Good morning, and welcome back. In today’s edition:

• 🇺🇸 Venezuela regime change
• 🚗 Tesla loses EV crown
• 🚶 Healthy “Fart Walks”

…and much more.

Ready, Set, Go: Today’s news should be a ~4.30-minute read (1,144 words).

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“Perseverance and spirit have done wonders in all ages.”

–George Washington (1732-1799)

US forces captured Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife in a surprise, large-scale military operation early Saturday morning, ending the ~13-year regime of a Venezuelan leader branded as a dictator by the US.

The Maduros were promptly transported to New York, where they were indicted on a range of drug-trafficking charges.

• In comments to reporters, President Trump said the US will “run the country” until a “safe, proper and judicious transition” to a new government occurs in Venezuela.
• Trump also said the logistics might involve American military “boots on the ground.”

Quick background: The military operation follows an intense US pressure campaign against Maduro’s government, whom the Trump admin has accused of being behind destabilising activity in the Americas like drug trafficking and illegal immigration.

• In recent months, the US Navy has amassed a huge fleet off the Venezuelan coast, carried out airstrikes against alleged drug trafficking boats, and seized several Venezuelan oil tankers.

How Maduro’s capture went down

Trump’s greenlight for Operation Absolute Resolve, which was issued late Friday, launched a fleet of 150+ aircraft into the sky from 20 military bases in the Western Hemisphere.

The fleet of high-end bombers and drones helped clear Venezuelan air-defense systems to allow several helicopters—carrying an "extraction force" of US special forces and FBI agents—to reach the compound in Caracas where Maduro lived.

• After landing and successfully capturing Maduro and his wife, the American strike force withdrew from Venezuela while experiencing “multiple self-defense engagements.”
• US officials confirmed no American troops were killed, though “a few” were wounded. A senior Venezuelan official told the NYT at least 40 people were killed in the operation, including civilians and military personnel.

Global reactions were mixed

Many Venezuelans celebrated the removal of President Maduro, who has remained in power thanks to what dozens of countries and independent experts say are fraudulent election results. Approval for Maduro’s removal was also echoed by several global leaders, including UK PM Keir Starmer, as well as GOP lawmakers in the US.

• Leaders from Brazil, Colombia, Mexico, China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea publicly denounced the US operation to capture Maduro.
• Other leaders, including those in the EU, put out more neutral statements.

Meanwhile…A majority of Democratic lawmakers described Maduro as a dictator oppressing the Venezuelan people, but also criticized the Trump admin for acting unilaterally to capture Maduro without first receiving approval from Congress. Trump officials say Congress wasn’t briefed until after the operation due to concerns about leaks from Capitol Hill.

What’s next for Venezuela?

Short answer: it’s currently unclear. Trump officials have yet to divulge details on what the country’s transitional government will look like, with Venezuela Vice President Delcy Rodríguez currently serving as de-facto leader.

• On Saturday, Trump said Rodríguez appears cooperative with US officials and "willing to do what we think is necessary to make Venezuela great again."
• But in her first national address hours later, Rodríguez denounced America’s capture of Maduro and insisted he remains Venezuela’s rightful president.

There’s also the oil situation. In his initial comments about a transitional government, Trump pledged that American oil companies would come in and fix Venezuela's "broken infrastructure" and "start making money for the country." Venezuela is home to the world’s largest proven oil reserves, but currently produces just ~1 million barrels/day (1% of global production), most of which goes to China.

📊 Flash poll: In general, do you support or oppose the US military operation to capture Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro?

• Support
• Oppose
• Unsure/other

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BUSINESS & MARKETS

• 🚗 China’s BYD has overtaken Tesla as the world’s top EV seller, reporting ~2.3 million vehicles sold in 2025 (+28% YoY) compared to 1.6 million (-9% YoY) for the Elon Musk-led company.
• 🏢 Warren Buffett officially ends 60-year run as the head of Berkshire Hathaway; the 95-year-old is replaced as CEO by longtime exec Greg Abel.
• 🍝 US gov’t scales back threatened tariffs on Italian pasta that could have increased duties on imports from Italy as high as 107%.

