U.S. Fighter Jets in Puerto Rico, Kennedy Center Renaming Prompts Performer Cancellations, National Guard Patrols New Orleans, Newsom Mobilizes Emergency Crews Ahead of SoCal Rain, 2026 Rose Parade, Sydney Commemorates Bondi Beach Victims

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🗓️ 1 January 2026

⏱️ 6 minutes

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Summary

The United States military presence is growing in the Caribbean, with the Southern Command estimating about 15,000 personnel in the region, as tensions continue to build with Venezuela. Meanwhile, in Washington, D.C., fallout continues after President Trump added his name to the Kennedy Center — jazz supergroup The Cookers are pulling out of their New Year's Eve show there. Also, the National Guard is no longer in Los Angeles, but they’re patrolling New Orleans — exactly one year after a New Year's Day attack on Bourbon Street that took the lives of 14 people. In California, the New Year is bringing a new round of rain to the southern part of the state, but even bad weather can't stop the 137th Rose Parade from marching through downtown Pasadena. And as people around the world ring in 2026, there will be partying, but also introspection and reflection; at a New Year's event in Sydney, Australia, a moment of silence – representing a nation's path towards healing — took place to remember the victims of a recent anitsemitic terrorist attack. Read more at LATimes.com.

Transcript

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0:00.0	This is an LA Times Studios podcast.
0:07.0	Hi, I'm Faith Pino, and you're listening to headlines from LA Times Studios.
0:12.0	Happy New Year. Here are some of today's top stories from the Los Angeles Times.
0:17.0	Our first story today is an international one.
0:21.4	The United States is deploying drones and military vehicles to Puerto Rico, with advanced
0:26.5	U.S. Marine Corps fighter jets sent to a base in the city of Sebaugh.
0:31.4	According to the Associated Press, the U.S. military presence is growing in the Caribbean,
0:36.8	with the Southern Command estimating about
0:38.5	15,000 personnel in the region, reporting that it's the largest military buildup there in generations.
0:47.0	And CNN first reported earlier this week that the CIA was responsible for a U.S. drone strike
0:53.1	on a port facility on the coast of Venezuela. Reportedly, the U.S. drone strike on a port facility on the coast of Venezuela.
0:56.2	Reportedly, the U.S.'s first attack on a target inside the country.
1:00.4	The Associated Press is Amir Mahani has more on what happened.
1:04.1	To move, the marks a significant escalation in the administration's months-long pressure campaign
1:09.1	on Venezuelan President Nicholas Maduro's
1:11.7	government. That's according to two people familiar with details of the operation who spoke with
1:16.1	the Associated Press. They requested anonymity to discuss the classified manner.
1:21.6	Meanwhile, in Washington, D.C., fallout continues after President Trump added his name to the Kennedy Center, with
1:28.9	jazz supergroup The Cookers pulling out of their Kennedy Center's New Year's Eve show,
1:34.4	saying, quote, jazz was born from struggle and from a relentless insistence on freedom.
1:40.4	Our hope is that this moment will leave space for reflection, not resentment.
1:45.5	Their cancellation comes after comedian Issa Ray and the producers of the musical Hamilton
	...

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