NPR News Now - NPR News: 01-03-2026 4AM EST

Episode Date: January 3, 2026

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Live from NPR News, I'm Dale Wilman. There are now a number of reports that a U.S. military operation is underway in Venezuela. Early this morning, multiple explosions hit the capital of Caracas, causing several fires and panic among residents. According to the Venezuelan government, the strikes are hitting not only military and civilian sites in Caracas, but also in three other states around the South American country. NPR's Kerry Khan has our reports. In a statement, Venezuela's government said it, quote, condemns and denounces before the international community the extremely grave military aggression carried out by the current U.S. government. Multiple explosions were heard around 2 a.m. local time

throughout Caracas. One journalist told NPR that two explosions hit the runway of the military airport La Carlota inside the Capitol. The Pentagon referred all inquiries to the White House, which has yet to comment. The Trump administration has been increasing pressure on the Venezuelan government of Nicolas Maduro, who the U.S. says is the leader of a, quote, narco-terrorist organization. Maduro has declared a state of external disturbance and called for an immediate move to arms struggle. Carrie Khan and PR News, Rio de Janeiro. The Associated Press, meanwhile, is reporting that the FAA warned all commercial and private pilots in the U.S. that the airspace over Venezuela, as well as the island of Curacao, was off

limits. The warning was because of safety of flight risks associated with ongoing military activity. A large fire broke out near downtown Denver overnight. Flames tore through an apartment development that was under construction. Fire officials evacuated nearby apartment buildings because of the heat of the fire. A temporary shelter has been set up in nearby Glendale for anyone who can't return to their home right now. The smoke plume from the fire was so large it could be seen for a time on local weather radar. More than 100 firefighters remain on the scene and officials say one firefighter has been injured but no other injuries have been reported. Tonight is the first full moon of 2026, and it comes at the moon's closest approach to Earth, which means it's what's known as a super moon. As NPR's Nell Greenfield-Boyce reports, the moon might look a bit bigger and brighter, but it could be hard to tell with a naked eye. If you were hoping to see the peak of the quadranted meteor shower, the full moon is a bummer, as it will wash out the shooting stars.

But if you like to moon gaze, you can also check out bright Jupiter, which will be right below the moon. This is the last super moon until November. But 2026 will have 13 full moons because the month of May will have a second full moon, aka a blue moon. There will also be a total lunar eclipse in March and a total solar eclipse in August.

But that solar eclipse won't be visible from the United States. You'd have to go someplace like Greenland or Spain. Nell Greenfield-Boice, NPR News. I'm Dale Wilman, and you're listening to NPR News. Brazil has eliminated mother-to-child transmission of HIV. That's according to the World Health Organization. NPR's Gabriela Emmanuel has more.

Worldwide, the WHO has certified 19 countries and territories where almost every child is born HIV-free, even if their mothers have the virus. But Brazil is the most populous country in the Americas and the first country of more than 100 million people to achieve this milestone. Their success is in large part due to the country's universal and free health care. In the U.S., HIV mother-to-child transmission rates are very low, less than 1% of kids born to HIV-positive mothers. But it has yet to receive the WHO certification. Gabriela Emmanuel and PR News. In college football, Robbie Ashford threw for 303 yards and three touchdowns and ran for two other scores as Wake Forest

Mississippi State 43 to 29 on Friday. Ashford also ran for 50 yards in the wind. Blake Horvath threw a pair of touchdown passes as Navy beat Cincinnati, 35 to 13. The Texas State Bobcats, meanwhile, overpowered Rice 41 to 10. Wake Forest was dominant as they beat Mississippi State 43 to 29, and SMU beat Wake Forest 43 to 29. U.S. hockey released the rosters for the men's and women's Olympic hockey teams on Friday. 36-year-old Hillary Knight will be making her fifth appearance on a team that's

expected to win gold. Elim of members who played back the 2022 Beijing Olympics will also be back. And again, today, this hour's top story, there are now a number of reports that the U.S. military operation is underway in Venezuela. I'm Dale Wilman, NPR News.