The Sunday Magazine for January 4, 2026
This week on The Sunday Magazine with Piya Chattopadhyay:
What comes next after the U.S. strikes Venezuela, captures Maduro
On Saturday, the United States carried out strikes in Venezuela, captured its President Nicolás Maduro, and brought him to New York to face criminal charges. President Donald Trump now says the U.S. will "run" the country until a "proper transition can take place." Piya Chattopadhyay explores the latest developments and bigger implications of it all with reporter Ana Vanessa Herrero in Caracas, Lulu Garcia-Navarro from The New York Times, and Roland Paris, director of the University of Ottawa’s Graduate School of Public and International Affairs.
Make 2026 the year of 'recombobulation'
To kick off a new year of Word Processing, our ongoing look at language, Chattopadhyay speaks with lexicographer Susie Dent about the old words you didn't know you needed to sum up our modern times, and her pitch to get "recombobulation" – the opposite of discombobulation – properly in the dictionary. So, nevermind the "snollygosters," just gather round your "copemates" and head on a "coddiwomple" with us as we ring in 2026.
Stephen Fry says Odysseus is a hero for our times
As a child, Stephen Fry says he was obsessed with the gods and heroes of ancient Greek myth the way other boys were obsessed with comic books or football players. Today, the actor, author and director's enthusiasm for those stories is undiminished. Fry joins Chattopadhyay to talk about his epic project of reimagining and retelling these timeless tales for a modern audience – including his fourth and final book in the series, Odyssey – and why he believes its hero, Odysseus, remains a hero for our times.
The New Year's resolution that's free and full of benefits
As the new year sets in, many are resolving to eat healthier, exercise more or learn a new hobby. But there's an alternative pursuit worth considering that comes with less pressure and a lot of payoff: cultivating awe. Whether it's the goosebumps you get when hearing a powerful piece of music, or the wonder that comes with spotting the first signs of spring, awe can have a profound effect on our lives. University of California, Berkeley psychology professor Dacher Keltner and author and workplace culture strategist Jennifer Moss discuss the science and power of this emotion.