SPORTS, MEDIA & ENTERTAINMENT

• 🏈 NFL regular season concluded last night, cementing all 14 playoff spots; the Broncos (AFC) and Seahawks (NFC) secured the #1 seeds in their conference and a first-round bye; see the full playoff picture. | College football transfer portal opened on Friday, with a combined 4,500+ D1 players already having entered (including FCS).
• 🍿 Domestic box office earned an estimated $8.9 billion in ticket sales last year, per Comscore; it’s a 2% increase from 2024, but still ~22% below prepandemic levels.
• 🏆 One Battle After Another becomes fourth film in history to sweep the “Big Four” critics awards for best picture of the year, joining Schindler's List, L.A. Confidential, and The Social Network.

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SCIENCE, SPACE & EMERGING TECH

• 🧠 Common stimulant ADHD meds like Adderall and Ritalin affect the brain’s reward and wakefulness centers—not the region responsible for attention, as previously thought for decades, new study reveals; findings suggest the meds make individuals with ADHD more alert and interested in tasks, rather than directly improving their ability to focus.
• 🪐 Astronomers measure both mass and distance of “rogue” planet—which floats through space without a star—for the first time, per new study published in Science.
• 🐶 American Kennel Club adds three new breeds: the Basset Fauve de Bretagne, Teddy Roosevelt Terrier, and Russian Tsvetnaya Bolonka.

US, WORLD & POLITICS

• 🗽 Zohran Mamdani (D) is officially sworn in as New York City's 112th mayor, and first Muslim leader.
• 🧑‍⚖️ Wisconsin Judge Hannah Dugan, who was convicted of obstruction last month for helping an immigrant evade federal officers, resigns amid GOP state lawmakers’ plans to impeach her.
• 🌍 Widespread anti-government protests in Iran—and resulting clashes with security forces—have spread across the country over the past week; rights groups say at least 16 protesters have died, with President Trump threatening potential US intervention if Iran “violently kills peaceful protesters.” | New Year's Eve fire at a bar in a Swiss Alpine resort left 40 dead (many of them teenagers) and injured 119 others, many severely; authorities say the fire appears to have started when sparklers atop champagne bottles were brought too close to the ceiling.

☝️ Falcon’s Flight—the world’s fastest, tallest, and longest roller coaster—officially opened last week at the brand-new Six Flags Qiddiya City in Saudi Arabia. The ride hits speeds of up to 150 mph, climbs 640 feet, and stretches ~2.6 miles long.

🤔 Did you know? Gravity slowly compresses the soft cartilage between the discs in your spine as you go about your day, causing you to be slightly taller in the morning than at night. When you lie down to sleep, that pressure eases, letting your spine decompress and giving you back up to a centimeter of height by morning.

📰 Worth a read: Polar plunges ring in the new year with a splash. But what actually happens to your body?

🖱️ What we’re clicking:

• Why you should start taking “Fart Walks”
• Personality test shows how AI chatbots mimic human traits
• A brief history of Dry January

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Monday: National Bird Day

Tuesday: CES 2026 kicks off in Las Vegas (ends Friday)

Wednesday: ADP’s private-sector jobs report for December

Thursday: First CFP semifinal (Ole Miss v. Miami); The Pitt S2 debuts on HBO Max

Friday: Labor Dept’s December jobs report; second CFP semifinal (Indiana v. Oregon)

Guess the definitions of the following Greek/Latin root words:

1. Agri
2. Bor
3. Eu
4. Hor
5. Lig

🐾 From a kitten trapped in a sewage system to a fox stuck inside the engine of an Amazon van, check out the RSPCA's list of the wackiest animal rescues of 2025.

1. Agri = Field (e.g., agriculture)
2. Bor = North (borealis)
3. Eu = Good (euphoria)
4. Hor = Boundary (horizon)
5. Lig = Bind (ligament)

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