The End of Venezuela’s Bolivarian Era
On January 3, 2026, the capture of Nicolás Maduro by US Special Forces brought a thunderous end to twenty-five years of Bolivarian rule. As Washington moves to oversee the reconstruction of Venezuela’s energy infrastructure, the world is left to grapple with the return of naked unilateralism and the uncertain future of a nation sitting atop 300 billion barrels of oil.
Khamenei, the Bazaar, and Protests
Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s January 3, 2026 address reflects an Islamic Republic under acute economic and social strain. By validating bazaar grievances while condemning protest tactics, the leadership seeks to divide dissent and preserve regime authority amid a collapsing Rial.
Khalilzad on ISKP, TTP, and Pakistan
Zalmay Khalilzad’s Tolo News interview exposes ambiguities in US policy toward Taliban-ruled Afghanistan. His remarks on ISKP, the TTP, and Pakistan reflect an effort to normalize the Taliban while shifting responsibility for regional instability, drawing false equivalences between alleged ISKP cells in Pakistan and the openly operating TTP in Afghanistan.
Yemen’s War Within a War
Renewed hostilities in Yemen’s eastern Hadramout governorate signal more than a local power struggle—they reveal a deep structural fracture within the anti-Houthi camp. As UAE-backed Southern Transitional Council forces push into areas held by Saudi-supported government units, the collapse of the Riyadh Agreement risks reviving extremist sanctuaries, destabilizing Red Sea security, and accelerating Yemen’s slide toward permanent partition.