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In the news today: Maduro is set to make his first appearance in an American courtroom on narco-terrorism charges; how Trump's intervention in Venezuela will pose a test of his ability to hold Republicans together during a challenging election year; and LA residents are still battling toxic hazards a year after the historic wildfires that killed 30 people and destroyed nearly 17,000 structures. Also, a massive 535-pound bluefin tuna sells for a record at a Tokyo fish market. |
A government supporter holds an action figure of Super Bigote during a protest Sunday, demanding the release of President Nicolás Maduro, who was captured by U.S. forces, in Caracas, Venezuela. (AP Photo/Ariana Cubillos) |
Maduro is set to make his first appearance in a US courtroom
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Deposed Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro is set to make his first appearance Monday in an American courtroom on the narco-terrorism charges the Trump administration used to justify capturing him and bringing him to New York. Read more. |
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A brief, but required, legal proceeding will likely kick off a prolonged legal fight over whether he can be put on trial in the U.S.
As a criminal defendant in the U.S. legal system, Maduro will have the same rights as any other person accused of a crime — including the right to a trial by a jury of regular New Yorkers. Maduro's lawyers are expected to contest the legality of his arrest, arguing that he is immune from prosecution as a sovereign head of state.
- Venezuela's new interim president, Delcy Rodríguez, has demanded that the U.S. return Maduro, who long denied any involvement in drug trafficking — although late Sunday she also struck a more conciliatory tone in a social media post, inviting collaboration with Trump and "respectful relations" with the U.S.
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US intervention in Venezuela could test Trump's ability to hold GOP together in an election year
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President Donald Trump's military intervention in Venezuela will pose a fresh test of his ability to hold together a restive Republican coalition during a challenging election year that could be defined by domestic concerns like health care and affordability. Read more. |
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While most Republicans lined up behind the president in the immediate aftermath, there were signs of unease across the spectrum within the party. In particular, Trump's comments about the U.S. positioning itself to "run" Venezuela raised concerns that he is abandoning the "America First" philosophy. Trump's comments this weekend about revitalizing the oil industry in Venezuela are in line with some of the earliest critiques he made of the handling of the Iraq War. During a 2013 speech before the Conservative Political Action Conference, Trump said the U.S. should "take" oil from Iraq and "pay ourselves back." "This is the same Washington playbook that we are so sick and tired of that doesn't serve the American people, but actually serves the big corporations, the banks and the oil executives," said Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia, a former Trump ally who is resigning on Monday, in an interview with NBC's "Meet the Press" on Sunday.
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LA residents are still battling toxic hazards a year after historic wildfires
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It's been a year since the most destructive wildfires in the Los Angeles area's history scorched neighborhoods and displaced tens of thousands of people. People whose homes were left standing are still living with the hazards, including new trauma for those afraid of what still lurks inside. Read more. |
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Indoor air quality after wildfires remains understudied, and scientists still don't know the long-term health impacts of exposure to massive urban fires like last year's in Los Angeles.
According to a report released by the Eaton Fire Residents United, a volunteer group formed by residents, six out of 10 homes damaged by smoke from the Eaton Fire still have dangerous levels of cancer-causing asbestos, brain-damaging lead or both.
Residents are also at the mercy of their insurance companies, who decide on what they cover and how much. The state's insurer of last resort has been scrutinized for years over its handling of fire damage claims.
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A bluefin tuna that won the highest bid at the annual New Year auction is carried to a Sushi Zanmai restaurant in Tokyo, Monday. (AP Photo/Louise Delmotte) |
Bluefin tuna sells for record $3.2 million at auction
A massive 535-pound bluefin tuna sold for a record 510 million yen ($3.2 million) at the first auction of 2026 at Tokyo's Toyosu fish market. The top bidder at the predawn auction on Monday was Kiyomura Corp., whose owner, Kiyoshi Kimura, runs the popular Sushi Zanmai chain. "I haven't sampled it yet, but it's got to be delicious," he said. |
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