NPR News: 01-03-2026 3AM EST
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What is the main topic discussed in this episode?
Live from NPR News, I'm Dale Willman.
What is happening in Caracas, Venezuela?
It's unclear right now what's happening in Caracas, the capital city of Venezuela, but there's a lot of activity underway, as the BBC's Will Grant tells us.
There were numerous sort of near simultaneous explosion, reports of explosions in several places across Caracas. They include military installations, including La Calota. Now that's a military airfield right in the center of the city and the main military base called Fuerte Tiuna.
The blast began around 2 a.m. local time this morning. Columbia President Gustavo Petro, meanwhile, says on social media that what's happening in Caracas amounts to an attack. He's calling for an immediate meeting of the United Nations Security Council. Firefighters are continuing to battle a massive five-alarm fire in the Cherry Creek area of Denver at this hour. The fire began at an apartment complex under construction, and it spread to cover an entire city block. Nearby residents have been evacuated and a shelter has been opened in nearby Glenville. Police are telling people to stay away from the area. One firefighter has been injured, but so far there are no other reports of injuries. Officials in Switzerland say they now have a possible cause for a fire in a bar at the ski resort of Kranz Montana on New Year's Eve.
The fire killed at least 40 people and injured 119 others.
Everything leads us to believe that the fire began from... candles or sparklers that were put on champagne bottles and all of this was placed too closely to the roof or the ceiling rather and that's when there was a flash over that took place in this establishment
Local prosecutor Beatrice Pirlo says once the fire began, it spread rapidly across the room. Investigators are looking at soundproofing on the ceiling that may have not met building regulations. Federal authorities say they stopped an alleged ISIS-inspired attack on New Year's Eve. The attack was planned for a town near Charlotte, North Carolina. Officials say an 18-year-old suspect is in custody. NPR's Ryan Lucas has more.
Authorities say the defendant, Christian Sturdivant, was plotting to use knives and a hammer to carry out an attack at a grocery store and a fast food restaurant in Mint Hill, North Carolina. Court papers say Sturdivant had been in touch about his plans with two individuals who he thought were members of ISIS, but were in fact undercover law enforcement officers. He allegedly pledged allegiance to the terrorist group as well. The FBI conducted a court-authorized search of Sturdivant's home, where they found knives and a hammer under his bed. as well as a document that allegedly contained detailed plans for an attack. He was arrested on New Year's Eve before any attack took place. Ryan Lucas, NPR News, Washington.
And you're listening to NPR News. A grandmother and her five-year-old grandson have died in Gaza after their tent caught fire. Tens of thousands of Palestinians are living in difficult conditions in Gaza using makeshift materials for housing as bitterly cold weather settles over the region. And aid groups say not enough shelter materials are making their way to Gaza as an Israeli blockade of border crossings into the region continues. Prediction market apps are expected to surge this year ahead of midterm elections. As NPR's Bobby Allen reports, the Biden administration tried to shut down election betting, but Trump officials are welcoming the services.
Billions of dollars in bets are happening every week on Cauchy and Polymarket. It's mostly sports, but politics is a growing category. The apps are regulated by the Commodity Future Trading Commission after arguing they are not gambling, but a futures contract. Carl Lockhart is a law professor who studies prediction markets at DePaul University. He says the apps are gambling under a different name.
It's a combination of technology being addictive. And then on top of that, you know, these apps and the actual game of gambling being addictive, right? So you basically have this sort of addiction squared situation.
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