The U.S. intends to dominate Latin America. That’s clear following the weekend’s American operation to remove Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro from power. But the U.S. has competition. China is expanding its influence in the region, offering itself as an alternative to governments leery of American power.

China is Venezuela’s “largest creditor and biggest oil customer,” said The Wall Street Journal. That status is part of a larger push into Latin America in which Beijing has “displaced the U.S. as the biggest trading partner” for several countries. The challenge to American regional preeminence is clear: A recent state television program depicted a “wargame simulation” showing Chinese confronting unnamed Western forces “around Cuba and Mexico.” The U.S.-China competition in the region has “only just begun,” said the Center for Strategic and International Studies.

What did the commentators say?
China’s Latin America strategy is “alarming,” said Jianli Yang at the National Review. A new strategy paper from Beijing portrays China as a “champion of the Global South” in contrast to American “bullying,” but its intentions are not purely altruistic. China aims to “impose opportunity costs” on Washington by forcing America to “devote greater attention and resources to its own hemisphere” instead of Taiwan and the Indo-Pacific region. American leaders must build a smart response or “risk strategic overextension.”

Washington’s “obsession” with China’s moves in Latin America is a “familiar hysteria,” said Leon Hadar at Asia Times. But Beijing’s activities may not “actually threaten core American interests” in the region. China’s trade with Latin America has “increased tenfold” over the last 20 years, but that reflects China’s “massive demand for agricultural goods and minerals.” That’s basic economics, “not geopolitical conspiracy.”

What next?
Beijing’s Latin America strategy will be “significantly tested” by the Trump administration’s actions in Venezuela, said The South China Morning Post. The White House is “moving aggressively to roll back Chinese influence” in the Western Hemisphere. Some Latin American countries “may adopt a more cautious approach in managing their relations with Beijing when facing pressure from Washington,” said Zhao Minghao, the deputy director at Shanghai’s Center for American Studies, to the outlet.

The majority of AI data centers have been constructed in locations that are not ideal for efficiency or environmental protection. And warming temperatures are making more places increasingly unsuitable, with the potential to stress water and electric resources.

Where are these data centers?
Of the 8,808 operational data centers worldwide as of October 2025, almost 7,000 are located in areas outside the optimal temperature range for operation, according to an analysis by Rest of World. The right temperature range is from 64.4 to 80.6 degrees Fahrenheit. But the majority of centers are in regions with “average temperatures that are colder than the range.” 

While cold temperatures could affect efficiency, high temperatures will be the biggest risk. Cooling these centers is a huge environmental drain, an operation that requires substantial amounts of water. And as climate change worsens, more locations are going to become too hot to host data centers.

In 21 countries, including Singapore, Thailand and the United Arab Emirates, data centers are located in areas with too-hot average temperatures. Meanwhile, “all data centers in Norway and South Korea and nearly all data centers in Japan are in regions with temperatures below” the ideal range, said Rest of World. 

How is the US building them?
The U.S. is also rapidly expanding its AI capabilities and building in the wrong places, according to a study published in the journal Nature Sustainability. Currently, the most common locations for data centers are California, Virginia and the greater Southwest. These regions have notable environmental issues, including water scarcity. 

The country “doesn’t have a clear sense of what the AI boom is doing to U.S. resources” yet, said Built In. “We don’t really know how much strain these data centers put on aquifers, power plants or local grids or how much pollution nearby communities can reasonably absorb.”

Being strategic about where data centers are built can reduce their environmental impact. “Concentrating AI server deployment in Midwestern states” is “optimal, said the study, given their abundant renewables, low water scarcity and favorable projected unit water and carbon intensities.”

Hindu devotees warm themselves around bonfires before taking a dip in Nepal’s Shali River to celebrate the Swasthani Brata Katha festival on the outskirts of Kathmandu. The monthlong Hindu religious observance is practiced mainly in Nepal. 
Prakash Mathema / AFP / Getty Images

From “One Battle After Another” to “Sinners,” 2025 was an incredible year for film, and 2026 looks just as exciting. Whether you are a “Star Wars” fan or Christopher Nolan’s latest epic is more your speed, these are the must-see movies to watch this year.

‘Wuthering Heights’
The trailer for Emerald Fennell’s “ravishingly stylish” adaptation of Emily Bronte’s only novel sent much of the internet into a “tizzy,” said GQ. This “definitely isn’t the ‘Wuthering Heights’ you read for your GCSEs.” In her “gleefully anachronistic romance,” Margot Robbie (pictured above) and Jacob Elordi take on the starring roles of Catherine and Heathcliff. (in theaters Feb. 13)

‘The Bride’
Maggie Gyllenhaal’s “fresh take” on Mary Shelley’s classic novel stars Jessie Buckley as the “kick-ass outlaw lover for a punk Frankenstein,” said The Hollywood Reporter. Christian Bale takes on the role of a “lonesome” Frankenstein who recruits Dr. Euphronious (Annette Bening) to create him a companion by bringing a murdered young woman to life. (in theaters March 6)

‘The Mandalorian & Grogu’
“‘Star Wars’ fans are one step closer to returning to a galaxy far, far away,” said Jordan Moreau in Variety. The action follows Pedro Pascal as the Mandalorian, a bounty hunter, and his “adorable sidekick” Grogu (aka Baby Yoda). Other big names include Jeremy Allen White as Jabba the Hutt’s son Rotta and Sigourney Weaver as a fighter pilot. (in theaters May 22)

‘The Odyssey’
After cleaning up at last year’s Oscars with “Oppenheimer,” Christopher Nolan will return to the big screen with his 13th feature film, and he’s “dreaming even bigger,” said Empire. The director will be “going back to where it all began,” tackling Homer’s ancient Greek epic poem. “Big locations, big stars, big spectacle”— it’s not to be missed. (in theaters July 17)