Axios

A trio of companies including Nvidia announced Tuesday that they're using AI to accelerate the development of fusion that's eluded innovators for decades.

Why it matters: Fusion, the energy that powers stars, has long had unrealized potential to provide vast swaths of clean, stable electricity for the AI boom and to cut emissions.

Nobody knows exactly how much it will cost to rebuild Venezuela's broken-down oilfields, but everyone agrees it's a lot — and there's no guarantee that U.S. companies will be chomping at the bit.

Why it matters: "There is no quick and easy solution to the problems that accumulated over a quarter century," Raymond James analyst Pavel Molchanov said in a note.

If 2024 marked the pre-dawn of the AI boom and 2025 the sunrise, we are now fully in daylight.

Why it matters: This AI daylight will ripple through our midterm elections, your power bills and the future of all kinds of energy.

President Trump said Monday the U.S. may subsidize oil companies' efforts to rebuild Venezuela's energy infrastructure in a project he estimated could take less than 18 months.

Why it matters: Trump's comments in an interview with NBC signal a longer-term U.S. presence in the oil-rich South American country just days after the capture of Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro — and he's framing the effort as broadly supported.

After the U.S. operation to capture Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro, tensions between President Trump and Colombian President Gustavo Petro are boiling over.

Why it matters: What Trump has called a "successful" attack on Venezuela could embolden his administration to pursue a military actios in Colombia against the country's alleged drug facilities — or its leadership.

Protesters across the U.S. rallied against the Trump administration's intervention in Venezuela over the weekend, demanding "No Blood for Oil."

Why it matters: In a callback to past anti-war protests, activists are reviving the "No Blood for Oil" slogan to oppose U.S. military action in Venezuela. The message reflects enduring skepticism of foreign intervention — and a fear that energy interests, not clear national security goals, are driving the conflict.

Ian Bremmer — president and founder of Eurasia Group, a top global political-risk research and consulting firm — says the top geopolitical risk for 2026 is the "U.S. Political Revolution," with President Trump "so committed to and so capable of changing the political system."

Why it matters: Eurasia Group's annual "Top Risks" report — out Monday, 48 hours after Trump shook the world by snatching Venezuela's Nicolás Maduro — isolates the "biggest threats to the trajectories of nations, industries and institutions," to help leaders and investors prepare for the year.

We're locked in the fastest, broadest, most consequential reordering of politics, tech and business of our lifetimes — and it's a global phenomenon.

Why it matters: The conventional wisdom is that everything is being disrupted everywhere. But we're actually experiencing the aftershocks of a decade of disruption in America and other advanced economies.

The era of post-disruption society has begun. The new, unfolding era is being shaped by rising inequality, mass migration and immigration, surging populism, fading trust and emerging AI.

• The good news: This is navigable for leaders, and everyone, if you understand this shared global phenomenon.

President Trump's vision of American oil companies rebuilding Venezuela's broken petro-sector creates his biggest test yet of the U.S. industry's tolerance for risk.

Why it matters: Trump and other administration officials haven't been subtle about calling Venezuela's massive oil reserves a key reason for toppling President Nicolás Maduro.

President Trump said Sunday the U.S. could launch a second strike on Venezuela if "they don't behave."

Why it matters: His comments came after Venezuela's interim leader, Delcy Rodríguez, struck a more conciliatory tone after Trump issued a warning to her following her earlier criticism of the U.S. attack and capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.

President Trump said the U.S. will be strongly involved in Venezuela's oil industry, asserting that American companies will take a lead in rebuilding its deteriorating petroleum infrastructure.

The big picture: Trump's comments about the nation's huge oil reserves following the capture of President Nicolás Maduro raise many unanswered questions, including how much interest the companies have in re-establishing operations there.

Venezuela must remain an independent country, Pope Leo XIV said Sunday as he expressed concern for Venezuelans following the U.S. raid and ensuing capture of leader Nicolás Maduro in the South American country.

The big picture: President Trump said Saturday American officials will "run" Venezuela until a "proper transition can take place" following the attack on Caracas to capture Maduro, who's in U.S. custody and faces charges including narcoterrorism.