Análisis de Nick Paton Walsh, CNN

Cuatro días después del movimiento militar más contundente del presidente de Estados Unidos Donald Trump hasta ahora, crece la brecha entre su afirmación de que Estados Unidos “gobernará” Venezuela y la realidad de un régimen autoritario que sigue vigente en el país.

En las próximas semanas, existe el riesgo para la Casa Blanca de que la demostración brutal de poder estadounidense en la madrugada del sábado se vea socavada por la incapacidad de seguir adelante, lo que supondría una posible derrota estratégica tras una victoria espectacular pero efímera.

En cuestión de minutos durante la conferencia de prensa del sábado, la exhibición de fuerza de Trump pasó de afirmar el control estadounidense sobre Caracas a reconocer poco después que el mecanismo para lograrlo sería la presunta cooperación de la vicepresidenta de Nicolás Maduro, Delcy Rodríguez, quien desde entonces fue juramentada como presidenta encargada.

Por ahora, el mecanismo de influencia estadounidense, al menos en público, parece limitarse a llamadas ocasionales del secretario de Estado, Marco Rubio, respaldadas por la pesada musculatura del portaaviones USS Gerald R. Ford y otros activos de la Marina.

El asalto militar inicial fue sorprendente, pero la “toma del poder” ha sido hasta ahora un anticlímax, al depender de que Rodríguez acepte el papel de colaboracionista y títere colonialista de la noche a la mañana. Públicamente, ella hizo lo contrario, exigiendo la liberación de Maduro y expresando su indignación, y solo el domingo insinuó que podría seguir una “cooperación” con Estados Unidos.

Dado que las muestras de desafío de Maduro parecen haber enfurecido a Trump hasta el punto de ordenar la incursión, esa retórica de Rodríguez era un riesgo, independientemente de las concesiones que pudiera estar negociando en privado. Parece que se está llevando a cabo una especie de ofensiva represiva, con pandillas leales en las calles y detenciones de periodistas. Dentro de Venezuela, no hay celebraciones por el fin del régimen de Maduro, ya que su pueblo, muchos de ellos recelosos tras años de autoritarismo, esperan con ansiedad lo que vendrá.

La realidad puede ser más dura en lo que respecta al petróleo: Trump puede haber dicho “nos lo quedaremos” y el martes anunció que entre 30 y 50 millones de barriles serían entregados a Estados Unidos. Pero será difícil que esa concesión de gran escala se materialice, en parte porque las compañías petroleras estadounidenses que el presidente esperaba que se lanzaran a Venezuela viven en un mundo diferente al que se vivió tras la caída de Iraq en 2003, un mundo de cambios caóticos y abundancia de crudo, en el que invertir miles de millones de dólares en una cleptocracia aún hostil sería un riesgo enorme. Chevron es la única gran empresa petrolera occidental que ha mantenido operaciones significativas en Venezuela en años recientes.

¿Qué ha cambiado realmente? Maduro está bajo custodia estadounidense y se enfrenta a un proceso judicial en marzo, tras una operación de extracción ejecutada con precisión que duró alrededor de 150 minutos. Por lo demás, los leales al régimen siguen, por ahora, controlando la situación a pesar de las garantías de la Casa Blanca de que, por temor a correr la misma suerte que Maduro, se alinearán con lo que Estados Unidos desea.

La realidad sigue importando, y el legado de esta última incursión de Trump en la política exterior dependerá de su duración. La operación en Venezuela corre el riesgo de sumarse a la lista de proclamaciones grandilocuentes de Trump sobre un mundo transformado que tropiezan y, a veces colapsan al entrar en contacto con una realidad compleja e intransigente.

El éxito significativo, aunque limitado, de la Casa Blanca en Venezuela ha dado lugar a cuatro d

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The glitz and glam of Hollywood captures the attention of Americans starting from an early age. Beyond celebrities’ Instagram Stories and red carpet poses, there are actors out there paying their dues and honing their craft in pursuit of a sustainable career or a fulfilling sideline. Submitting to casting calls is a big part of that journey.

Whether you’re a working actor or an aspiring one, you might be curious to know which movies and TV shows are casting roles near you. Backstage compiled a list of projects casting right now across the U.S., and which roles they’re looking to fill.

KinoMasterskaya // Shutterstock

‘Bluff’

– Project type: scripted show
– Roles:
— Banks (supporting, male, 25-30)
— Production Assistant (crew)
— Funeral Home Director (day player, male, 55-60)
– Average hourly rate: $31
– Casting locations: New York City, New York
– Learn more about the scripted show here

Grusho Anna // Shutterstock

‘Hench: The Override Saga’

– Project type: scripted show
– Roles:
— Holly (lead, female, 18-30)
— Samanatha (lead, female, 21-38)
— Gina (lead, female, 18-35)
– Average hourly rate: $31
– Casting locations: Los Angeles, California; New York City, New York; Boston, Massachusetts
– Learn more about the scripted show here

Media_Photos // Shutterstock

’72 Hours’

– Project type: feature film
– Roles:
— Club Goers (background extra, 18-35)
– Average hourly rate: $18
– Casting locations: New York City, New York; Newark, New Jersey; Brooklyn, New York; Morristown, New Jersey; Hoboken, New Jersey
– Learn more about the feature film here

Grusho Anna // Shutterstock

‘Vertical Mini-Drama Series’

– Project type: s

MilanMarkovic78 // Shutterstock

What kills January resolutions: lack of willpower or too many steps?

