New US envoy to Venezuela arrives in Caracas as administration aims to reopen embassy

Laura F. Dogu, the United States' new top envoy to Venezuela, arrived in Caracas on Saturday as the Trump administration aims to reopen an embassy there for the first time in nearly seven years.

"I just arrived in Venezuela. My team and I are ready to work," Dogu said in asocial media post. It included two photos of the new envoy getting off a plane and walking on the tarmac.

In response to a request for comment on how long Dogu will be staying in the country, a State Department official said, "She will work with individuals from the private and public sector, as well as civic society, to advance the President and Secretary's three-phased plan for Venezuela."

Venezuela's Foreign Minister Yván Gil Pinto celebrated Dogu's arrival, saying in asocial media postthat he welcomes her "as part of the working agenda" between the US and Venezuela governments "aimed at establishing a roadmap for work on matters of bilateral interest, as well as addressing and resolving existing differences through diplomatic dialogue and on the basis of mutual respect and international law."

Dogu is the chargé d'affaires to the US Venezuela Affairs Unit, which is based in Colombia.

Her arrival in Caracas marks a significant public step towards the restoration of US-Venezuela relations. The US withdrew its diplomats and suspended operations at the embassy in Caracas in 2019. Earlier this month, a US State Departmentteam traveled to Venezuelafor the first time sinceNicolás Madurowas captured, according to a US official.

Her arrival also comes after Secretary of State Marco Rubio said during a Senate hearing on Wednesday that Dogu would "ultimately" lead from Caracas and that the US wouldestablish a diplomatic presencein Venezuela "very quickly."

Earlier this week, the State Department informed Congress that it plans to use a "phased approach" to potentially resume services at the embassy, which could includeopening a temporary facility.

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The CIA is also working to establish a permanent US presence on the ground in Venezuela,CNN exclusively reportedearlier this week.

Following the capture of Maduro earlier this month, the US has looked to establish and expand its footprint in the country. President Donald Trump said in the aftermath of Maduro's ouster that his administration would "run" the country and assert control over its oil production.

Trump said Thursday that the US would be "opening up" the commercial airspace above Venezuela, even though it is not technically considered closed.

Venezuela's acting government, led by former Maduro deputy Delcy Rodríguez, has recently made moves favorable to Washington, includingapproving a law changethat will make it easier for foreign companies to take part in the country's oil industry.

Rodríguez this week alsoproposed an amnesty lawthat could lead to the release of hundreds of political prisoners and announced the closure of a notorious detention center. US authorities said the same day that Venezuela had released all known US citizens held in the country. The Trump administration has demanded the release of all political prisoners.

Dogu is a veteran diplomat who previouslyservedas the ambassador to Honduras and Nicaragua. She also currently serves as a foreign policy advisor to the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

CNN's Dalia Abdelwahab, Jennifer Hansler, Stefano Pozzebon and Uriel Blanco contributed to this report.

For more CNN news and newsletters create an account atCNN.com

byVincento Seyarto

in

February 01, 2026

New US envoy to Venezuela arrives in Caracas as administration aims to reopen embassy

Laura F. Dogu, the United States' new top envoy to Venezuela, arrived in Caracas on Saturday as the Trump administrat...

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'Dedicated' Police Officer and Mom, 42, Killed in Crash Involving Suspected Drunk Driver: 'A Profound Loss'

Nassau County Police Medic Assoc.

NEED TO KNOW

• Patricia Espinosa, a 42-year-old Nassau County Police officer and mother of one, was killed in a crash involving a suspected drunk driver on Saturday, Jan. 31

• She is being remembered as a "dedicated public servant" who served her community "with courage and compassion"

• Matthew Smith, 20, has been charged with a DWI in connection with the fatal crash

A New York community is mourning the loss of a "dedicated" police officer, who was killed in a crash involving a suspected drunk driver while on her way to work.

Patricia Espinosa, a 42-year-old officer with the Nassau County Police Department, was driving a 2019 Alfa Romeo westbound on Route 347 in Suffolk County, N.Y., at 6:06 a.m. local time on Saturday, Jan. 31, when the incident occurred, per apress releasefrom the Suffolk County Police.

