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CIA Strikes Venezuela, Flu Season Worsens & Beyoncé's New Milestone- Tuesday, December 30, 2025
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Today is Tuesday, December 30th. We're talking about what could be a dramatic escalation between the Trump administration and Venezuela and the latest warnings from a dangerous winter weather system in the U.S. also, why charges were dropped against an influencer shot in an immigration operation. Plus, what to know about a surge of new flu cases, a wave of cancellations at the Kennedy center, and the latest milestone for the most decorated artist in Grammy history, Beyonce. Those stories and even more news coming up. Welcome to the Newsworthy. All the day's news in less than 15 minutes. Minutes. I'm Erica. Mandy, thanks so much for being here. Let's do this. President Trump confirmed the US Hit a dock in Venezuela, marking the first known land attack since the US Started its military campaign against the country. Trump told reporters the facility was used to load up boats accused of carrying drugs. And now CNN reports the CIA targeted the dock with a drone strike. Meanwhile, the Pentagon continues to target boats in the Caribbean Sea and eastern Pacific Ocean, with the latest strike happening just yester. Remember, the Trump administration has said it's an armed conflict with drug cartels and is trying to stop narcotics from getting to the U.S. but Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro insists the real motivation is removing him from power and seizing his country's assets. At this point, there are still about 15,000 U.S. troops and several warships standing ready in the Caribbean. Even after the most recent peace talks, the situation is pretty shaky between Russia and Ukraine. In his latest call with President Trump yesterday, Russian President Putin accused Ukraine of attacking one of his residences. And because of that, Russia says it plans to change up some previously reached agreements. It's also promising to retaliate. But Russia hasn't shown any evidence of the attack. And Ukrainian leaders say it never happened, accusing the Russians of making it up as an excuse to continue their war. As we told you just one day earlier, President Trump said a peace deal was closer than ever before. But even then, there were some tough issues left to be resolved. For starters, territory like whose forces withdraw from where in Ukraine, but also security guarantees. Ukrainian President zelensky says the U.S. offered to protect Ukraine in case of a future Russian attack for a period of 15 years, though Zelenskyy said he's really pushing for more like 50 years. Whatever is decided will have to be approved by Congress as well as the parliaments of other countries involved in overseeing things. French President Emmanuel Macron says Ukraine's allies will be meeting early next month to finalize how each country will contribute. The US has pledged $2 billion for UN humanitarian aid in 2026. That's actually a small fraction of what the US has given in the past. Since UN data shows past American contributions have run as high as $17 billion a year. It also comes as the Trump administration has slashed funding to other international aid initiatives. But now President Trump's State Department says the 2 billion will be more effectively used to address life saving causes, not waste or what it calls anti Americanism. It also points out how the US Will still have the status as the largest humanitarian donor in the world. The UN Secretary general welcomed the announcement, saying every dollar counts. Still, critics say the plan is short sighted since billions of dollars have already been cut. And they say those cutbacks are driving millions of people toward hunger, displacement or disease at a time when needs are growing worldwide. Other traditional UN Donors like Britain, France, Germany and Japan have also reduced aid this year. So the US Says it's now time for UN Agencies to, quote, adapt, shrink or die in a time of new financial realities. A popular TikTok streamer who was shot by ICE agents was just cleared of all criminal charges. We're talking about Carlitos Ricardo Perias, who is known for documenting police and immigration enforcement activity online to hundreds of thousands of followers. Authorities say he's also a Mexican citizen living in the US Illegally. The shooting happened more than two months ago when Homeland Security officials say Padillas rammed his car into a law enforcement vehicle as a way to get away from immigration agents. Authorities have been saying they opened fire out of fear for their safety and the public safety. But newly released body cam footage from the ICE officer who fired his gun raised some questions about that. It shows Parias in his car raising his hands and asking why he's being detained. In the video, Padillas car didn't seem to be moving at the time. Then, as the officer tries to open the passenger side door, he moved the gun to his left hand right before firing and the officer cursed right after, sounding surprised. Padillas was hurt, taken to the hospital and later charged with assault on a federal officer. He was kept in ICE custody where a judge says he was denied access to counsel. Well, this week the judge dismissed the criminal case that said Padillas could be kept in ICE detention as his immigration case proceeds. Extreme weather is putting travelers on alert ahead of another holiday. The winter storm that's already brought heavy snow and powerful winds to the Midwest and Northeast this week is expected to continue into New Year's Day. Major cities impacted by this week's severe weather include Boston, Philadelphia, New York City, Washington, D.C. and Detroit. The Great Lakes region has been hit especially hard, and today New York's governor is asking people in parts of her state to avoid any travel because of whiteout conditions unless it's absolutely necessary. Already this morning, hundreds of flights have been delayed and canceled after more than 10,000 flights yesterday. Meanwhile, more strong winds are expected in California today, and two more storms are forecast for later this week, with the possibility of rain on New Year's Day soaking the Rose Parade in Pasadena for the first time in about two decades. We have more news for you in just a moment, but first, a quick break, not for a sponsor today, but for a reminder that your support of the Newsworthy is truly what makes this show possible. So thank you, thank you to everyone who continues to recommend this podcast to other people in your life, whether that's online or in person or maybe in a group text. Word of mouth is really important to our growth and success. And also a huge thank you to our newsworthy insiders. Obviously, it does cost money to produce this show and have a team of hardworking people who care deeply about making this podcast the