NPR News Now - NPR News: 01-06-2026 10AM EST

Episode Date: January 6, 2026

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Live from NPR News in Washington on Kourva Coleman, residents of Caracas reported heavy gunfire last night just around Venezuela's presidential palace. NPR-Ada-Peralta reports it appears to stem from confusion. On social media, videos from Caracas showed men with rifles trading fire on the streets. From their balconies, residents saw what appeared to be anti-aircraft fire streaking through the air. The government's information ministry told the Spanish news agency, that the gunfire was to dissuade drones over flying Miraflores, the presidential palace. The violence surfaced fears that there might be a struggle for power following the U.S. capture of President Nicolas Nicolas Maduro. But earlier in a day, Venezuela's vice president, Deli Rodriguez, was sworn in as acting president.

The Minister of Defense, Vladimir Padrino, also said the Venezuelan armed forces are firmly behind Rodriguez. Aida-Pralta and PR News, Kukuta, Colombia. President Trump might discuss Venezuela further today. he's meeting with Republican lawmakers this hour at the Kennedy Center in Washington. M.P.R.'s Barbara Sprunt reports the focus of the meeting is supposed to be on election strategy for the midterm elections. In the past, when the president has joined these kind of like weekly conference meetings that Republicans have, it almost becomes like a rally. And it's hard not to envision that happening today, given that they're gearing up as a party for the midterm elections. So I think Venezuela will be part of the conversation.

I don't think it will be the only topic. And members will be. have an additional briefing on Venezuela tomorrow. NPR's Barbara Sprunt reporting. Last night, Trump administration officials briefed a handful of top congressional leaders from both parties on the Venezuela situation. Democratic lawmakers have been demanding more answers about President Trump's declaration that the U.S. will run Venezuela. Republicans said last night that their briefing was thorough and their questions were answered. Stocks opened higher this morning as crude oil prices inch upward. NPR's Scott Horsley reports the Dow Jones Industrial average rose about 120 points in early trading. Crude oil in the U.S. is trading at less than $59 a barrel.

That's up slightly from the weekend when U.S. forces seized Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro. But prices are still low enough that major oil companies may think twice about making big investments to revitalize Venezuela's long-neglected oil industry. An oil pipeline operator has drawn a record fine for spilling more than a million gallons of oil into the Gulf of Mexico back in 2023. Regulators say the Third Coast Company allowed oil to keep flowing through a leaky pipeline for hours after gauges signaled a possible problem. And U.S.-based companies have won an exemption from an international tax agreement that would have assessed a 15% minimum corporate tax worldwide. Scott Horsley and PIR News, Washington. On Wall Street, the Dow has now risen

to about 140 points to 49,116. You're listening to NPR News from Washington. Food and Beverage Corporation Nestle is recalling some batches of infant formula. It's produced under the name SMA. The company says this recall is due to potential contamination with a toxin. This could trigger nausea and vomiting. Some coastal communities in northern California are still drying out from weekend flooding. Stormy weather led to many homes and businesses being surrounded by high water north of San Francisco.

San Francisco. From member station KQED, Ezra David Romero has more. A three-foot-tall line of gray sandbags and blue tarps blocks the entrance of FitnessSF in the Marin County City of Cordo-Modera. There would mostly stop several feet of water from turning the gym into a pool. Ryan Davis is the gym's general manager. At least three feet of standing water strut in the entire building, that even with sandbags and plywood and tarps, it was still coming through. National Weather Service forecasters said the storm outperformed their forecast, resulting in additional storm surge on top of the extra high tides.

Marin County officials are still calculating the extent of the damage. For NPR news, I'm Ezra David Romero in Cora Madera. Officials in the Philippines have raised their alert for the Mayan volcano. The volcano was on the southern part of Luzon Island, hundreds of miles south of Manila, the capital. Filipino officials warned there's an increased chance the volcano could erupt and are warning people to stay away. Researchers say the volcano is one of the most active in the world. I'm Corva Coleman, NPR News in Washington.