Hawk’s Wednesday Brief: Jan. 6 at five years, Venezuela oil questions, Europe warns on Greenland, flu guidance, and the AI skills gap

Five years after January 6, the U.S. is still taking stock. ABC News marked the anniversary with reflections on accountability and the legal and political shifts since the attack, with one legal analyst calling the aftermath “a remarkable turnabout.” [1]

U.S.–Venezuela tensions are again reshaping energy and foreign policy debates. As experts weigh the diplomatic fallout surrounding Nicolás Maduro’s capture, they note knock-on effects for regional relationships and Washington’s options going forward. [2] Even if policy opens a pathway back into the country, U.S. energy firms face significant regulatory and operational hurdles to reenter Venezuela’s oil sector, from complex compliance to on-the-ground logistics. [3]

Hawk’s Wednesday Brief: Jan. 6 at five years, Venezuela oil questions, Europe warns on Greenland, flu guidance, and the AI skills gap

Across the Atlantic, key European capitals are signaling alarm over talk of pressuring Greenland—an Arctic flashpoint with implications for NATO, climate policy, and resource access—warning Donald Trump against threats that could strain transatlantic ties. [2]

Public health officials, meanwhile, are urging Americans to get a flu shot even if this season’s vaccine is not a perfect match; protection still reduces severe illness and hospitalizations. Parents are also being guided through updates to the CDC’s vaccine schedule. [3]

Beyond the Americas, activists say at least 29 people have been killed and 1,200 detained amid protests in Iran, underscoring the volatile human-rights picture and the risks of further unrest. [3]

And in the economy’s next turn, a Google-backed report flags a critical execution gap: buying AI tools won’t deliver returns unless employers build an AI-ready workforce through upskilling, new workflows, and change management. Tech spending without talent development, the report suggests, is a recipe for stalled adoption and wasted budgets. [4]

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