best it can be. So as we head into the new year, we could use your support. Insiders get ad free episodes with no interruptions to the news and and the chance to ask me anything. I'm planning an Insider Only Ask Me Anything bonus episode in the new year, so get your questions in. Plus, it really supports the work we do every day and helps us rely less on the whims of sponsors and the changes we might see in the industry in 2026. It's super simple to sign up and start your seven day free trial. Go to thenewsworthy.cominsider Again, that's thenewsworthy.cominsiders and you'll see exactly where to sign up and support the newsworthy. Thank you again for your support and for being here. Now back to the news. As people return home from holiday travel and family gatherings, many are bringing sickness back with them. The latest data from the CDC shows flu cases rising around the country at this point. The CDC estimates there have been at least 4.6 million illnesses and nearly 2,000 deaths so far this flu season, and experts expect those numbers to keep going up. New York State is being hit especially hard. In fact, it's reporting the highest number of flu cases it has ever recorded in a single week. But it's not totally alone. Infections are on the rise or likely growing in 47 states. One thing that might have something to do with it, fewer Americans have decided to get flu shots this year. That said, it's not too late. The CDC is still recommending a flu vaccine for almost everyone six months and older. Nearly 3,000 pounds of ground beef is now being recalled because it could make people sick. It was packaged as forward farms grass fed beef and shipped to California, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Pennsylvania and Washington State. The problem is routine testing found E. Coli, which can cause some serious stomach problems. At this point, no one has been reported sick from eating it. But the best buy date isn't until January 13th and many people may not start feeling bad until a month after eating it. So the USDA is now asking everyone to check their refrigerators and freezers and either throw out or return any of the product you might have. We have a link with more information in today's Episode notes on our website thenewsworthy.com just click episodes and find today's date the federal government has started rolling out rural health funding. It's meant to offset massive budget cuts to rural hospitals. But exactly how much each state gets depends on how their health policies match up with the Trump administration's. For example, states get more funding if they do things like require nutrition training for doctors and block food assistance from covering soda and candy. Other factors also play into how much funding each state gets, like the size of their rural population, healthcare infrastructure and more. Each state's share of the money will be recalculated each year. This is all part of the $50 billion fund that was added to the GOP budget bill President Trump signed earlier this year. Some critics say that 50 billion won't be enough for any state, since the bill included a trillion dollars in cuts to federal health care spending over the next decade, mostly targeting Medicaid. But the head of Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, Dr. Mehmet Oz, says states are stepping up to support their communities. There's been an artist exodus at the Kennedy center, recently renamed the Trump Kennedy Center. One of the latest was a veteran jazz ensemble that was scheduled to play on New Year's Eve. The band's drummer told the New York Times the center's recent name change to include President Trump played a role yesterday. A New York dance company also said it was canceling two performances in April. The head of the company said the decision would end up costing about $40,000, but called it morally exhilarating. An Alabama folk singer who made the same choice also said it would be financially devastating, but said, quote, losing my integrity would cost me more than any paycheck. In response, the Kennedy Center's new chairman called these artists, far left political activists, and the center now has a message to any artist that's canceled saying they're, quote, selfish, intolerant and have failed to meet the basic duty of a public artist to perform for all people. In the case of a performer who pulled out of a Christmas Eve concert, the Trump Kennedy center is now planning to sue for a million dollars. Jazz musician Chuck Red specifically said he canceled after seeing the name change. Then he got a letter letting him know a lawsuit would be filed. So far, no response from him or his lawyer. Beyonce is now a billionaire. As Forbes reports, she is the fifth musician to ever reach billionaire status, joining her husband, Jay Z, as well as Taylor Swift, Bruce Springsteen and Rihanna. Beyonce had the world's highest grossing concert tour of 2025, and because her own entertainment company produced it, she was able to bring home higher profit margins than other artists might have. Of course, that's not her only stream of income either. Between what she made on the tour, what she earned from her music catalog and her sponsorship deals, FORBES estimates she brought in $148 million this year alone. That makes her the third highest paid musician in the world this year. That's it for the Maine News today. So now it's time for Trivia Tuesday, when we ask a different trivia question every week. And today's trivia question is, why does one US Navy ship fly a pirate flag? Listen again next Tuesday for the answer and explanation. As for last week's trivia question, in Scottish traditions, who do you kiss at midnight on New Year's Eve? The answer is everyone in the room. That includes friends, family, even strangers. It's thought of as a way to embrace new beginnings with affection. But of course, it's different from many other cultures, like here in the US where the focus is on one romantic partner. The whole history of the New Year's kiss is a long one. Some historians trace it back to ancient Rome, where a big year end celebration included socializing, complete with a few too many alcoholic beverages and pda. Later on during the Renaissance, people would remove their masks at masquerade balls and kiss as a way to purify each other from evil, basically starting the year off with a clean slate. In modern America, Hollywood embraced the New Year's kiss as a sign of ultimate romance. And some superstitions still say locking lips at midnight can strengthen a relationship and offer good luck. Wherever the idea really came from, it's likely not based on anything too concrete. It's just a fun tradition along with many others, like drinking champagne, eating black eyed peas and making resolutions. Thank you so much for joining us. To get caught up on the news today, be sure to listen again tomorrow. The last episode of 2025. Until then, have a great day.