NPR News Now - NPR News: 01-05-2026 6PM EST

Episode Date: January 5, 2026

NPR News: 01-05-2026 6PM ESTLearn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Rylan Barton. Austed Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro made his first appearance in federal court today. A 25-page indictment released over the weekend alleges Maduro provided drug traffickers with diplomatic passports and partnered with drug cartels to send cocaine to the U.S. If convicted, Maduro and his wife could face life in prison, NPR's Jasmine Garce has more on the proceedings. They came in, Maduro said, Happy New Year several times to members of the police. press and of the public and almost as soon as he walked in and was asked to confirm that he is Nicola Maduro Moros. He described himself as the president of Venezuela and he described himself

as a prisoner of war who was kidnapped in his home and he appealed to the Geneva Convention. His wife, Celia Flores, her right eye looked a bit swollen. Her forehead was bandaged. and it was later revealed by the defense that she may have sustained a fracture during the operation. NPR's a Jasmine Garst reporting U.S. stocks hit new highs today after President Trump announced plans to take control of Venezuela's oil industry. As NPR's Maria Aspen reports, the Dow closed up more than a percent. President Trump says the U.S. military action in Venezuela will allow U.S. companies to take over the country's oil production. and investors in those companies seem pretty excited about the potential payoff. Chevron is the last major U.S. oil company operating in Venezuela.

Its shares soared more than 5% and helped lift the overall market. Shares in ExxonMobil and ConocoPhillips also rose. The U.S. military's capture of Venezuela's president and his wife has stoked concerns about increased geopolitical instability. Prices of gold and silver, typically seen as hedges against uncertainty, Rose. So did the shares of major weapons makers and defense contractors. Maria Aspen and PR News. Minnesota Democratic Governor Tim Walz has announced today he's ending his bid for re-election. Minnesota Public Radio's Dana Ferguson reports.

The second term governor said that he will not pursue a third term in office. Walls launched a re-election campaign in September. He said he wants to spend the last year of his term rooting out fraud in state programs. And he said another campaign could pull focus from that. The move comes after the Walls administration faced increasing scrutiny over that issue. The Trump administration has placed a national spotlight on misuse of government funds in recent weeks. Wals was first elected governor in 2018 and previously represented southern Minnesota in Congress. He ran unsuccessfully for vice president on the Democratic ticket in 2024. He says he's confident a Democrat can win the governor's office in November. For NPR news, I'm Dana Ferguson in St. Paul. It's NPR.

The official plaque honoring the police who defended the Capitol on January 6, 2021 is nowhere to be found. It's supposed to be on display at the Capitol, as is required by law. Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson has yet to formally unveil the plaque. The Justice Department is seeking to dismiss a lawsuit asking that it be displayed. Many members of Congress, mostly Democrats, have mounted poster board-style replicas of the plaque outside their office doors. It's known as Black Monday in the NFL as four head coaches were officially fired after their seasons today, meaning at least six teams are looking for new leadership, including Las Vegas, Atlanta, and Cleveland, where Ideastream Public

Media's Glenn Forbes has more. Two-time NFL coach of the year, Kevin Stefanski, who led the Browns to the playoffs in 2020 and 2023, got the boot after a combined record of 8 and 26 in the last two seasons. Tennessee and the New York Giants fired their coaches mid-season. Analyst say Stifansky could be a candidate for both teams. In Las Vegas, despite his Super Bowl resume with Seattle, the Raiders said goodbye to Pete Carroll after one, three and 14 season. Atlanta's looking for a new coach after dismissing Rahim Morris after two eight and nine seasons. And Jonathan Gannon is out for the Arizona Cardinals who lost nine in a row to finish three in 14. For NPR News, I'm Glenn Forbes in Cleveland.

K-pop group, BTS's comeback has an official date, March 20th. We'll end their nearly four year hiatus as the seven members had to fulfill South Korea's mandatory military service. The 26 album will mark their first since their 2022 anthology proof. Wall Street gained ground today, led by a mix of energy companies and banks. This is NPR News.