US Politics
In Minneapolis, anti-ICE protesters escalated actions following activist Renee Good’s death, storming hotels believed to house agents, breaching lobbies, and chasing police—including Chief Brian O’Hara—out of downtown areas on Friday night. Officers abandoned some streets to protesters, who blocked roads and established makeshift guards. Protesters created noise disturbances outside hotels, set up barricades with trash bins and fires, and declared a no-go zone spanning several blocks, including supplies and a fire pit—similar to Seattle’s 2020 CHAZ. City officials dismantled the barricades overnight to restore access for residents and emergency services, citing risks such as delayed fire responses, while preserving a memorial. Over 1,000 nationwide protests are planned under “ICE out for good,” organized by groups including the ACLU. At least 12 arrests occurred in Minneapolis, and 2,000 DHS agents have been deployed.
Meanwhile, Democrat Representatives Eric Swalwell and Dan Goldman plan to introduce the “ICE Out Act,” which would remove qualified immunity from ICE civil enforcement officers. The bill follows the fatal shooting of Good in Minneapolis, who reportedly blocked an agent’s path with her SUV and struck him while attempting to drive away. The legislation would apply an objective test for actions outside duties related to investigating immigration violations. Investigations are underway into groups like ICE Watch for organizing obstructions. President Trump and Vice President Vance described the incident as self-defense. DHS Secretary Kristi Noem noted the agent’s prior injury from a similar fleeing attempt.
In other news, reports indicate that Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard was excluded from planning the U.S. operation to remove Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, which began last summer. White House officials reportedly limited involvement to a small group, though her office provided analytical support. Gabbard, who has expressed a non-interventionist stance against regime change in Venezuela, was in Hawaii during final preparations. CIA Director John Ratcliffe handled primary intelligence. Vice President JD Vance denied her exclusion, stating that the planning circle included senior officials, as the raid proceeded without broad Pentagon foreknowledge. Administration sources attributed the limited circle to security protocols rather than deliberate sidelining.
Economy
President Donald Trump proposed a one-year cap on credit card interest rates at 10%, effective January 20. He stated that rates of 20-30% proliferated under the prior administration, fulfilling a 2024 campaign pledge amid midterm concerns over costs. Senator Bernie Sanders criticized Trump for deregulating banks instead. Senator Josh Hawley endorsed the proposal. Banking groups warned that caps could restrict credit access, driving consumers to high-risk options like pawn shops or unregulated lenders, and reduce benefits such as rewards programs. Trade associations predicted the cap could limit short-term financing and eliminate consumer rewards without congressional approval.
The U.S. labor share of GDP fell to 53.8% in the third quarter of last year, down from 54.6% previously and below the decade’s average of 55.6%, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics data. Corporate profits reached highs not seen since 2020 pandemic-era spikes. Labor productivity grew at the fastest pace in two years, driven in part by AI adoption, prompting questions about its effects on economic growth and employment. The productivity gains have been linked to technological efficiencies that may support non-inflationary expansion if paired with workforce investments.
Major banks continue advancing on incorporating cryptocurrency. JPMorgan has extended its JPM Coin deposit token to the Canton Network for blockchain-based payments. Morgan Stanley has filed for Bitcoin and Solana ETFs to serve 19 million clients. Barclays has invested in stablecoin platform Ubyx for settlement. Bank of America has approved advisers to recommend spot Bitcoin ETFs managing over $100 billion. Spot Bitcoin ETFs have drawn $120 billion in investments. This integration reflects a shift from prior institutional caution toward building blockchain infrastructure.
Lastly, Amazon is ending its nearly three-decade partnership with the U.S. Postal Service, shifting deliveries to its own network and third-party contractors. The partnership generated billions in revenue for USPS but concludes amid the agency’s $9.5 billion fiscal loss and pricing disputes. The change could affect up to 100,000 jobs in postal and related operations, alter rural delivery, and lead USPS to pursue new revenue through bids from other retailers. USPS officials indicated the agency is seeking alternative partnerships to offset revenue losses from declining mail volumes.
Geopolitics
China has banned exports of items with potential military applications to Japan, including rare-earth magnets used in technologies such as electric vehicles and missile systems. The ban reportedly responds to comments by Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi on Taiwan. China produces 80% of the world’s neodymium magnets. Japan, which diversified supplies and built stockpiles following a 2010 dispute, now relies on China for 70% of its needs. Global efforts to reduce this reliance include new facilities in the US, France, South Korea, India, and other locations. Canada’s Neo Performance Materials has opened a plant in Estonia, and Belgium’s Solvay is expanding production of elements like dysprosium. Japan has condemned the ban as “absolutely unacceptable,” while Chinese officials stated it targets military applications without broadly disrupting civilian trade.
In Syria, U.S. and coalition forces conducted airstrikes targeting ISIS positions on Saturday as part of Operation Hawkeye Strike. The strikes reportedly retaliate for the December 13 killing of two National Guardsmen and a civilian contractor near Palmyra, which also injured three American troops. The operation, which began on December 19 with Jordanian support, has struck over 70 targets. CENTCOM released footage of F-15 and A-10 jets. Syria’s Interior Ministry arrested five suspects linked to the attack, which ISIS claimed responsibility for and which was carried out by a member of Syrian security services. The U.S. has maintained a troop presence in the region for a decade. Syrian state media described the strikes as violations of national sovereignty that risk civilian harm.