Twenty-year-old Matthew Smith of Hauppauge, N.Y., was driving a 2017 Chevrolet Silverado northbound on Alexander Avenue when he failed to stop at a red light and struck Espinosa's vehicle, police said.

Nassau County Police Medic Assoc.

Espinosa was transported to Stony Brook University Hospital, where she was pronounced dead, per the release. Smith and his passenger, John Andali, 25, of Centereach, N.Y., were both transported to Stony Brook University Hospital for treatment of non-life-threatening injuries.

Smith has since been charged with driving while intoxicated (DWI), per the Suffolk County Police. Both vehicles involved in the fatal crash have been impounded, and an investigation is underway.

Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Sign up forPEOPLE's free True Crime newsletterfor breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases.

Following Espinosa's tragic death, Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman has ordered flags to be flown at half-staff from Monday, Feb. 2, until the late police officer's burial.

"Heartbroken over the passing of Police Officer Patricia Espinosa, a beloved member of the Fifth Precinct," Blakeman wrote onInstagram. "I had the honor of marching with her in the Puerto Rican Day parade. Condolences to her husband Police Officer Francisco Malaga and her brother Police Officer Christian Almeida."

Bruce Blakeman/Instagram

Blakeman's tribute was accompanied by a photo of himself posing with a group of police officers at the parade, including Espinosa, who had worked for the Nassau Police Departmentsince 2017.

In alengthy statementon Facebook, Tommy Shevlin, president of the Nassau County Police Benevolent Association, remembered Espinosa as a "dedicated" police officer who "served with honor, courage and compassion."

"Her death in a violent crash caused by a driver charged with DWI is a profound loss to our department, our county, and every community she protected," he continued.

Shevlin went on to share that Espinosa leaves behind a 2-year-old daughter, named Mia, "who will grow up knowing her mother was a hero."

"Patricia understood the sacrifices of this profession not just as an officer, but as a wife, a sister, and a mother in blue," he wrote. "That her life was taken in such a senseless act makes this loss even more painful."

Nassau County Police Medic Assoc.

Shevlin concluded: "We stand shoulder to shoulder with her family and our brothers and sisters in uniform, and we will honor her legacy by never forgetting her service, her sacrifice, and the family she leaves behind."

The Nassau County Police Medic Association also shared atributeto Espinosa on Facebook, writing: "We mourn the loss of Nassau County Police Officer Patricia Espinosa, who was tragically killed this morning in an auto accident while on her way into work. Officer Espinosa, a beloved member of the 5th Precinct, was a dedicated public servant and cherished colleague, serving her community with courage and compassion."

The Suffolk County Police are asking anyone with information on the crash to call the Major Case Unit at 631-852-6553.

Read the original article onPeople

byVincento Seyarto

in

February 01, 2026

'Dedicated' Police Officer and Mom, 42, Killed in Crash Involving Suspected Drunk Driver: 'A Profound Loss'

Nassau County Police Medic Assoc. NEED TO KNOW Patricia Espinosa, a 42-year-old Nassau County Police officer and mother of one, was kille...

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LIVE UPDATES: Winter Storm Gianna Batters The Carolinas; Power Outages Rising

Winter Storm Gianna has been as fierce as advertised in much of the Southeast, bringing more than a foot of snow to parts of Tennessee and North Carolina and triggering travel nightmares on the region's busiest roads.

(MORE:Latest Forecast For Gianna|Maps Tracker)

We're seeing more power outages and other headaches as this storm intensifies into a "bomb cyclone," so stay with us all day for the latest news, and refresh this page frequently to reveal new updates.

(06:52 a.m. EST) 800-Plus Flights Canceled In Charlotte Again Today

One day after nearly 1,100 flights were canceled into and out of Charlotte Douglas International Airport, Gianna's not done hindering air travel in the city where up to a foot of snow fell yesterday.FlightAwaredata shows that more than 800 flights into and out of the airport will not be happening today.

