2026 World Cup
By Brett Schlossberg
In June 2026, the World Cup will begin, hosted by Mexico, Canada and the United States. The first game is on June 11, between Mexico and South Africa. It will be hosted at the Estadio Azteca in Mexico City, which will become the first stadium to host three World Cups. As FIFA does not allow stadiums to have a sponsor in their name, any host stadium with a sponsor in its name will be renamed for the tournament–e.g. Mercedes-Benz Stadium renamed to Atlanta Stadium. Speaking of Atlanta, the city’s first match will be Spain vs. Cabo Verde on June 15, and their final game will be a semi-final on July 15. Atlanta is hosting nine games, the joint most of any city in the tournament, tied with Dallas/Arlington (Dallas is considered the host city, but the stadium is located in Arlington). The full list of games is here.
The format of the tournament includes 12 groups of four randomly selected teams each. The top two teams in each group, as well as the eight 3rd placed teams with the most points, will advance to round 32, where a single elimination format will be used to determine the winner. The final will be played at New York/New Jersey Stadium (MetLife Stadium) in East Rutherford, New Jersey, on July 19.
The 31st Annual Critics’ Choice Awards
By Trey Voegtlin
On Jan. 4, 2026, the 31st Critics’ Choice Awards commenced, awarding several critically acclaimed films and esteemed actors. Some of the winners included Timothee Chalamet for best actor (Marty Supreme), Jessie Buckley for best actress (Hamnet) and Paul Thomas Anderson for best director (One Battle After Another). Both “One Battle After Another” and “Sinners” took home a whopping four awards, same with “Adolescence” within the television series categories. Some of the notable moments from the night were Timothee Chalamet’s winning speech that acknowledged his three year relationship with girlfriend Kylie Jenner, “Hacks” stars Megan Slater and Paul W. Downs parody outfit of the same outfit that Chalamet and Jenner wore to the “Marty Supreme” premier and the fact that Hollywood icon, Leonardo Dicaprio almost did not even make it to the ceremony due to travel issues because of the United States and Venezuela conflict.
Beyoncé Declared a Billionaire
By Tatum Trammell
Music mogul, Beyoncé, has now been declared a billionaire by the Forbes list. She is the fifth musician and the 22nd entertainer to reach billionaire status. The singer has joined the list of billionaires like Taylor Swift, Rihanna and Beyoncé’s husband, Jay-Z, who holds the top spot at $2.3 billion. Not only has Beyoncé joined the elite group of artists, but she has also joined the rare group of black and female billionaires in America, which is a pivotal milestone and a great example of Black excellence. After having the highest grossing tours in history, being the most awarded Grammy and BET artist in history, being the second most awarded artist following Michael Jackson and changing the music world by her groundbreaking artistry, performance and talent, Beyonce has beyond proved herself deserving of 10-figure status.
California Flooding
By Harper Scully
Due to the recent storms, highways and airports are shutting down all over Southern California. In particular, the Santa Barbara Airport has grounded and cancelled all flights due to the rain, and major highways like Highway 1 and Highway 101 have been closed off. The storms just over the past month have caused flash floods, landslides and abnormally high tides. California has received an abnormal amount of rain, and according to the U.S. drought monitor, there is more rain to come throughout Jan. and Feb.
CDC Reduces Vaccine Recommendations for American Children
By Akiva Bryant
On Jan. 5, the number of vaccines recommended to American children decreased from 17 to 11. Jim O’Neill, the Acting Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), signed the decision memorandum on Monday, updating the childhood immunization schedule immediately. This is among many decisions led by Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the United States Secretary of Health and Human Services, who was advised by President Donald Trump to follow vaccine schedules from “peer, developed countries,” such as Denmark. The changes were brought on due to a multitude of reasons, some being to lessen coercion and give parents more flexibility, to lessen aluminium exposure, an ingredient used to create a stronger immune response and due to the discovery that the United States led in the number of childhood vaccine recommendations among 20 other developed countries in a 2024 study. As of Jan. 7, the following vaccines are no longer recommended: hepatitis B, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), rotavirus (RV), hepatitis A, human papillomavirus (HPV), meningococcal, flu and COVID-19.
College Football Playoffs
By Shaw Gordon
The College Football Playoffs have come down to the semifinals; only four teams remain. These teams include Oregon, Indiana, Ole Miss, and Miami. The 10-seed Miami matches up against the 6-seed Ole Miss to earn a spot in the CFB playoffs. Both teams are underdogs, undergoing tough schedules. Miami beat Texas A&M and Ohio State, and Ole Miss beat the heavily favored Georgia team. Both teams have faced numerous challenges to earn their spot in this game. After a wild game on Thursday, the Hurricanes beat Ole Miss 31-27 after a wild game of lead changes. The other semifinal game taking place is the 5-seed Oregon Ducks vs. the number 1-seed Indiana Hoosiers. This game is scheduled for Jan. 9 at 7:30 pm. The winner of the Indiana vs. Oregon game will play Miami in the National Championship taking place at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami on Jan. 19, 2026.
