THE WEEK

01/06/2026

After President Donald Trump made global shockwaves by capturing Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, thoughts inevitably turned to his successor. That role quickly landed at the feet of Maduro's VP, Delcy Rodríguez, who is serving as the country's interim president. Here's what we know about Rodríguez.

Rodríguez has held positions of power throughout the country

01/06/2026

Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern are “seeking approval to create America’s first transcontinental railroad,” which would “upgrade critical infrastructure and send the right message on affordability,” says Michael Toth.

Read more of the day's top columns here.

Opinion, comment and editorials of the day

01/06/2026

Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Monday announced that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will now recommend that children get vaccinated against 11 communicable diseases, not 17.

In a widely condemned move, the CDC will now recommend children get vaccinated against 11 communicable diseases, not 17

01/06/2026

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth Monday said he had formally censured Sen. Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), a retired Navy fighter pilot and NASA astronaut, and launched an administrative process to demote him from captain, reducing his military pension.

Retired Navy fighter pilot Mark Kelly appeared in a video reminding military service members that they can ‘refuse illegal orders’

01/06/2026

Deposed Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro Monday pleaded not guilty to co***ne trafficking and narco-terrorism conspiracy in a Manhattan courtroom, striking a defiant tone in his first public appearance since the Trump administration seized him and his wife from Caracas in a U.S. military raid.

Deposed Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores pleaded not guilty to co***ne trafficking and narco-terrorism conspiracy

01/06/2026

After months of saber-rattling and increasingly violent maritime operations, the Trump administration’s surprise invasion of Venezuela and seizure of President Nicolás Maduro have pushed both nations toward two very different types of national crises.

As the U.S. grapples with the implications of MAGA’s renewed expansionist fervor, Venezuelans face an even more acute danger from the chaotic power vacuum created in Maduro’s wake.

📸: Illustration by Stephen Kelly / Getty Images

01/06/2026

Polar bears are leaping through their evolution in real time as rising temperatures threaten their habitat. A population of bears was found in a climate warmer than one in which they usually exist and showed genetic differences from their colder-weather counterparts.

The species is adapting to warmer temperatures

01/06/2026

As AI continues to expand, so does the demand for data centers. While the locations of the centers are most commonly in California, Virginia and the greater Southwest, the downside is that these regions also have notable environmental and efficiency issues.

📸: MASTER / Getty Images

01/06/2026

If administering your financial life is starting to feel like it’s cutting into living your actual life, here are some time-saving — and stress-reducing — tactics to consider.

Time- and money-saving steps

01/06/2026

In today's Morning Report: Maduro pleads innocent, Hegseth dings Kelly and RFK Jr. cuts vaccinations

https://the-week.visitlink.me/zNjYTX

📸: XNY / Star Max / GC Images / Getty Images

01/05/2026

The U.S. intends to dominate Latin America. That is clear following the weekend’s operation to remove Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro from power. But America has competition: China. Here's what you need to know.

01/05/2026

“One Battle After Another” won best picture at the 31st Critics Choice Awards Sunday, becoming only the fourth film to win the “Big Four” critics’ awards, after earning top honors from the New York Film Critics Circle, National Board of Review and Los Angeles Film Critics Association.

Paul Thomas Anderson’s latest film, which stars Leonardo DiCaprio, won best picture at the 31st Critics Choice Awards