Approximately 43% of people abandon their New Year’s resolutions before the end of the month. This may not be because they stop wanting to change but that getting started requires too much setup. And if those resolutions involve trying a new brand or service? The friction multiplies. Download this. Create an account. Verify your email. By the time someone’s ready to begin, the motivation has already cooled.

January gives brands access to people actively trying to change their routines. What determines who wins those customers is the distance between interest and action. A QR Code starts the experience instantly, while five extra steps send people elsewhere. That difference matters.

Uniqode examines how QR Codes reduce friction in customer onboarding.

Why scan-to-begin wins in the first moments of the year

Scan-to-begin works because it removes decisions from the starting moment. There is no need to remember a URL, search for the correct page, or choose between options. The next step is clear.

By collapsing multiple actions into one, scanning reduces early drop-off at the point where attention is most fragile. People move forward before hesitation sets in, which is crucial when motivation exists but patience is lacking.

This approach naturally fits into physical environments such as gyms, retail stores, workplaces, airports, and shared spaces, which are often filled with brief pauses where people decide what to do next. A well-placed QR Code turns those pauses into starting points.

For brands, early scans surface what people are trying to change. For consumers, scanning creates a clear place to begin at a moment when progress matters more than exploration.

How scan-to-begin plays out across industries

Across categories, the same pattern repeats. Periods of reset bring more trial behavior, and outcomes may depend less on how compelling an offer sounds and more on how easily people can begin.

1. Retail and CPG

Shopping behavior in January turns towards experimentation. New brands are tested, and staples are reconsidered. Engagement often stops at the shelf when learning more or registering a product requires extra effort.

QR Codes extend the moment of consideration beyond the purchase. Packaging becomes a path to product education, registration, savings, or brand ecosystems without forcing immediate commitment.

How brands are doing it: L’Oréal uses QR Codes on product packaging to connect buyers to its digital ecosystem, increasing app downloads and registered usage.

2. Travel, hospitality, and local experiences

The new year often comes with resolutions to travel more. Planning a

travelview // Shutterstock

Earthquake damage is not covered by a standard homeowners insurance policy in the United States. Instead, earthquake protection is typically available either as a separate earthquake policy or an endorsement added to a homeowners policy, depending on the state and insurer practices.

Earthquake risk varies widely across the U.S. According to federal seismic hazard models, earthquake hazards extend beyond the well‑known Western states to many regions across the country. These hazard maps show where damaging shaking is more likely over the long term. In this article, Cheap Insurance reviews the differences between standalone policies and endorsements to help you determine which coverage fits your needs.

How Earthquake Coverage Works

Standard homeowners policies exclude earthquake damage to homes and personal property. To protect against these losses, homeowners may need:

• An earthquake endorsement added to their existing policy
• A separate earthquake insurance policy
• Optional supplemental plans through state programs in certain regions

Federal emergency preparedness resources explain that earthquake damage is excluded from standard home policies, and that separate coverage may be crucial for financial recovery after a seismic event.

The availability of earthquake protection often depends on the state’s risk environment and market practices. In many cases, carriers offer coverage in states with higher seismic risk or through state‑specific programs.

States with Specific Earthquake Coverage Accessibility

While earthquake coverage options can vary by insurer and market conditions, the following states have well‑recognized availability of residential earthquake protection, either through general market options, state programs, or high seismic hazard:

Alaska
California
Hawai’i
Idaho
Illinois
Kentucky
Missouri
Montana
Nevada
Oregon
South Carolina
Tennessee
Utah
Washington

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The push to ban gas-powered leaf blowers has gained an unlikely figurehead: Cate Blanchett, the Australian actress. “Leaf blowers need to be eradicated from the face of the Earth,” she said in an interview in March. Her complaints have gone viral on TikTok and other social media platforms. “It’s a metaphor for what’s wrong with us as a species,” Blanchett said. “We blow s— from one side of our lawn to the other side, and then the wind is just going to blow it back!”

Her complaints about leaf blowers — equal parts entertaining and earnest — stretch back nearly 20 years, and now the mood has caught up with her. Today, more than 200 local governments in the U.S. have restricted gas-powered lawn equipment or provided incentives to switch to quieter, less polluting electric tools. The first bans date back to the 1970s, but the trend picked up after the COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns in 2020, when newly homebound workers discovered just how inescapable the whine of their neighbor’s leaf blower could be.

In this article, Grist examines why local governments struggle to implement and enforce bans on gas-powered leaf blowers, despite widespread support.

“With every year that passes, more and more communities across the country are taking action to address the shocking amount of pollution and noise from gas lawn equipment,” said Kirsten Schatz, clean air advocate at the Colorado Public Interest Research Group, called CoPIRG.

Gas-powered leaf blowers aren’t just annoying; they’re bad for public health. Closing the windows can’t shut out their low-frequency roar, which can be louder than the World Health Organization’s recommended limit of 55 decibels up to 800 feet away. The unwanted sound can lead to high levels of stress, along with disturbing people’s sleep and potentially damaging hearing over time.

Leaf blowers’ two-stroke engines also churn out a noxious blend of exhaust: fine particulate matter, smog-forming gases, and cancer-causing chemicals like benzene and formaldehyde. By one estimate, running a gas-powered leaf blower for an hour emits as much smog-f