Reports: China Expected to Replace Venezuelan Oil with Iranian Crude

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Oil industry analysts expect China to replace its oil imports from Venezuela with increased purchases of Iranian crude, following the arrest of China’s ally Nicolás Maduro by U.S. forces over the weekend.

President Donald Trump announced on Tuesday that Maduro’s successor, interim president Delcy Rodríguez, and other Venezuelan officials have agreed to sell up to $2 billion in crude oil to the United States. The deal would divert oil coveted by China to U.S. refineries.

Trump explicitly instructed Rodríguez to evict Chinese, Russian, Iranian, and Cuban agents from Venezuela and sever all economic ties with those nations. He also demanded exclusive contracts and favorable prices with American refiners for Venezuelan crude oil. The socialist Maduro regime long ago destroyed Venezuela’s refining capacity, so the oil-rich but desperately impoverished nation is heavily reliant upon foreign refineries.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio reportedly told U.S. lawmakers that Venezuela has filled every available tanker and storage facility with crude oil, frustrated by Trump’s blockade on sanctions-defying oil shipments, and the post-Maduro government faces financial collapse in a few weeks if it cannot generate income by selling its crude oil. These two factors would presumably make Caracas receptive to Trump’s demands to divert its shipments from China to the United States.

Trump said on Tuesday that Venezuela would hand over 30 million to 50 million barrels of sanctioned oil to the United States immediately. Other administration sources said shipments to American refiners would continue “indefinitely” thereafter, with the profits to be held in U.S.-controlled accounts and shares released back to Venezuela at U.S. discretion. Most of that oil would have otherwise gone to China. (Read more from “Reports: China Expected to Replace Venezuelan Oil with Iranian Crude” HERE)

Judge Presiding Over Netanyahu Corruption Case Killed in Highway Collision

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Judge Benny Sagi, president of Israel’s Beersheba District Court, who presided over the corruption case against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, was killed in a traffic accident on Route 6 when a vehicle struck his motorcycle.

Police said the vehicle had been driving off-road, entered the highway, and collided with Sagi’s motorcycle, according to Israeli media.

An investigation has been launched into the circumstances of the crash, which occurred near the Kfar Menachem kibbutz. Officers from the Kiryat Malachi police station, along with traffic accident investigators, are examining the scene. (Read more from “Judge Presiding Over Netanyahu Corruption Case Killed in Highway Collision” HERE)

Iran’s Ayatollah Ali Khamenei Plans to Flee to Russia If Security Team Fails, Turns on Him as Regime Gripped by Unrest: Report

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Iran’s Ayatollah Ali Khamenei reportedly plans to escape to Moscow if his security team falters or turns on him amid ongoing unrest in his country featuring protesters chanting for his death.

Khamenei, 86, will catch a flight with his inner circle, including roughly 20 aides and members of his family, if the Islamic Republic’s army is overwhelmed by the swelling protests – or if the security forces decide to defect, an intelligence source told The Times.

His son and “nominated heir apparent” would also flee, the source said.

Khamenei’s general escape plan mirrors that of fallen Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad, who fled Damascus by plane and landed in Moscow with his family – while the country’s opposition forces stormed the nation’s capital in December 2024.

“They have plotted an exit route out of Tehran should they feel the need to escape,” which includes “gathering assets, properties abroad and cash to facilitate their safe passage”, the source said. (Read more from “Iran’s Ayatollah Ali Khamenei Plans to Flee to Russia If Security Team Fails, Turns on Him as Regime Gripped by Unrest: Report” HERE)

Trump Says US Will Temporarily Run Venezuela, ‘Not Afraid of Boots on Ground’ If Necessary

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President Trump told the nation the US would now take over running Venezuela, after strongman Nicolas Maduro was captured “in the dead of night.”

“We’re going to run the country until such time as we can do a safe, proper and judicious transition,” Trump said at a press conference from his Mar-a-Lago resort as he provided new details on the stunning military operation.

“We’re going to run it, essentially” through the transition, he said.

The logistics of a US-run Venezuela were still being worked out, but Trump said it might involve military “boots on the ground.”

“We’re not afraid of boots on the ground if we have to,” the president said. “We had boots on the ground last night, at a very high level, actually.”

Later, Trump added, “We’re going to have [a] presence in Venezuela as it pertains to oil.” (Read more from “Trump Says US Will Temporarily Run Venezuela, ‘Not Afraid of Boots on Ground’ If Necessary” HERE)

Notorious Socialist Dictator Nicolás Maduro Perp Walked Ahead Of Facing ‘Full Wrath Of American Justice’; Someone Made a Huge Profit Predicting Maduro’s Capture

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By New York Post. Deposed socialist Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro arrived at a New York City jail Saturday night, hours after U.S. military forces captured him in Caracas, and awaits arraignment on four criminal charges, including narco-terrorism conspiracy.

