NPR News: 01-05-2026 4AM EST

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NPR News Now 4 min 3 speakers 6 chapters transcribed 1 month ago

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What did President Trump say about the U.S. taking control of Venezuela after the capture?

Dale Willman 0:01

Live from NPR News, I'm Dale Wilman. After US forces captured Venezuela's president on Saturday, President Trump said his administration will now run Venezuela. But on Sunday, Secretary of State Marco Rubio gave a more nuanced response. He said the U.S. will instead manage the country through the use of sanctions. But the purpose of those sanctions, he said, will be too.

Marco Rubio 0:20

And the goal of the policy is to see changes in Venezuela that are beneficial to the United States first and foremost because that's who we work for, but also we believe beneficial for the people of Venezuela who have suffered tremendously. We want a better future for Venezuela, and we think a better future for the people of Venezuela also is stabilizing for the region and makes the neighborhood we live in. Uh a much better and safer place.

How does Secretary of State Marco Rubio explain the U.S. plan to use sanctions in Venezuela?

Dale Willman 0:43

Rubio is speaking on NBC's Meet the Press. The deposed Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro is in custody in New York City, where he's expected to face trial on federal drug trafficking charges. Trump's decision to oust Maduro came after he pardoned other high level drug traffickers, and Pierce Brynman reports.

Brian Mann 0:58

Трамп закюс Мадуро в ледін аккаїв deadly narco-terrorism against the United States and its citizens. But Jeffрі Singer, a drug policy expert at the libertaріan think tank The Cato інститут, says Trump has pardoned or freed other major drug traffickers.

Unknown 1:14

If this is what's motivating him, if it's stopping drug trafficking, then why is he pardoning? The Honduran president who was convicted of cocaine trafficking.

Brian Mann 1:24

Former Honduran president Juan Orlando Hernandez was convicted last year of helping drug cartels smuggle more than 400 tons of cocaine into the U.S. But Trump freed him in December.

Why is the Trump administration pardoning high‑profile drug traffickers and what are the criticisms?

Brian Mann 1:34

During Trump's first term, his administration also freed a senior Mexican general accused of aiding the drug cartels. Brian Mann and P.

Dale Willman 1:43

Our news. Denmark is defending its authority over Greenland after President Trump and the wife of a Trump advisor renewed calls for the US to annex the territory. MPR's Lydia Kalitri has more on that story.

Unknown 1:56

President Trump told the Atlantic Sunday that Greenland could be subject to future U.S. intervention, saying, quote, We need it for defense. On Saturday, Katie Miller, wife of Trump's Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller, posted a picture of the American flag covering Greenland on social media with the caption soon. Danish Prime Minister Meta Frederickson said in a statement that the US has no right to annex territories of Denmark and told the US to stop the threats about taking over Greenland.

What is Denmark’s response to President Trump’s renewed calls to annex Greenland?

Unknown 2:26

Trump has repeatedly expressed interest in annexing Greenland from Denmark for its strategic location in the Arctic. Lydia Kalitri, NPR News.

Dale Willman 2:35

Israel is revoking the licenses of more than three dozen humanitarian organizations now working in Gaza. Officials say it's an effort to prevent infiltration by militants into the enclave. The ban takes hold on march first and includes such well known groups as Doctors Without Borders and Oxfam. They provide essential services to Gaza, including needed medical care. You're listening to NPR News. Asian shares rallied on heavy buying of tech related stocks uh today and US futures were flat after small gains Friday on Wall Street. Officials in Switzerland say they've identified all forty people who died on New Year's Eve fire in a bar at a ski resort in the town of Crans, Montana.

Why is Israel revoking licenses for humanitarian groups operating in Gaza?

Dale Willman 3:17

Many people were also injured in that blaze. Hundreds of mourners attended a mass Sunday before marching to the scene of the fire to honor those who died. A criminal investigation into the owners is now underway. Modern Christmas may be long over, but a holiday known as Epiphany, or Old Christmas, is fast approaching. Chad Barrett of Member Station W E T S has more on how early settlers in the US celebrated Christmas time.

Unknown 3:42

Sycamore Shoals State Historic Park in Elizabethan, Tennessee has celebrated the holiday known as Old Christmas for almost twenty years. Tradition to fire muskets off at Christmas time, kind of the equivalent of fireworks today.