Photo: Science Photo Library RF
1 US Forces Capture Venezuelan Leader Nicolas Maduro
The United States carried out military strikes in Venezuela early Saturday and captured President Nicolas Maduro and his wife at a military compound in Caracas. President Donald Trump announced the operation in a social media post and later held a press conference at Mar-a-Lago. Trump said the U.S. would "run the country" until a safe transition of power can take place, and called the overnight mission one of the most powerful displays of American military strength since World War II. The Army's Delta Force carried out the capture, with FBI agents also involved. Maduro and his wife were taken to the USS Iwo Jima warship and then flown to New York to face federal drug trafficking charges. Trump said Congress was not told ahead of time because lawmakers "have a tendency to leak." Several Democrats criticized the strikes as illegal and called for briefings, while some Republicans, like Sen. Tom Cotton, defended the operation as a law enforcement action that did not require advance notice. Maduro is set to be arraigned at 11am today in Manhattan federal court with Judge Alvin Hellerstein presiding.
2 California Open Carry Ban Ruled Unconstitutional
A federal appeals court ruled on Saturday that California's ban on openly carrying firearms in most of the state is unconstitutional. The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals voted 2-1 that the law violates the Second Amendment right to keep and bear arms. California had banned open carry in counties with more than 200,000 people, which covers about 95-percent of the state's population. Judge Lawrence VanDyke, who was appointed by President Donald Trump, wrote for the majority that open carry was clearly protected at the time the Constitution was written. Chuck Michel, president of the California Rifle & Pistol Association, called it "a very significant opinion" and said he expects the state to ask for a review by the full appeals court. Gov. Gavin Newsom's office criticized the ruling, saying "Republican activists on the Ninth Circuit want to replace them with gunslingers and return to the days of the Wild West."
3 Trump Threatens To Intervene In Iran As Protests Continue There
Protests have spread across Iran for nearly a week, starting with shopkeepers in Tehran upset about the economy and growing to include anti-government chants in other cities. Over the weekend, President Donald Trump threatened to intervene if security forces violently crack down on protesters; at least 10 people have died during the unrest, according to a human rights group. Iranian officials blamed the U.S. and Israel for stirring up the protests, though they did not offer proof. The country's economy has been hurt by sanctions, rising prices, and a water and energy crisis.
