Thursday morning news: January 29, 2026

Editor's note: The following text is a transcript of a podcast story. To listen to the story, click on the arrow beneath the headline above.

Rubio on Venezuela » On Capitol Hill:

AUDIO: The United States Senate  Foreign Relations Committee will come to order.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio defended the Trump administration’s military operation in Venezuela during a sometimes tense hearing.

The top Democrat on the committee, Sen. Jean Shaheen, criticized the cost of the operation and questioned what removing dictator Nicolas Maduro from power actually accomplished.

SHAHEEN:  Maduro's Vice President, now the interim president, has taken no steps to diminish Iran, China, or Russia's considerable influence in Venezuela; one of the reasons that has been given for the mission.

But Rubio said the problems in Venezuela were never going to be solved overnight.

RUBIO:   But I think we're making good and decent progress. It is the best plan, and we are certainly better off today in Venezuela than we were four weeks ago.

He stressed that the administration does not expect further military action unless a new and immediate threat emerges.

The secretary also said U.S. sanctions on Venezuelan oil could be eased under strict conditions. He said revenue would be placed in a U.S.-controlled account and used for basic services that benefit Venezuelans like health care and policing.

The secretary also said the goal remains a stable Venezuela that ultimately holds free and fair elections.

Iran update » President Trump is sharply escalating pressure on Iran, warning that U.S. military action is possible if Iranian leaders refuse to negotiate a new nuclear deal. 

WORLD’s Benjamin Eicher has more.

BENJAMIN EICHER: Trump said American naval forces are moving toward the region and are prepared to strike if talks fail.

He said his goal is a deal that blocks Iran from ever developing nuclear weapons, and called on Tehran to engage without delay.

Iran’s mission to the United Nations responded by saying the country is open to dialogue, but only under conditions of mutual respect. Iranian officials warned that if U.S. forces strike, Iran will respond like never before.

The U.S. military carried out a targeted strike against Iranian nuclear facilities last year. The White House says that operation set Iran’s nuclear weapons program back considerably.

For WORLD, I’m Benjamin Eicher.

Trump accounts » The Trump administration is rolling out a new savings program aimed at helping families build long-term wealth for their children. The president touted the program at an event on Wednesday.

TRUMP:  Trump accounts will help bring the hope and prosperity to every community that every community wants to see.

Under the plan, parents who open an account for a newborn will receive a one-time $1,000 deposit from the U.S. Treasury. The money is invested in the stock market through low-fee index funds and can not be used until the child turns 18.

At that point, it can go toward things like college, starting a business, or buying a home.

 TRUMP: For the first time ever, we're going to give every newborn American child a financial stake in the future, a head start in life and a fair shot at the American Dream...

Parents can also add their own money over time, and employers, relatives, or charities can contribute as well, though annual contributions are capped.

The White House estimates that with no added contributions, each child will have roughly $6,000 in an account when they reach adulthood. But with added contributions, he said it could reach tens of thousands of dollars or more.

Minnesota latest » Democrats are turning up pressure on Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem after two fatal shootings in Minnesota involving federal immigration agents.

Sen. Peter Welch:

WELCH:  Noem has to answer some questions. How is it that her, her people were so poorly trained that when a man who was on the ground and totally under control was shot 10 times?

Democrat Sen. Alex Padilla says he’s freezing cooperation on some DHS priorities until the department provides a full public accounting of what happened and what rules agents followed.

And many Democrats in both chambers are calling for Noem to be fired or impeached.

GOP Sen. Majority Leader John Thune offered a fairly muted response:

THUNE:  I will, you know, allow, uh, the president to, to make determinations about the people, uh, that serve on his team.

This comes as Democrats are holding up funding the government ahead of a Friday deadline because they don't support funding for DHS. But Republicans argue the DHS funding does not affect ICE, because that was already funded.

Russia » A new report warns that combined military casualties from the war in Ukraine — those killed, wounded, or missing—could reach two million as early as this spring.

The Center for Strategic and International Studies estimates that between Russian and Ukrainian forces there have been roughly 1.8 million casualties already, and that number doesn’t even include civilian victims.

The group estimates as many as 325,000 Russian troops have been killed, and as many as 140,000 Ukrainian troops.

Moscow dismissed the figures, while Ukraine has not commented.

I'm Kent Covington.

Still ahead, can the Board of Peace really stabilize Gaza? Plus, pro-life groups adjust their messaging for the digital age.

This is The World and Everything in It.

WORLD Radio transcripts are created on a rush deadline. This text may not be in its final form and may be updated or revised in the future. Accuracy and availability may vary. The authoritative record of WORLD Radio programming is the audio record.