Corruption
Missouri Gov. Mike Kehoe is backing rules to limit citizen ballot initiatives while his own income tax amendment is funded by nearly $2 million from a Delaware nonprofit that hides donors. Voters face two competing changes and a question about who really pays.
History's Teeth
A powerful earthquake in March 1812 shattered Caracas, killed and burned hundreds, and gave conservative clergy and royalist commanders the opening they needed to crush Venezuela’s fragile First Republic. The quake reshaped the war for independence and left wounds that lasted through Bolívar’s long fight to 1824.
Nature’s Wrath
After twin earthquakes on June 24, 2026, Venezuela faces at least 2,295 dead and more than 11,000 injured. Aid teams and 900 U.S. troops arrived, but crowded shelters, no toilets and broken hospitals risk a widening health crisis.
Ruling Class
A $1.6 billion U.S.-Kazakhstan tungsten deal has raised conflict questions after Donald Trump, his sons and allies took linked stakes. The timing, family ties and strategic stakes in tungsten have sparked calls for oversight and alarm in Washington.
History's Teeth
Up to 30,000 people vanished in Argentina’s Dirty War. Mothers and grandmothers have marched since 1977 to force answers. DNA and trials have brought some justice but many wounds remain.
History's Teeth
In April 1961 a CIA-backed force of about 1,400 Cuban exiles landed at the Bay of Pigs. The invasion failed within days, boosting Fidel Castro and embarrassing the U.S. government.
Nature’s Wrath
Twin 7.2 and 7.5 earthquakes struck northern Venezuela, killing at least 188 people and exposing decades of infrastructure decay. The disaster deepens political tensions between the acting government and the U.S., while survivors scramble for aid.
War Zone
Iran has moved much of its propaganda to X, using coordinated accounts and English ready posts to embarrass the president and influence U.S. opinion. The tactic masks a leadership vacuum with a slick online media shop.
History's Teeth
Simón Bolívar freed large parts of South America and created Gran Colombia, but his use of concentrated power helped trigger the republics split. His daring Andes crossing, early victories and final resignation frame a complex legacy.
Venezuela
Maria Corina Machado has pressed U.S. officials to help her return to Venezuela in the wake of deadly earthquakes, prompting frustration in Washington as relief efforts and political calculations collide.
Football Gods
Brazil enters the World Cup knockout as five-time champions and heavy favorites. Japan arrives as an adaptable dark horse that beat Brazil last year and could shift the tournament and youth culture with an upset.
Imperialists
Reports suggest a March pickup explosion north of Mexico City that killed two alleged cartel members may be linked to CIA operations. The claims, amid recent US intelligence deaths and a US terrorist label for cartels, raise fears of illegal covert action and violent blowback.