Alejandro Velasco, a historian of modern Latin America, delves into U.S.-Venezuela tensions and critiques the U.S. seizure of a Venezuelan oil tanker. He highlights the implications of U.S. military build-up and the shifting political landscape in Miami. Mahmoud Mamdani, an expert on postcolonial studies, discusses the concept of ‘slow poison’ in Ugandan history, exploring colonial legacies and identity politics. Lastly, Maureen Kaki shares on-the-ground accounts from Gaza during a winter storm, shedding light on urgent humanitarian needs.