NPR News Now - NPR News: 01-03-2026 3PM EST

Episode Date: January 3, 2026

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Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Nora Rahm. President Trump says the U.S. will run Venezuela after removing and indicting Venezuelan leader Nicholas Maduro. NPR's Franco Ordonez reports. President Trump says the U.S. will assemble a group, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and Defense Secretary Pete Hegsef, to help run Venezuela after the U.S. removed the Venezuelan leader overnight and leaving the country in a vacuum. Designating various people, and we're going to let you know who those.

people. Mr. President. What's the group you mentioned that would run Venezuela? Well, it's largely going to be for a period of time the people that are standing right behind me. Trump says the mission won't be costing the U.S. any money because he plans on using U.S. oil companies to extract oil from Venezuela's massive reserve and sell it for a profit to benefit Venezuelans and to repay the U.S.

He says troops may be necessary to secure the oil for the U.S. companies, but he doesn't anticipate them occupying the country at this time. or Donias, NPR News. The Trump administration had brief congressional leaders on its operation to apprehend Maduro after it begun. Maduro and his wife are in U.S. custody and face indictment in New York. NPR's Ryan Lucas has more. The Trump administration informed congressional leadership, Republican, and Democratic, about the Maduro operation after the mission was underway.

That's according to a person familiar with the matter who is not authorized to speak publicly. The administration told congressional leaders that the president, took action under his Article 2 powers as commander-in-chief. Officials also said that the military mission was helping execute an arrest warrant against Maduro in support of a Justice Department indictment. Attorney General Pam Bondi says Maddie says Maduro and his wife have been indicted in New York and will, quote, face the full wrath of American justice on American soil. Ryan Lucas, NPR News, Washington.

China has condemned the U.S. for what it calls, says are hegemonic actions against the sovereign state of Venezuela and its president. NPR's Jennifer Pack has more. China says it is, quote, deeply shocked by the U.S.'s blatant use of force against Venezuela and its president, according to a statement from the Chinese Foreign Ministry. It says the U.S. has seriously violated international law and Venezuela's sovereignty. China is a major trade partner for Venezuela, as it is for the rest of Latin America. It buys the bulk of Venezuelan oil.

Hours before the U.S. airstrikes, Venezuela's president met with a Chinese government delegation. China's foreign ministry says it opposes the U.S. threatening the peace and security in that region. Jennifer Pack, NPR News. President Trump has warned Iran that if Tehran kills peaceful protesters, the U.S. will come to the rescue. At least 10 people have been killed since the demonstrations began earlier this week. Today, Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khomeini said the Islamic State will not yield and that rioters must be put in their place. This is NPR News.

in Washington. A federal appeals court has ruled that California's law against openly carrying weapons is unconstitutional. The three-judge panel found it violates a Supreme Court decision in 2022 that struck down laws that required a special permit to openly carry a gun in public. Supporters of the ban are expected to seek a decision by the entire appeals court. A new study finds the number of movies directed by women has been dropping over the past few years. NPR's Netta Ulibe has more. In 2025, the number of movies directed by women represented only 8% of the top 100 films at the box office. The most financially successful in 2025 was a horror movie, five nights at Freddy's 2. Directed by Emma Tammie, it made more

than $200 million worldwide. But the number of movies made by women has decreased over the past few years. That's according to numbers from the University of Southern California's Annenberg Inclusion Initiative. The best year for women directors on record was 2020, when films by women represented 15% of the top 100 films at the box office. Netta Ulibe, NPR News. Conservationists are mourning the death of a popular elephant in a national park in Kenya. Craig was found dead this morning of natural causes. He was 54 and one of the last supertuskers. with immense tuss that would touch the ground. The Kenya Wildlife Service describes Craig

as calm and dignified that he would stop patiently to allow tourists to take his picture. I'm Nora Rahm. NPR News in Washington.