ICE Officer Fatally Shoots Woman in Minnesota
By Daniela Palatchi
On Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2025, 37 year-old Renee Good was fatally shot by an Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officer, Jonathan Ross. To crack down on illegal immigration and fraud in Minnesota, the Trump Administration deployed about 2,000 ICE agents, described as the “largest [ICE operation] to date.” Good was shot while ICE officers were conducting “targeted operations,” said Tricia McLaughlin, a spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security. According to McLaughlin, Good “weaponized her vehicle, attempting to run over our law enforcement officers in an attempt to kill them.” President Trump, in a post on Truth Social, claimed that the shooting was self-defense. However, various videos showing multiple angles of the shooting contradict claims by the administration, and false AI videos circulating across social media have sowed further confusion. On Jan 8., Drew Evans, the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension Superintendent (BCA), revealed that the FBI will now be taking over the investigation into Good’s death. Originally, the BCA was supposed to work alongside the FBI, but they “reluctantly” withdrew from the investigation, removing Minnesota’s access to the case and evidence. Minnesota government officials, such as Governor Tim Walz, expressed concern that they will not receive a fair outcome due to the narrative already being asserted by the president and his administration. For example, Vice President JD Vance claims that Ross is immune from prosecution because Ross was “doing his job.”
Is Atlanta Dropping the Peach Drop?
By Alex Piazza
Starting in the 2026 New Year’s celebration, Atlanta skipped the peach drop, which has been a New Year’s tradition since 1989, in favor of a drone and fireworks display over the entire city. According to Mayor Andre Dickens, the show, called Countdown Over ATL, is “modern, inclusive and a citywide celebration,” with multiple viewing areas listed for people to watch across the city, though many spots require a purchased ticket to get in. While some viewers have appreciated the change, comments on an AJC Instagram post expressed their distaste for the loss of an Atlanta tradition.
Maduro Captured and Taken To Trial in US Operation
By Riley Jones
Nicholás Maduro, the former president of Venezuela, was taken from his home in Caracas on Jan. 3, 2026. The mission, dubbed “Operation: Absolute Resolve,” was a result of months of planning by the Trump Administration and the United States Military that involved over 150 U.S. aircrafts and elite forces. Forces were deployed overnight and infiltrated Maduro’s compound in Caracas, extracting his wife, Cillia Flores, and him to the USS Iwo Jima.
The two were ultimately transported to New York, where they faced charges in court on Jan. 5. Maduro pleaded not guilty to charges of narco-terrorism and conspiring to import cocaine. He has also declared himself a prisoner of war, a claim that would render him unable to be charged for anything that is not a war crime. His wife has also pleaded not guilty to all charges.
Reactions to the operation have been mixed. While many Venezuelan citizens have celebrated the end of Maduro’s time in power, United Nations (UN) experts have raised concerns about the legality of the capture. According to the panel of UN-appointed human rights experts, international law dictates that sitting heads of state like Maduro are immune to criminal jurisdiction of foreign courts while in office. The Trump administration maintains the operation was legally justified and carried out to stop illegal cocaine imports from Venezuela.
Delcy Rodriguez, Maduro’s former deputy, has assumed control as interim leader, although, in the immediate aftermath of the capture, Rodriguez also assured that Maduro remained the rightful president while criticizing the “extremists” in the Trump Administration. The next day, on Jan. 4, Trump issued a statement that Rodriguez will fare “probably worse” than captured Maduro if she refuses cooperation. Hours later, Rodriguez responded that she had invited the U.S. to embrace a collaborative relationship with the country.
President Trump has also asserted that the U.S. will continue to be involved in the rebuilding of Venezuela, possibly for years to come, raising bipartisan concerns back at home.
Following Maduro’s capture, the U.S. has seized two Venezuelan oil tankers and is currently chasing a third, which has now requested Russian protection. President Trump has also said that Venezuela will turn over “30 million to 50 million” barrels of oil to the U.S.
MARTA forecast 2026
By Kaden Bruton
Recently, MARTA has discussed plans that aim to improve the Atlanta transit system in preparation for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. This includes implementing a contactless fare payment system called Better Breeze to reduce fare evasion. MARTA has also begun replacing their old fleet railcars with new Stadler CQ400 railcars ahead of the World Cup and is currently testing in the Sandy Springs area. MARTA also plans on launching the rapid A line, which is a bus transit line, to help revamp the Atlanta bus network and to provide reliability and speed. MARTA also aims to keep stations more clean and provide wider access to multilingual wayfinding through MARTA stations.
Measles Outbreak
By Joy Ferguson
In recent months, and earlier in 2025, measles cases have skyrocketed in the United States and caused two deaths in early 2025 in the state of Texas. Measles (caused by measles morbillivirus) is an example of a highly contagious and potentially fatal illness that is fully vaccine-preventable. Measles cases, however, are increasing globally (from 8.6 million in 2022 to 10.3 million in 2023) due to a gap in vaccine coverage. In some countries, a total of 69-70 large outbreaks have been reported. The Health Department declared that measles was eliminated in the year 2000. Cases have hit their highest levels so far, and as of Dec. 30, 2025, 2,065 cases were confirmed. There have been 49 separate outbreaks in the U.S. since July of last year. The measles outbreak was caused by children not getting the needed vaccines and traveling internationally, which brought the virus from other countries. 214 cases have been identified in South Carolina. Earlier, in Aug. 2025, Texas had a similar outbreak with 762 cases. Symptoms of measles start out like a regular cold, but that isn’t where it ends. Symptoms include Koplik spots (tiny white spots) in the mouth, a red rash that starts at the face then spreads down the body and a high fever. Fevers can spike up to 105ºF, which can lead to hospitalization. The virus can linger in the air for up to two hours after an infected person is in the space.