A 12-second video posted to X late Saturday by the White House’s Rapid Response account shows Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) agents escorting an apparently handcuffed Maduro, wearing a hat and grasping a water bottle, through the notorious Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn (MDC Brooklyn). In the video, which the social media account captioned “Perp walked,” the ex-leader can be heard saying “good night” in both English and Spanish, as well as “happy new year” in English — apparently his first public remarks since being taken into U.S. custody.

Another one of MDC Brooklyn’s current inmates is Luigi Mangione, the 27-year-old man accused of murdering UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson in December 2024. The pretrial detention facility’s previous inmates notably include sex trafficker Ghislaine Maxwell, rapper Sean “Diddy” Combs, and cryptocurrency fraudster Sam Bankman-Fried.

Combs’s lawyers wrote that several courts “have recognized that the conditions at [MDC Brooklyn] are not fit for pre-trial detention” in a 2024 motion for bail. Maxwell also reportedly took issue with the jail’s accommodations during her stay, with the Jeffrey Epstein accomplice having complained of its allegedly abusive guards and plentiful rats.

Attorney General Pam Bondi, in a Saturday morning post to X, vowed Maduro “will soon face the full wrath of American justice on American soil in American courts.” (Read more from “Notorious Socialist Dictator Nicolás Maduro Perp Walked Ahead Of Facing ‘Full Wrath Of American Justice’” HERE)

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Someone Made a Huge Profit Predicting Maduro’s Capture. Here’s What Happened

By Axios. Traders and speculative bettors earned huge profits on prediction markets because of the capture of Venezuela President Nicolás Maduro.

Why it matters: Though the capture of Maduro seemed to come out of the blue for many Americans, some were ahead of the curve, netting them thousands of dollars.

These bets — many of which were on Maduro’s capture, and are now on what happens next to the ousted leader — will renew longstanding questions about inside information and access to prediction markets.

Driving the news: Traders on Polymarket appeared to anticipate Maduro’s capture late Friday night, before President Trump announced it early Saturday morning.

The market for whether or not Maduro would be out of power climbed shortly before 10pm ET on Friday, after hovering in the low single digits for weeks, per the Wall Street Journal.

What appears to be a newly created account appeared to invest $30,000 Friday in Maduro’s exit. After Maduro went into custody Saturday morning, that same investor netted $436,759.61.

(Read more from “Someone Made a Huge Profit Predicting Maduro’s Capture. Here’s What Happened” HERE)

One Hour Bombardment of Caracas, Venezuela Accuses US of Hitting Civilian Targets

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Caracas, Venezuela – January 3, 2026 – Multiple explosions and low-flying aircraft were reported in the Venezuelan capital of Caracas early Saturday morning, prompting the government of President Nicolás Maduro to accuse the United States of launching military attacks on the country.

At least seven explosions were heard around 2 a.m. local time, with witnesses describing loud noises and aircraft sweeping through the city. Smoke was seen rising from La Carlota airport, a military facility in Caracas. The Venezuelan government reported that similar attacks occurred in the states of Miranda, Aragua, and La Guaira, leading to power outages in southern areas of the capital.

In a statement released shortly after the incidents, the Venezuelan communications ministry declared that the country “rejects, repudiates and denounces” what it described as “military aggression” by the United States. It also accused the U.S. of “targeting civilian” locations. President Maduro responded by declaring a national state of emergency, mobilizing forces to defend against further incursions.

U.S. officials confirmed that President Donald Trump ordered strikes on sites inside Venezuela, including military facilities, as part of an escalation in pressure on the Maduro regime. The actions follow months of threats from the Trump administration, which has accused Venezuela of flooding the U.S. with drugs and has previously targeted drug-trafficking operations, including a recent strike on a Venezuelan dock.

Trump administration officials stated they were aware of the reports from Caracas but provided no immediate further details on the operation. The strikes mark a significant intensification of U.S. actions against Venezuela, moving from maritime interdictions to land-based targets.

Maduro has previously urged Trump to abandon what he called “illegal warmongering” and engage in serious talks, amid ongoing tensions over U.S. sanctions and accusations of regime support for narcotics trafficking. No casualties have been officially reported, and the full extent of damage remains unclear as the situation develops.

This event comes amid heightened U.S.-Venezuela relations under the Trump administration, which has employed tactics including bombings of drug boats to pressure Maduro’s government.

The strikes have drawn criticism for contradicting President Trump’s pre-election promises during his 2024 campaign to avoid engaging the U.S. in new wars. Trump repeatedly stated, “I’m not going to start a war, I’ll stop wars,” and emphasized that “No new wars” was a key pillar of his platform. He pledged to end endless wars and bring about world peace, saying he would prevent conflicts rather than initiate them. America First-aligned political leaders have voiced opposition to the escalation, with Senator Rand Paul criticizing earlier related actions as a “prelude to war” and a “provocation,” warning that such military missions off Venezuela’s coast could lead to an invasion.

