Maduro Captured, Knee Cartilage Regeneration, & Fart Walks

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Adam Rogers
January 05, 2026

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US military forces captured Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro in a nighttime raid, extracting him from his fortified Caracas residence in what President Trump called "Operation Absolute Resolve." Maduro and his wife are now in New York facing drug trafficking charges and are expected to appear in court on Monday.
At least 150 aircraft launched from 20 bases in a coordinated assault. Delta Force soldiers breached Maduro's compound around 1 a.m. Saturday, taking him and his wife as they tried to reach a safe room. A firefight erupted after the capture, with one US helicopter hit and several troops injured, though none killed.
Trump gave Maduro a final warning in a phone call a week earlier, telling him to surrender as US warships gathered offshore and CIA operatives tracked his movements. Maduro "came close" to giving in but refused.
Trump said the US will "run” Venezuela until a proper transition can take place." Congress was not notified until the attack was underway, because Trump said he didn't want lawmakers to leak details.

Stanford Medicine researchers have successfully restored worn knee cartilage in older mice and human tissue samples by blocking a protein linked to aging. The breakthrough, published in Science, could eliminate the need for joint replacement surgery for millions of Americans suffering from osteoarthritis.
The injectable treatment targets 15-PGDH, a protein that increases with age and prevents cartilage regeneration. In mice, the therapy not only rebuilt cartilage but also prevented arthritis after ACL-like injuries. Human knee tissue from joint replacement surgeries began forming new, functional cartilage after treatment.
The discovery works without stem cells, instead reprogramming existing cartilage cells to restore a youthful state. A pill version targeting the same protein is already in Phase 1 clinical trials for muscle weakness. Osteoarthritis affects one in five US adults, and no current medication can halt or reverse the disease.

High tides and heavy rains have flooded parts of the San Francisco Bay Area, prompting road closures and rescues of people trapped in cars. A king tide, the highest predicted tide of the year, caused floodwaters to rise to 2.56 feet Saturday, the highest level since 1998.
Five Northern California counties remained under flood watch Monday, with up to three inches of rain possible through Monday night in areas drenched since Christmas.
Southern California also experienced severe flooding. A man died after being swept into a creek during storms in Santa Barbara County, where the airport canceled all flights after runways flooded. More rain is forecast through Tuesday across the state.

Wisconsin Judge Hannah Dugan resigned Saturday after her conviction for helping an illegal immigrant evade federal officers, saying the case had become too big a distraction for the court. (More)

Minnesota inspectors found kids at eight of nine daycares accused of fraud in a viral video, though federal officials froze all state childcare funding until enrollments are verified. (More)

A federal court ruled California can't ban open carry in cities where 95% of residents live, saying it violates gun rights, though the state will likely appeal. (More)

A Pakistani court sentenced five journalists, a YouTuber, and a former army officer to two life terms each for encouraging 2023 riots through social media after Imran Khan's arrest. (More)

A leftist militant group cut power to 35,000 Berlin homes by burning cables, saying they targeted wealthy areas to protest climate change and AI's energy use during freezing weather. (More)

Myanmar's military released 6,100 prisoners for its independence day during the ongoing elections, but won't say if any are among the 22,000 held for opposing military rule. (More)

US stock markets closed mixed on Friday (S&P +0.19%, Nasdaq -0.03%, Dow +0.66%). Indexes gave back solid gains on the first trading day of the year due to more tech sell-off. (More)

Warren Buffett handed over Berkshire Hathaway's CEO role after 60 years to Greg Abel, but will remain chairman. (More)

Oil prices dipped on Sunday following the US overthrow of Venezuela's Maduro, with uncertainty over the oil-rich nation's future pushing crude to $57.01 per barrel. (More)

Jacksonville kicker Cam Little hit a 67-yard field goal Sunday, breaking his own NFL record and giving the Jaguars a 31-7 halftime lead in their AFC South title-clinching win. (More)

Cleveland's Myles Garrett broke the NFL single-season sack record with his 23rd against Cincinnati, beating the mark shared by T.J. Watt and Michael Strahan. (More) | The Atlanta Falcons fired coach Raheem Morris and GM Terry Fontenot. (More)

James Cameron's Avatar: Fire and Ash hit $1 billion globally, becoming his fourth film to reach that milestone alongside two previous Avatars and Titanic. (More)

Scientists turned immune cells inside tumors into cancer killers by injecting nanoparticles that reprogram them. (More)

Self-driving cars could reduce traffic injuries by 1 million over the next decade if they prove 80% safer than human drivers and handle 10% of driving, according to projections. (More)

Researchers say ripples in cell membranes could generate up to 90 millivolts of electricity—enough to fire neurons and help transport materials through the body. (More)

Original “Star Wars” poster sells for $3.9M.

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