CIA sees Cuba in severe economic distress—especially its energy sector—but does not conclude the government is on the verge of collapse.

While Trump claims recent U.S. action in Venezuela leaves Cuba “ready to fall,” CIA assessments remain inconclusive.

Source: Reuters

Zohran Mamdani calls Hamas a “terrorist organization.”

Netanyahu on the West Bank:

Whatever the solution will be between us and our Palestinian neighbors, it will be one in which we will maintain the sovereign power of security because the area is too small. Until we see a change, Israel will have to be the country that controls security west of the Jordan.

Under the Trump plan originally we were supposed to annex the main populated areas by Israelis. It was a strip, quite significant, and leave the rest because that’s not going to be returned under any plan.

Source: The Economist

Netanyahu on his “Arab partners”:

Many of them don’t give a hoot about the Palestinian issue.

They don’t care about the Palestinian issue. They care about its effect on the street. They themselves say, “We understand that there’s so much chicanery there and so much corruption there.”

Source: The Economist

A protester climbed the Iranian embassy in London and tore down the current Iranian flag, replacing it with the banned pre-revolution “Lion and Sun” emblem.

NEW: Iranian state media says that President Pezeshkian will “speak with the people” tomorrow.

Trump signed an emergency order blocking courts and creditors from seizing Venezuelan oil revenue held in U.S. Treasury accounts.

The White House said the funds should be used to stabilize Venezuela after the capture of Maduro.

The number of detainees released in Venezuela has risen to 18 from nine on Friday, according to human rights organizations.

Source: Reuters

The Nobel Institute said a Nobel Peace Prize can’t be given away or transferred after Venezuela’s María Corina Machado suggested handing her 2025 prize to Trump.

The award is final and permanent.

Keith Kellogg:

Zelensky is a tough son of a b*tch. He's stubborn. He has his opinion. He's unafraid to say that. He knows how to use media.

We in the United States have not seen a leader like him since Abraham Lincoln.

Officials in the Trump administration have held preliminary discussions about how to carry out an attack on Iran if needed to follow through on warnings from Trump.

Options discussed include a large-scale aerial strike on multiple Iranian military targets, according to one official.

Another said there is no consensus on what course of action to take, and no military equipment or personnel have been moved in preparation for a strike.

Source: WSJ

BREAKING: Trump:

Iran is looking at FREEDOM, perhaps like never before. The USA stands ready to help!!!

Trump:

I love the Venezuelan people, and am already making Venezuela rich and safe again.

Congratulations and thank you to all of those people who are making this possible!!!

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha:

We call on the international community to consider tightening pressure on the Iranian regime for its violence against its people and support for Russia’s criminal war against Ukraine.

A U.S. official told Reuters that the United States is currently carrying out strikes against ISIS in Syria.

A warm moment between Turkish President Erdogan and the family of a newly appointed African country ambassador to Ankara.

This is why Türkiye’s Africa policy has been more effective than that of any other power on the continent.

Türkiye’s Minister of National Defense Yaşar Güler and Syria’s Minister of Defense, Major General Murhaf Abu Qasra, had a phone call today.

During the phone call, both ministers discussed the latest developments in Syria.

Senator Graham:

TO THE IRANIAN PEOPLE: your long nightmare is soon coming to a close.

Your bravery and determination to end your oppression has been noticed by Trump and all who love freedom.

Hegseth reposts Trump’s Iran post.

Venezuela’s Acting President Delcy Rodríguez:

You have my commitment that we will not rest for a single minute until we bring Nicolás Maduro and Cilia Flores back.

Venezuela’s Acting President Delcy Rodríguez:

We will not stop condemning the criminal aggression against the Venezuelan people that occurred in the early hours of January 3.

It will go down in history as a major stain on relations between the United States and Venezuela.