
Handshake-gate in Syria Politico. The deck: Syria’s de facto leader extended a hand to France’s foreign minister, but not to Germany’s Baerbock. Women’s rights were a focus of the trip. Meanwhile:
CONFIRMED:
Syria’s Interim Justice Minister Shadi Al-Waisi, is seen sentencing/overseeing death penalty of women for adultery/prostitution, as a part of Al Nusra Front’s application of Sharia law back in January 2015 in areas the front controlled in Idlib.
– The first video was… pic.twitter.com/00R36qXt8g
— Rami Jarrah (@RamiJarrah) January 4, 2025
***
China helping Houthis obtain weapons for unmolested Red Sea passage i24
Critical and opportune: Time to take the Houthis out of the equation Jewish News Syndicate
New Not-So-Cold War
US Prepares New War, MSM: Biden Admin Debates Iran Strike; Russia Takes Ukraine Lithium Alexander Mercouris (video). Discusses the possibility that the US will strike will Iran before it signs strategic partnership with Russia.
Russia intercepts eight US-supplied ATACMS missiles — MOD RT
Drones attack Russia’s largest commercial seaport overnight – Russian media Ukrainska Pravda
The Interview: Antony Blinken Insists He and Biden Made the Right Calls New York Times
‼️🇺🇸🇺🇦 Blinken admits to NYT the US armed Ukraine long before the SMO
“We made sure that … starting in September (2021 – ed.) and then again in December, to stealthily deliver a large number of weapons to Ukraine to make sure that they have everything they need to defend
–>👇 pic.twitter.com/IlD5fU3a8g— David Roth-Lindberg (@RothLindberg) January 4, 2025
Ukraine Can Expect Further US Aid Offers Before Biden Leaves Office, White House Says RFE/RL
German opposition supports deployment of German peacekeepers in Ukraine Ukrainska Pravda. The CDU, which is expected to lead next government following Feb. election.
Which Way Ukrainian Hooligan? Bandera Lobby Blog
European Disunion
Ursula von der Leyen has ‘severe’ pneumonia Politico
The Austrian Chancellor Karl Nehammer resigns after talks on forming a government collapsed Euronews
Germany ‘entering longest economic slump since WW2’ Brussels Signal
German police state to be expanded following the auto attack in Magdeburg WSWS
Ten years after the Paris attacks, France lives in a ‘permanent state of emergency’ Middle East Eye
The Caucasus
Georgian businesses and employees to carry out nationwide strike demanding new elections The Kyiv Independent
South of the Border
Two People Claim to Be President of Venezuela – Will US Militarily Intervene? Venezuelanalysis
Argentina’s far-right libertarian President Javier Milei is trying to push through anti-worker labor reform that will increase the work day to 12 hours, with no overtime.
It will also allow companies to pay workers partially with tickets (not real money) that can only be used at… pic.twitter.com/q3Ou56MGMO
— Ben Norton (@BenjaminNorton) January 5, 2025
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China Donates 70 Tons of Equipment to Cuba To Restore Its Electric System Orinoco Tribune
Honduras will be declared a country free of illiteracy in 2025, thanks to Cuba’s “Yo, sí puedo” program. @XiomaraCastroZ pic.twitter.com/SBfHcvlBlt
— Kawsachun News (@KawsachunNews) January 2, 2025
Spook Country
The FBI Account of the Las Vegas Bomber Story Does Not Make Sense Larry Johnson, Sonar21
Is your car spying on you? What it means that Tesla shared data in the Las Vegas explosion AP
Musk is definitely doing surveillance capitalism and working hand in glove with intel agencies. https://t.co/oBHYW4V263
— ecosocialist musician (@EcosocialistM) January 4, 2025
Gaslit Nation Matt Taibbi, Racket News
AI
Emotional infiltration Internal exile
Imperial Collapse Watch
The dangers of ‘victory’ Pearls & Irritations
Biden Administration
Hillary Clinton, George Soros and 17 others honored with Presidential Medal of Freedom at White House ceremony NBC News. Commentary:
Biden gave the Presidential Medal of Freedom to Jose Andres, who has appeared in photos with Trump’s would-be assassin Ryan Routh.
He also gave one to a Soros.
They are just doing it out in the open now, and nobody is being much bothered by it. https://t.co/oXwXgnCKkn pic.twitter.com/sFo0w8szAP
— Olga Bazova (@OlgaBazova) January 5, 2025
Trump Transition
US capital in ‘heightened threat environment’ after New Year’s Day attacks VOA
The cheerleading for expanding private prisons and biometrics among the so-called “dissident” right on this site is unnerving.
If you think this expansion of the police state is just going to be for “illegal immigrants”, you’ve ignored the last 40+ years of American history. https://t.co/npuzstmWSM
— Whitney Webb (@_whitneywebb) January 3, 2025
Kamala & Walz
Harris to oversee electoral count, restoring norm that Trump shattered WaPo
Gov. Walz proposes stiffer penalties, using AI to fight fraud in Minnesota programs Minnesota Reformer
Healthcare?
Concerns Continue Over Private Equity’s Reach Into Healthcare MedPage Today
Drugmakers plan price hikes for 250+ medications in 2025: Reuters Becker’s Hospital Review
Mental Illness Prophesies Society’s Spiritual Sickness Mad in America
Police State Watch
Ohio Puts Police Bodycam Footage Behind a Paywall The Intercept
Antitrust
The Rise of the French Fry Cartel Jacobin
What’s Coming on the Anti-Monopoly Front in 2025? BIG by Matt Stoller
Class Warfare
Amazon worker – struck and shot in New Orleans terror attack – initially denied time off The Register
Antidote du jour (via):
See yesterday’s Links and Antidote du Jour here.
