WHAT WE'RE WATCHING
1. 🇮🇷 Iranian regime prepares for collapse. With communications cut nationwide, anti-regime protests have spread across Iran and are now pressing into the capital. Reports say Ayatollah Khamenei is in hiding and may be preparing to flee, as more than 200 people are reported dead in Tehran alone and pro-Shah demonstrators close in on the city.
2. 🇻🇪 American diplomats enter Venezuela. American diplomats arrived in Caracas, conducting an initial assessment for resuming embassy operations after Nicolás Maduro’s capture. President Trump, who canceled further attacks due to Venezuelan cooperation, plans to rebuild the country by forcing it to spend oil-sale profits on US-made products.
3. 🇺🇸 Senate advanced resolution to limit Trump's Venezuela military actions. The Senate voted 52-47 to advance a war powers resolution requiring congressional approval for military action against Venezuela. All Democrats and five Republicans supported the measure, though Trump would likely veto it if it reaches his desk.
4. 🇵🇸 Trump plans to announce Gaza Board of Peace. President Trump is expected to announce the Gaza Board of Peace next week as part of the ceasefire's second phase. The board, chaired by Trump and including 15 world leaders from countries like the UK, Germany, and Saudi Arabia, will supervise Palestinian governance.
INSIDER RADAR
Viktor Orban on the “liberal global order”
Behind the paywall: Viktor Orban, Friedrich Merz, Gustavo Petro, and Karol Nawrocki.
THE MAIN STORY
US takes on the international “shadow fleet”
_WHAT’S HAPPENING_
American forces boarded the Marinera Jan. 7 between Iceland and the UK after it operated under false flags.
The implications of President Trump’s military campaign in Venezuela go far beyond Nicolás Maduro…
Behind the paywall: How the US seizure of Venezuela is unraveling the Russia–Iran–Venezuela shadow alliance and how President Trump’s new foreign policy doctrine could redraw power in the Western Hemisphere for years to come.
Do you think taking on the “shadow fleet” is in the US' national security interests?
MEDIA BIAS SPOTTER
How left and right outlets frame the US seizing shadow fleet vessels
Behind the paywall: CNN and NBC News on the left, and Fox News and The New York Post on the right.
_TODAY’S DEBATE_
POLLS RESULTS FROM YESTERDAY
What should Republicans’ approach to AI be?
🟨🟨⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️ ⚡️ Fast development (152)
🟨🟨🟨🟨⬜️⬜️ 🔒 Regulate it (410)
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 🤷♂️ Somewhere in the middle (553)
🟨⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️ 🤔 Unsure (95)
⚡️ Fast development: “If China or others beat US to AI development and dominance, what good are US safety regulations going to be?” — Ellen
🔒 Regulate it: “We do need regulation as we start to develop. It will be easier to pull back on regulations as the industry proves itself.” — Lee
🤷♂️ Somewhere in the middle: “While I agree with Trump we should be ahead of China, not at the expense of normal Americans. AI data centers driving up our electric bills, and making PC components unaffordable/unavailable (Ram, chips) hurts normal Americans.” — Samuel
_POP QUIZ_
Under Trump’s plan, how must Venezuela use oil-sale profits?
Thanks for joining us today. We scoured 100s of sources to bring you stories and insights you won’t find in the mainstream media—Ariel David and Brandon Goldman.
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