Maduro pleads not guilty; Venezuela; U.S. vaccines : NPR

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Today's top news

Ousted Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores yesterday pleaded not guilty to federal charges.which include narcoterrorism. The US military escorted them both out of the country over the weekend. Yesterday we celebrated our first appearance in federal court in New York.

• 🎧 Before sitting in court, Maduro looked journalists in the eyes and wished them a “Happy New Year.” NPR's Jasmine Garsd, who was in the courtroom, reports. Up first. Flores approached him from behind and appeared to have a swollen eye and bandaged forehead, which her lawyers explained was because she was injured during the arrest. Near the courthouse there were heated exchanges between two groups of protesters: those who were against the American intervention in Venezuela, and Venezuelans celebrating Maduro's takeover. A man named Izzy McCabe says the takeover is a ploy to take oil and foreign resources away from Venezuela. Another protester, Maria Seu, said many countries have been living off Venezuela's resources for years.

President Trump will meet with House Republicans at the Kennedy Center today. as lawmakers call for more information about the operation in Venezuela and the U.S. role there going forward. The meeting came a day after senior administration officials briefed Capitol Hill leaders about Maduro's detention, leaving behind mostly party split for surgery. Lawmakers questioned Trump's decision not to inform Congress before making the arrest over the weekend. Democrats say the action, which the White House calls a law enforcement operation, is act of war. Meanwhile, Republicans largely agreed with the president's position on the situation.

• 🎧 Democrats say the operation is just the latest example of the White House bypassing Congress.says NPR's Barbara Sprunt. House Speaker Mike Johnson said Trump has the authority to deploy the military to deal with threats to the United States. become almost like a rally. Sprunt says she expects the same today. The party is gearing up for midterm elections, meaning Venezuela likely won't be the only topic discussed.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is reducing the number of recommended childhood vaccines from 17 to 11. new agency scheduleThe program, which includes vaccines that were previously recommended for all children, such as rotavirus, hepatitis A and B, meningitis and seasonal influenza, is now more restrictive. The agency made the changes in response to a memo Trump issued in December directing health officials to align the U.S. treatment schedule with that of “peer developed countries” such as Germany and Japan.

• 🎧 The new restrictions will mean fewer children are vaccinated, which will have consequences. this could be seen for years to come, says Dr. Sean O'Leary of the American Academy of Pediatrics, NPR's Pien Huang says. The agency implemented these changes without any new scientific developments behind them, Juan notes. The agency bypassed its own advisory committee and did not consult with vaccine manufacturers.

Today's audition

Is the lack of winter sunshine draining your energy or is it difficult for you to keep up with the demands of life during this time of year? If so, you may be suffering from Seasonal Affective Disorder, or SAD. IN this episode A minute has passedHost Brittany Loose shares the morning routine she's developed to combat this type of depression. She's also joined by Dr. Norman E. Rosenthal, a psychiatrist and scientist who first described seasonal affective disorder in the 1980s, to get feedback and learn about her SAD routine. how we can all think differently about harsh winter months.

Special Edition

Trump tried to hide the truth about what happened on January 6, 2021. visual archive attack on the Capitol, showing exactly what happened through the lens of the people who were there. In “Chapter 2: Stop the Steal,” we look at how false claims of a stolen election mobilized Trump supporters.

On election night 2020, Trump claimed victory and said the election was stolen long before officials declared a winner. He and his allies almost immediately launched the Stop the Steal movement, even as U.S. courts rejected widespread allegations of election fraud. Representatives of the Trump campaign also admitted that they did not find any evidence that could change the outcome of the election. Right-wing activists such as Infowars host Alex Jones and white nationalist and Holocaust denier Nick Fuentes mobilized the movement. On the day Congress was scheduled to meet to certify the election results, Trump pressured Vice President Mike Pence and congressional Republicans to try to overturn Biden's victory. These videos highlight movement this led to January 6, 2021.

To find out more, explore the NPR database federal criminal cases since January 6. You can also see more NPR reporting on topic, including Instagram post debunking myths about looting.

3 things you need to know before your trip

1. Pharmacies across the US have started operating stock up on the tablet version of the popular obesity drug Wegovy yesterday, offering patients an alternative to the injectable form.
2. Minnesota Governor Tim Walz finished his bid for a third term yesterday, saying he wants to spend his final year in office fighting fraud in government programs rather than campaigning. (by using MPR)
3. Wegmans says it's using facial recognition technology at several stores in several states to help identify people “previously flagged for misconduct.” (by using WXXI)

This newsletter has been edited Suzanne Nuyen.