NPR News Now: January 4, 2026, 11AM EST

Host: Nour Ram
Duration: ~5 minutes
Main Theme:
This episode provides updates on breaking global political events—including the U.S. military’s raid to seize former Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, President Trump’s policy shift in Venezuela, reactions from Congress and Europe, and highlights from the business and cultural worlds.

1. U.S. Military Operation in Venezuela and Seizure of Nicolás Maduro

• [00:14] Nour Ram leads with a major international development:
  • Former Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife were seized in a U.S. military operation.
  • Maduro faces drug and weapons charges in a New York federal court.
  • President Trump announced that the U.S. will "run Venezuela until there can be a proper transition," with U.S. oil companies operating Venezuela's oil reserves.
  • This move marks a sharp departure from Trump’s previous non-interventionist pledges.

2. Political and Congressional Reactions in the U.S.

• [00:52] NPR’s Mara Liasson analyzes the political repercussions:

  • The intervention tests whether the MAGA movement is rooted in Trump’s actions or in principles like non-interventionism.
  • Most Congressional Republicans support the move, but dissent arises, notably from Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene, who is leaving Congress after opposing Trump:
    • Quote:
      • "The president has broken his America first promise with his plan to, quote, run Venezuela. She says the president should be focused on domestic problems like the price of food and health care." — Mara Liasson [01:23]
  • There remains ambiguity about whether U.S. involvement constitutes occupation or another model.

• [01:35] Nour Ram summarizes Congressional divides:

  • Democrats condemn the maneuver as illegal.
  • Republicans, particularly Maria Alvarez Salazar (FL), defend it as liberation:
    • Quote:
      • “It proves that we are not an occupying power. Like some of my colleagues on the other side of the aisle are saying, we are not an occupying power. We are a liberating power…” — Maria Alvarez Salazar [01:47]
    • Emphasizes U.S. as “a very benevolent country.”

3. International Reaction: European and Global Perspectives

• [02:07] Nour Ram reports Europe’s cautious response:

  • European leaders are uneasy about the U.S. action, balancing concerns over the Trump administration and the legitimacy of Maduro.

• [02:23] Terri Schultz in Brussels covers nuanced European views:

  • European Commission Chief Ursula von der Leyen calls for a peaceful and democratic transition.
  • Spanish PM Pedro Sanchez:
    • Quote:
      • “…neither will it [Spain] recognize an intervention that violates international law and pushes the region toward a horizon of uncertainty and belligerence.” — Terri Schultz quoting Pedro Sanchez [02:31]
  • Social media rumors spark concerns over Greenland, prompting Denmark to demand respect for its sovereignty after a provocative post by a U.S. official's spouse.
    • Notable Detail: Danish ambassador responds to a viral image with Greenland colored in U.S. flag colors and captioned "soon." [02:50]

4. Other Headlines: Swiss Tragedy, Wall Street Outlook, Hollywood

• [02:58] Silent march marks mourning at a Swiss ski resort after a devastating New Year’s bar fire:

  • 40 dead, over 100 injured.
  • Investigation underway; identification efforts hampered by severe burns.

• [03:57] Business update from Maria Aspen:

  • U.S. stock markets have enjoyed a three-year rally, driven by AI-driven tech optimism.
  • Quote:
    • “Tech companies are pouring money into AI, while investors have sent tech stocks soaring on the hopes of an eventual payoff.” — Maria Aspen [03:58]
  • Warnings of an "AI bubble" and economic slowdown persist; jobs report is upcoming.

• [04:41] Entertainment highlights:

  • Hollywood kicks off the year with “Fire and Ash” leading box office sales.
  • Industry optimism for 2026.

5. Notable Quotes & Timestamps

• “The president has broken his America first promise with his plan to, quote, run Venezuela.”
  — Mara Liasson paraphrasing Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene [01:12]

• "We are not an occupying power. We are a liberating power and we restore power and then we give it back…”
  — Rep. Maria Alvarez Salazar [01:47]

• “…neither will it [Spain] recognize an intervention that violates international law and pushes the region toward a horizon of uncertainty and belligerence.”
  — Terri Schultz quoting Pedro Sanchez [02:31]

• “Tech companies are pouring money into AI, while investors have sent tech stocks soaring on the hopes of an eventual payoff.”
  — Maria Aspen [03:58]

6. Episode Structure & Tone

• Delivers urgent, global developments in a direct and neutral journalistic style.
• Features succinct expert analysis, international reporting, and quotes from policymakers.

This episode underscores dramatic changes in U.S. foreign policy, divergent domestic and international reactions, and trends in financial and cultural spheres as 2026 begins.