If you have a flight that involves Charlotte today or tomorrow, it's best to check with your airline before you head to the airport.

(06:36 a.m. EST) Miami Flirts With Freezing

Here's something you don't see every day — Miami has dipped into the mid-30s this morning.

(06:13 a.m. EST) Not A Beach Weekend In North Myrtle Beach

Several inches of snow have fallen in North Myrtle Beach, and this scene paints a pretty good picture of why this beach destination wasn't looking too beachy overnight:

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Just north of there, snow totals were impressive: 5 inches in Little River, and 12 inches in Ocean Isle Beach, North Carolina.

(05:56 a.m. EST) An Update On That I-85 Pileup In North Carolina

Late last night, we told you about a major pileup involving about 100 vehicles along Interstate 85 near Kannapolis, North Carolina. According to the Charlotte Observer, the interstatewas reopened at around 9 p.m.after police, fire and the National Guard worked to clear the scene.

The good news: There did not appear to be any serious injuries from the massive collision.

The bad news: It was one of 750 collisions reported to the North Carolina State Highway Patrol by Saturday night.

(05:47 a.m. EST) Power Outages Rising

With a windy system, power outages are always bound to happen. According toPowerOutage.us, here's where we're seeing the highest number of outages in the path of Gianna:

• Florida: 16,000 customers

• North Carolina: 5,000

• South Carolina: 4,800

This adds to the more than 100,000 homes and businesses still powerless in Tennessee, Mississippi and Louisiana more than a week after Winter Storm Fern.

(05:41 a.m. EST) There's Snow In St. Pete!

As the models were suggesting, snow flurries were possible as far south as St. Petersburg, Florida, and shortly after midnight, we got ground truth.

(05:30 a.m. EST) It's Like A Hurricane Along The Outer Banks

Just look at these winds and blowing snow from overnight along North Carolina's Outer Banks as the winter storm intensified and battered the coast:

byVincento Seyarto

in

February 01, 2026

LIVE UPDATES: Winter Storm Gianna Batters The Carolinas; Power Outages Rising

Winter Storm Gianna has been as fierce as advertised in much of the Southeast, bringing more than a foot of snow to parts...

Read More

Ukraine talks set for next week as cold sweeps country

By Dan Peleschuk

KYIV, Feb 1 (Reuters) - U.S.-backed trilateral talks involving Ukraine and Russia will take place next week in Abu Dhabi, President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Sunday, as Ukrainians faced uncertainty over the fate of an ​energy ceasefire with Russia amid plunging temperatures.

Kyiv is under U.S. pressure to secure peace in the nearly four-year war ‌while grappling with a Russian campaign of air strikes that has ravaged its energy system during one of the coldest winters in years.

The first round of ‌negotiations took place in late January, but led to no new movement on the vital question of territory, with Moscow still demanding Kyiv cede more land in its war-torn east, which it refuses to do.

Zelenskiy said the new talks would take place on February 4 and 5, and that Ukraine - struggling to stop grinding Russian advances on the battlefield - was ready for a "substantive discussion".

"Ukraine is ready for a ⁠substantive discussion, and we are interested in ‌ensuring that the outcome brings us closer to a real and dignified end to the war," Zelenskiy wrote on X.

WORKERS RACE TO RESTORE POWER

In the capital Kyiv, 1,000 apartment buildings remained without heating on ‍Sunday, said Mayor Vitali Klitschko, as a new wave of bitter cold swept across much of the country.

Temperatures in the city on Sunday hovered around -15 degrees Celsius, as workers raced to restore heating to hundreds out of the nearly 3,500 high-rises affected by a widespread grid malfunction on ​Saturday.

Officials did not directly link it to war damage, but the resulting blackouts - which spread to neighbouring Moldova - underlined the ‌vulnerability of Ukraine's energy system after months of Russian attacks.

The Kremlin said two days ago it had agreed to halt strikes on energy infrastructure until Sunday at the request of U.S. President Donald Trump, and Kyiv said it would reciprocate.

Ukraine said the suspension was supposed to last until the following Friday.