Privacy & Surveillance
An estimated 453,230 bank accounts were closed in the UK over the past year, the highest number on record, mainly due to financial crime concerns under anti-money laundering rules. Reform UK leader Nigel Farage described the figure as “appalling” and blamed European regulations for facilitating easier closures. Banks must provide 90 days’ notice for accounts opened after April 28, with exemptions for crime compliance. There is no legal right to a bank account in the UK. Officials stated that closures follow thorough reviews to address fraud, which accounts for over 40% of UK crime. The Adam Smith Institute warned that such closures pose threats to financial freedom. Financial regulators noted that the affected accounts represent a small fraction of total holdings and are closed only after extensive compliance checks.
Additionally, the UK government has threatened to ban the X platform over content generated by Grok AI, including sexualized images of Prime Minister Keir Starmer. Starmer stated that all options are under consideration and expressed support for Ofcom’s enforcement of the Online Safety Act. Labour MP Lola McEvoy argued that non-compliant platforms have no right to access in the country. Leaked messages from MPs reportedly urged abandoning X and described Elon Musk as a fascist. The threat has drawn international criticism, including from U.S. Republicans such as Anna Paulina Luna, who proposed sanctions similar to those against Brazil for alleged censorship. The issue relates to suspended U.S.-UK tech deals over free speech concerns. X has restricted Grok’s image generation to paid subscribers and stated it addresses unlawful content promptly.
Health
A meta-study published January 3 in Oncotarget analyzed 69 articles and identified 333 cancer cases that developed or worsened shortly after COVID-19 vaccination, including data from 1.3 million U.S. military members showing increases in blood cancers. The study went offline days later due to a cyberattack on the journal’s servers, resulting in a “bad gateway” error. Researchers from Tufts and Brown Universities called for further epidemiologic and mechanistic studies on potential links between vaccination, infection, and cancer. Author Dr. Wafik El-Deiry described the incident as censorship in medicine. The journal reported it to the FBI and suspects involvement by anonymous review group PubPeer. The attack disrupted operations and indexing of new papers, and the paper can now be found at Brownstone. Experts emphasized the need for additional research to establish any causal connections between vaccines and observed cancer trends.
Sources
China Overplays Its Rare-Earth Hand Against Japan
China is overplaying its rare-earth hand in Japan
Source | Submitted by Mysterymet
Debanking Surge in UK Hits Record 453,000 Accounts, Igniting Farage’s Fury
An estimated 453,230 accounts were shut down in the United Kingdom in the last year, a stunning figure that has drawn outrage from the country’s leading conservative lawmaker.
Tulsi Gabbard Sidelined from Trump’s Venezuela Raid as DNI, WSJ Reports
White House officials excluded the top U.S. intelligence officer, Tulsi Gabbard, from Venezuela planning since last summer, according to people with knowledge of the matter.
Trump Calls for One-Year 10% Cap on Credit Card Interest Rates
President Donald Trump on Friday called for a one-year cap on credit card interest rates at 10%, effective Jan. 20, without specifying details.
Source (Paywalled) | Submitted by Shplad
US Labor Share Plunges to Record Low as AI Fuels Productivity Boom
The labor share fell to 53.8% in the period, down from 54.6% in the previous quarter and an average of 55.6% in the 2020s so far.
Source (Paywalled) | Submitted by Shplad
Amazon Ends Longtime USPS Partnership, Reshaping American Delivery Landscape
After nearly three decades of working together, Amazon is ending its delivery relationship with the United States Postal Service
Wall Street’s Crypto Pivot: Banks Bet Big on Bitcoin, Stablecoins, and Tokenized Assets
Big banks aren’t debating crypto anymore — they’re building it.
UK Government Poised to Ban X Over Grok’s Bikini Blunder, Sparking Free Speech Fury
“This is disgraceful. It’s disgusting, and it’s not to be tolerated,”
U.S. Airstrikes Target ISIS in Syria Following Murder of Three Americans
“Our message remains strong: if you harm our warfighters, we will find you and kill you anywhere in the world, no matter how hard you try to evade justice,”
Democrats Introduce “ICE Out Act” to Strip Agents of Immunity After Fatal Shooting of Activist
Democrat Reps. Eric Swalwell and Dan Goldman will introduce a bill that would strip Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents of their qualified immunity.
Cyberattack Takes Down Explosive Study Linking COVID Vaccines to Cancer Cases
A shocking new meta-study linked Covid vaccination to cancer has gone offline after a targeted cyberattack against the medical journal hosting it
Minneapolis Police Chief Flees as Anti-ICE Rioters Storm Hotels and Seize Streets
Minneapolis police officers, including Chief Brian O’Hara, were attacked and chased out of a downtown area by violent anti-ICE rioters on Friday night.
Minneapolis Officials Swiftly Dismantle Anti-ICE ‘No-Go Zone’ Modeled on Seattle’s CHAZ
The city however removed the barricades surrounding it overnight to allow residents and first responders access to the area.
In addition to sources submitted by community members, the following were also used in the creation of this report: Reuters, Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA), Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), BBC News, Newsweek, Bank Policy Institute, Bloomberg, Cointelegraph, and Children’s Health Defense.
by jtwalsh 