Trump Scolds Ukraine After Russia Claims Putin Home Attacked, Zelensky Slams ‘Typical Lies’

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President Trump directed a public rebuke at Ukraine Monday after Russia claimed that Kyiv had attacked one of Vladimir Putin’s official residences with 91 long-range drones overnight — despite Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky dismissing the report as “typical Russian lies.”

Ahead of a bilateral meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Trump initially told reporters at his Mar-a-Lago resort that “I don’t know about” the reported assault on the Kremlin tyrant’s home in the Novgorod region before adding “that would be too bad, that would not be good.”

The president then confirmed that his Russian counterpart had “told me about” the assault on a Monday morning phone call that White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt had described as “positive.”

“This is not the right time,” Trump said about the alleged drone incursion. “It’s one thing to be offensive, it’s another thing to attack his house. I was very angry about it.”

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov claimed to reporters that all 91 drones had been shot down, and there were no immediate reports of other damage or casualties. (Read more from “Trump Scolds Ukraine After Russia Claims Putin Home Attacked, Zelensky Slams ‘Typical Lies’” HERE)

‘I’m On The Side Of Peace’: Trump Optimistic For ‘Very Close’ Russia-Ukraine Peace Deal After Zelenskyy Meeting

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President Donald Trump expressed his continuing hope during a Sunday press conference at Mar-a-Lago that a peace deal could be reached between Russia and Ukraine.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met Sunday with Trump in Florida, during which the two discussed a proposed 20-point peace plan. Trump later told reporters during a joint press conference he and Zelenskyy spoke with multiple European leaders after their meeting.

“I do think we’re getting a lot closer, maybe very close,” Trump said. “The President and I just spoke to the European leaders.”

“They were President Emmanuel Macron of France, President Alexander Stubb of the Republic of Finland, President Karol Nawrocki of the Republic of Poland, Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre of the Kingdom of Norway, Prime Minister Georgia Meloni of the Italian Republic, Prime Minister Kier Starmer of the United Kingdom of Britain and Northern Ireland, Chancellor Friedrich Merz [of] the Federal Republic of Germany, Secretary General Mark Rutte, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, NATO, [and] President Ursula von der Leyen of the European Commission,” Trump continued.

Trump paused aid and intelligence sharing with Ukraine after Zelenskyy clashed with Trump and Vice President J.D. Vance during a Feb. 28 meeting in the Oval Office. (Read more from “‘I’m On The Side Of Peace’: Trump Optimistic For ‘Very Close’ Russia-Ukraine Peace Deal After Zelenskyy Meeting” HERE)

China Imposes Sanctions Against 20 U.S. Defense Companies Over Arms Sales to Taiwan

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The Chinese Communist government on Friday imposed sanctions against 20 American defense-related companies — including Northrop Grumman Systems Corporation and Boeing — and ten of their executives over arms sales to Taiwan.

China was infuriated by U.S. approval of an $11 billion arms sale to Taiwan last Wednesday, one of the largest American weapons deals ever approved for the island. The deal still needs approval from the U.S. Congress before it can be completed.

The arms package includes self-propelled howitzers, Javelin and TOW missiles, Altius drones, and units of the M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS), a highly effective mobile long-range multiple rocket launcher.

Military analysts consider the HIMARS to be one of the best rocket artillery systems in the world. The system has performed so well in Ukraine that the Ukrainians are working on developing their own domestically produced version of it.

The Altius drones would also be a formidable addition to Taiwan’s arsenal, as the package includes both sophisticated networked reconnaissance drones and precision strike weapons. The Altius-700M strike drone is a small but deadly drone that can deliver a 33-pound anti-armor warhead at ranges of up to 100 miles. Taiwan received congressional approval to purchase the Altius-600 series of long-range recon drones in 2024. (Read more from “China Imposes Sanctions Against 20 U.S. Defense Companies Over Arms Sales to Taiwan” HERE)

China’s AI Strategy Could Turn Americans Into Data Mines

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“The future of AI will either be ruled by American values or by China.”

That warning came last month from Rep. Brett Guthrie (R-Ky.), chairman of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce. It may sound abstract. It is not.

The Chinese Communist Party already appalled the world with its industrial-scale harvesting of organs from living human beings. Now it is pursuing something even more invasive: the exploitation of the human brain itself to power artificial intelligence and enforce political control.

This year, President Trump’s team prepared a national plan to secure American dominance in AI. At the same time, Guthrie and his colleagues — Rep. Gus Bilirakis (R-Fla.) and Rep. John Joyce (R-Pa.) — have been pressing government agencies and private firms with urgent questions about China’s activities and the risks to U.S. national security.

The evidence is alarming.

The CCP has harvested brain-wave data from some of the world’s highest-performing athletes, including a Formula 1 driver and elite alpine skiers. It has built systems to collect brain-wave data from Chinese schoolchildren at scale. Now concerns are mounting that it may be harvesting the brain-wave data of unsuspecting Americans through wearable headband devices sold openly on Amazon. (Read more from “China’s AI Strategy Could Turn Americans Into Data Mines” HERE)