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Former head of Venezuela Nicolás Maduro and wife Cilia Flores pleaded “not guilty” to drug and weapons charges in a Manhattan federal courtroom Monday.

The ousted dictator says he’s “still president” following the U.S. military operation that nabbed the couple from their Caracas home Saturday. They didn’t request bail and will remain detained in Brooklyn, with another hearing scheduled for March and a full trial expected in 2027.

The Trump Administration will brief Congress on Venezuela today. Democrats call the plan “vague,” illegal, and a distraction from domestic issues; Republicans are defending the “decisive and justified” operation. 

Meanwhile, Uncle Sam is maintaining a blockade on Venezuelan oil exports, pressuring the interim government to open the state-controlled energy industry to American investment. Acting president Delcy Rodríguez is offering “to work together” for “shared development.”

(We’re covering this story at a 7th-grade reading level with biblical reflection and action steps in Decaf: The Pour Over for Families. Sign up free to get it in your inbox tomorrow!)

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ETERNAL PERSPECTIVE
Political chaos doesn’t intimidate the King of kings. Uncertain times are an opportunity for believers to demonstrate our faith in His good leadership. 

“God ascends among shouts of joy, the LORD, with the sound of a ram’s horn. Sing praise to God, sing praise; sing praise to our King, sing praise! Sing a song of wisdom, for God is King of the whole earth. God reigns over the nations; God is seated on his holy throne.” 
Psalm 47:5–8 (CSB) (read full passage)

Minnesota Governor Tim Walz (D) is ending his re-election bid amid ongoing state fraud investigations.

After mounting pressure from the state's recent social-service fraud scandal—which some federal prosecutors say cost Minnesota $9B in potentially fraudulent billings—the former VP candidate announced Monday that he won't run for a third term. Walz said defending himself on the campaign trail would take away from “defending the people of Minnesota” against fraudsters and “cynics” seeking to divide (read the statement).

Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) is reportedly considering filling the Democratic gubernatorial candidate vacuum, while Mike Lindell (of MyPillow fame) has announced a run for the Republican nomination.

Meanwhile, 2,000 ICE agents are heading to the Land of 10,000 Lakes as part of an immigration crackdown tied to the scandal. The majority of the 90+ charged have been of Somali descent.    

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Verse to consider whether you’re buried by scandal, anxious about immigration status, or overwhelmed by a much-too-full to-do list…  “Cast your burden on the Lord, and he will sustain you; he will never allow the righteous to be shaken.” 
Psalm 55:22 (CSB) (read full passage)

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The CDC’s New Year’s resolution: update childhood vaccine schedules. 

On Monday, the germ-fighting org announced the changes, including: 

All 17 vaccines are still available and covered by insurance. 

The revisions follow an HHS-led review of worldwide vaccine schedules, which says Uncle Sam recommends more childhood vaccines than “any other peer nation.” Secretary RFK Jr. said the updated approach—which reflects Denmark’s schedule—“protects children, respects families, and rebuilds trust in public health.”

Many healthcare professionals criticized the decision, arguing “there’s no scientific reason” Denmark’s recommendations are safer, and that previous U.S. guidelines were appropriate given factors like population. 

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ABOVE ALL, LOVE
Believers are called to treat everyone with love and respect—even those who have different ideas than you do about children’s health. When your desire to be right outgrows the desire to love others well, remember Christ’s compassion for us while we were still His enemies.

“For while we were still helpless, at the right time, Christ died for the ungodly. For rarely will someone die for a just person ​— ​though for a good person perhaps someone might even dare to die. But God proves his own love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” 
Romans 5:6-7 (CSB) (read full passage and see John 13:34-50)

The Corporation for Public Broadcasting is going off the air. The agency—which steered funding for NPR, PBS, and programs like “Sesame Street”—dissolved on Monday after losing $1B in federal funding due to alleged bias. While NPR and PBS will remain on air through private funding and donations, the future of many local and more rural stations is staticky unclear. 

Iran is offering a rial deal to help calm economically driven protests. On Monday, the Iranian government proposed paying citizens 10M rials (~$7 USD) monthly for four months, in the hopes of “preserving households’ purchasing power, controlling inflation, and ensuring food security.” Critics say the bonus won’t do much to offset the average Iranian’s monthly expenses ($200 USD).

A suspect is in custody after VP Vance’s Ohio home was vandalized early Monday. The second family was in Washington when the 26-year-old suspect, armed with a hammer, allegedly refused agents’ requests to drop his weapon and broke windows at the Vances’ Cincinnati residence. Authorities are investigating the motives of the suspect, who has a history of vandalism and mental health issues.

Wegovy just got easier to take. On Monday, Danish drug company Novo Nordisk announced that its blockbuster weight-loss drug will now be available as a daily pill. The oral version is similarly effective to the injectable and $200 cheaper (starting at $149/month)—making it easier news to swallow for the roughly 1 in 8 Americans now using GLP-1s.

The U.S. Mint announced changes to change for America’s 250th birthday. On Wednesday, the Mint unveiled special circulating coin designs meant to reflect what it calls “America’s journey toward a ‘more perfect union.’” The updates include new designs for the dime and half dollar, and five different quarter designs—each marking the semiquincentennial with the dates “1776” and “2026” (see the designs).

How our New Year’s resolutions are going…

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