TWO PEOPLE KILLED OVERNIGHT

The countries have not reported major strikes on their energy systems in recent days, though Zelenskiy said on Sunday that Russia was attempting "to destroy logistics and connectivity between cities and communities" through ongoing ⁠air attacks.

In southeastern Ukraine, two people were killed overnight in a drone ​strike on a residential building in the city of Dnipro, and six people ​were wounded in an attack on a maternity hospital in Zaporizhzhia, regional officials said.

Temperatures are expected to drop even further on Monday to well below minus 20 degrees Celsius in Kyiv.

Ukrainian private energy firm DTEK ‍said on Sunday it had restored ⁠power to 300,000 households in the southern coastal region of Odesa, which had been hit hard by the malfunction.

Grid operator Ukrenergo said late on Saturday that planned outages would be in force throughout the entire country.

Anatoliy Veresenko, a 65-year-old ⁠veteran who was out for a run at a Kyiv park, said he was warily anticipating new attacks and did not place much hope in ‌the peace process.

"Talks are talks. We hope for peace, but we still need to fight and secure victory."

(Additional ‌reporting by Daria Smetanko; Editing by Alexander Smith and David Holmes)

byVincento Seyarto

in

February 01, 2026

Ukraine talks set for next week as cold sweeps country

By Dan Peleschuk KYIV, Feb 1 (Reuters) - U.S.-backed trilateral talks involving Ukraine and Russia will take pla...

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Russia's Medvedev praises Trump but questions US submarine threat

By Guy Faulconbridge

MOSCOW, Feb 1 (Reuters) - Dmitry Medvedev, deputy chairman of Russia's Security Council, praised U.S. President Donald Trump as an effective leader who was seeking peace but added that Moscow had seen no trace of ​nuclear submarines Trump said he moved to Russian shores.

Trump, who has said he wants to be remembered as a "peacemaker" ‌president, has repeatedly said that a peace deal to end the Ukraine war is close, and a new round of U.S.-Russian-Ukrainian talks is scheduled for this ‌week in Abu Dhabi.

Asked if Trump was positive or negative for Russia and about unproven speculation that Trump was some sort of Russian agent, Medvedev said the American people had chosen Trump and that Moscow respected that decision.

Medvedev lauded Trump's courage in resisting the U.S. establishment and said the U.S. president's sometimes "brash" style was "effective".

"He is an emotional person, but on the other hand, the chaos that is commonly ⁠referred to, which is created by his ‌activities, is not entirely true," he told Reuters, TASS and the WarGonzo Russian war blogger in an interview at his residence outside Moscow and authorised for publication on Sunday.

"It is obvious that behind this ‍lies a completely conscious and competent line," said Medvedev, who served as Russian president from 2008 to 2012.

President Vladimir Putin remains the final voice on Russian policy, though Medvedev, an arch-hawk who has repeatedly goaded Trump on social media, gives a sense of hardliners' thinking within the Russian ​elite, according to foreign diplomats.

"Trump wants to go down in history as a peacemaker - and he is really trying," Medvedev ‌said. "He is really trying to do that. And that is why contacts with Americans have become much more productive."

TRUMP'S SUBMARINE THREAT

Medvedev said the key to understanding Trump was his business background, quipping that there was no such thing as a former businessman - a play on an old Russian joke that there is no such thing as a former KGB agent.

Trump in August said he had ordered two U.S. nuclear submarines to move closer to Russia in response to what he called "highly provocative" comments from Medvedev about ⁠the risk of war after what appeared to be an ultimatum from ​Trump.

"We still have not found them," Medvedev said of the U.S. submarines.

After Russia's ​2022 invasion of Ukraine, Medvedev has repeatedly hurled invective at Kyiv and Western powers while warning of the risks of an escalation of the war towards a nuclear "apocalypse".

Medvedev said Russia would "soon" win military victory in ‍the Ukraine war but the key ⁠thing was to prevent any further conflict, adding: "I would like this to happen as soon as possible."

"But it is equally important to think about what will happen next. After all, the goal of victory is to prevent new conflicts. ⁠This is absolutely obvious."

