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Ryland Barton (0:15)
See Terms Live from NPR News. In Washington, I'm Ryland Barton. Ousted 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. NPR's Ryan reports.
Ryan Lucas (0:32)
Nicolas Maduro faces narco terrorism 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 a US Military operation captured the couple in the heart of Venezuela's capital, Caracas, and took them to New York. To US Prosecutors alleged Maduro presided over a large scale drug trafficking operation, working hand in hand with drug cartels to ship tons of cocaine to the United States. Ryan Lucas, NPR News, Washington.
Ryland Barton (1:17)
Senior members of the Trump administration briefed lawmakers on Capitol Hill today about Maduro's capture. Senator Mark Warner of Virginia, the top Democrat on the intelligence Committee, says the ouster sends a dangerous message to the rest of the world.
Senator Mark Warner (1:30)
The enormous precedent this sets. If suddenly we can go in and snatch a leader, if they have violated our law, what would then stop Putin using that same theory of the case to take out Zelenskyy from Kyiv? Or what would stop President Xi from taking Taiwan, since Chinese law has said that Taiwan is simply a breakaway province?
Ryland Barton (1:50)
The Senate will vote later this week on whether to prohibit further US Military involvement in the country without congressional approval. All the victims of a fire in a bar in a Swiss resort have now been identified. Most of the 40 people killed during the New Year's EV celebration were teenagers, some of them as young as 14. NPR's Ruth Sherlock reports. Public pressure for answers is mounting.
Ruth Sherlock (2:12)
Leaders from Pope Leo to Chinese President Xi Jinping have sent condolences as bereaved parents of the dead and injured mourn in the resort town of Kransmontana. The victims were from many European countries. Prosecutors say the fire was likely caused by sparkling candles igniting the ceiling of the bar's basement. And authorities are investigating two people who ran the bar on suspicion of crimes that include homicide by negligence. Police have not yet arrested them. This has prompted Swiss newspaper Blick to on its front page question, why are the couple running the bar free. Italian Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini is among those publicly asking what safety procedures were in place for this basement bar. Ruth Sherlock, NPR News.