The first weeks of 2026 have reminded us how fast the world can shift and how overwhelming that can feel. In a matter of days, the United States carried out a military operation in Venezuela that ended with the capture of President Nicolás Maduro. The Iranian regime shut down the country’s internet and began a brutal, deadly response to protests. An ICE officer fatally shot a woman in Minneapolis after the Trump administration ramped up immigration operations in the area. President Donald Trump continued to target his political enemies with the threat of prosecution, and he talked openly of America taking over Greenland, a self-governing territory that’s part of fellow NATO member Denmark. 

These stories all carry profound human consequences. They are complicated to follow, and they create uncertainty about what happens next. At Vox, it’s our mission to create an avenue of understanding when news is complicated, especially when many consequential stories emerge all at once. The past couple weeks have reminded us of why we do the work we do — and why our approach to covering stories matters.

We don’t focus on being first to the news; we focus on unpacking why events unfold the way they do, how they connect to larger stakes, and what’s at stake for people’s actual lives and futures. We try to help you make sense of it all, so that uncertainty doesn’t keep you from essential information when you need it the most. This kind of rigorous, independent journalism is what cuts through the noise in moments like these. If you find value in our reporting, we hope you’ll consider supporting Vox by becoming a member. Your support helps sustain journalism that doesn’t just report the news, but helps you understand why it matters.

—Swati