NPR News Now - NPR News: 01-05-2026 2PM EST

Episode Date: January 5, 2026

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Live from NPR News, I'm Lakshmi Singh. Outstood Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife made their first appearance in U.S. federal court today. They each pleaded not guilty to the criminal charges against them. Here's NPR's Ryan Lucas. Nicolas Maduro faces narcoterrorism conspiracy, cocaine importation conspiracy, and weapons charges. His wife, Celia Flores, faces three of those same counts. At a hearing in federal court in Manhattan, both Maduro and Flores entered pleas of not guilty. During the proceedings, Maduro introduced himself as the president of Venezuela and a prisoner of war.

The first court appearance comes two days after U.S. military operation captured the couple in the heart of Venezuela's capital, Caracas, and took them to New York to face trial. U.S. prosecutors alleged Maduro presided over a large-scale drug trafficking operation, working hand in hand with drug cartels to ship top. tons of cocaine to the United States. Ryan Lucas and Pierre News, Washington. Minnesota Governor Tim Walsh is dropping his re-election campaign for a third term. The Democratic Party's 2024 vice presidential nominee said today,

he needs to focus his energy on investigating alleged fraud in the state's child care programs. Rather than fighting battles with Republicans, he accuses of politicizing the allegations at the expense of Minnesotans. We've got conspiracy theorist right-wing YouTubers. breaking into our daycares, demanding access to our children. We've got the President of the United States demonizing our Somali neighbors and wrongfully confiscating funds that Minnesotans rely on. Late last month, a right-wing media influencer posted a video that went viral to expose what he described as evidence of fraud at Somali-American-run daycare facilities in Minnesota.

The Trump administration froze federal funding of child care centers across. the country. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth is taking administrative action against Democratic Senator Mark Kelly. NPR's Quill Lawrence reports Kelly has long been critical of President Trump. Senator Kelly served 25 years as a Navy pilot and retired with full military benefits, so he's still subject to military code. Secretary Hegseth claims that Kelly's statements, including a message telling troops not to follow illegal orders, amount to sedition. Heggseth says on social media that he has initiated a formal 45-day process to reduce Kelly's rank and retirement pay. Senator Kelly replied in a statement that he earned his rank in combat and as an astronaut

and that Hexeth and the Trump administration are trying to stifle free speech and dissent among retired military officers. Kelly called that outrageous and un-American. Quill Lawrence NPR News. The Dow Jones Industrial Average is now up more than 800 points or 1.6. It's NPR news. It's that time of year at the end of the regular season in pro football that touches off what's known across the NFL as Black Monday. The Arizona Cardinals, the Cleveland Browns, and the Las Vegas Raiders have joined the Atlanta Falcons in firing their head coaches. Meanwhile, 14 teams are now getting ready for the playoffs.

The Denver Broncos and the Seattle Seahawks are the top seeds on either side of the bracket. NPR's Becky Sullivan has a lot. preview. It's a wide open postseason this year. Some playoff regulars will be watching from the couch. In the AFC, there's no Patrick Mahomes, no Joe Burrow, no Lamar Jackson. Instead, the Denver Broncos and second-year quarterback Bo Nix have the first round by. And the New England Patriots are the two-seed after an MVP quality season from their young quarterback, Drake May. Practically every playoff team this year has some flaw, including the Patriots, who played only three games this season against winning teams and lost two of them. The NFC's top seed, the Seattle Seahawks,

have a dominant defense, but under center is Sam Darnold, who last year wilted in his only career playoff appearance. So although the Los Angeles Rams and Buffalo Bills aren't top seeds this year, they're still among the favorites to win the Super Bowl. Becky Sullivan and PR News. Tech companies are showcasing their newest offerings at the annual CES trade show this week in Las Vegas, the event organized by the Consumer Technology Association is expected to feature A.I. Central advances across the spectrum from gaming to healthcare. Last year, the event drew more than 140,000 participants from around the globe. I'm Lakshmi Singh and PR News in Washington.