Russia currently controls a fifth of Ukraine but has so far been unable to take the whole of the eastern Donbas region, ‌where Ukrainian forces hold about 10%, or 5,000 square km (1,900 square miles), according to open-source maps of the ‌war.

(Reporting by Guy Faulconbridge; editing by Vladimir Soldatkin and Gareth Jones)

byVincento Seyarto

in

February 01, 2026

Russia's Medvedev praises Trump but questions US submarine threat

By Guy Faulconbridge MOSCOW, Feb 1 (Reuters) - Dmitry Medvedev, deputy chairman of Russia's Security Council...

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Gay hockey drama 'Heated Rivalry' becomes hit in Russia, but fandom could lead to prison

Russian fans of"Heated Rivalry"could end up in prison if they publicly declare their love for the show, but that hasn't stopped the gay romance about two hockey players from becoming a word-of-mouth hit — and some are subtly displaying their affection.

The show centers on the relationship between Russian Ilya Rozanov, played by Connor Storrie, and Canadian Shane Hollander, played by Hudson Williams, who are rivals on the ice but lovers off of it. The two actors have been named officialtorchbearers for the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics next month.

The show has grabbed attention for its steamy sex scenes but garnered praise for its depiction of LGBTQ relationships — something that is strictly off-limits in the deeply conservative country.

"You feel like some sort of criminal when watching the series," one female fan told NBC News in a video call earlier this month. "It feels like a protest, some kind of rebellion," the Moscow native added.

NBC News agreed not to name the interviewees in this story because they feared they might be arrested.

As part of a crackdown on LGBTQ people in a country where "traditional family values" have been a cornerstone ofPresident Vladimir Putin's rule, the Russian Supreme Court banned what the government called the LGBTQ "movement" in November 2023,labeling it an extremist organization.

Under the country's criminal law, participating in or financing an extremist organization is punishable by up to 12 years in prison. A person found guilty of displaying symbols like a rainbow flag faces up to 15 days in detention for a first offense and up to four years in prison if they repeatedly offend.

There are currently 17 ongoing criminal cases related to LGBTQ "extremism" in Russia, according to the advocacy group Coming Out, and authorities in recent weeks have opened cases against managers at online streaming services Kinopoisk, Wink, Ivi, Amediateka, 24TV and Beeline TV for allegedly promoting LGBTQ propaganda, the state-owned RIA Novosti news agency reported earlier this month.

Despite the risks, the female fan, 26, said she had a small shrine in her Moscow home with photos and keychains dedicated to the characters in the show, which she first discovered on TikTok.

Made by Crave Media Canada and picked up by HBO Max in the U.S., neither of which is available in Russia, the show is drawing fans on illegal streaming sites and messaging apps like Telegram, where one group has more than 45,000 followers.

Not only are the episodes available to view, they often have Russian subtitles within hours of release in the U.S.

When episodes have arrived late, as was once the case when the internet was shut down due to a drone threat, the administrators of the Telegram groups have apologized.

Bell Media, which owns Crave Media Canada, did not immediately respond to NBC News' request for comment, nor did Telegram.

Despite viewers' use of illegal methods to watch the show, which is based on Canadian author Rachel Reid's books, it has an 8.5 rating from 45,000 users users on Kinopoisk, a Russian movie review site, similar to IMDb in the West.

While the fan said she didn't directly reference the show on her social media and it would be "quite dangerous to do so," she added that she knew someone who featured a poster with the show's name on her Telegram Stories. "I think if someone decides to charge her, they can," she said.

The show has already been criticized by Sorok Sorokov, a Russian Orthodox nationalist movement, which called for it to be banned earlier this month, saying its "unnatural depravity" would drive down the country's birth rate. Whether the Kremlin could ban a show that is illegally streamed is unclear.

For members of Russia's LGBTQ community, the series evokes feelings of both pride and fear.

"There's a world out there where you can exist," one 26-year-old gay fan said in a video call earlier this month, adding that in Russia, "you can't kiss your boyfriend on the ice."

Another 22-year-old member of the LGBTQ community cautioned that the risks remained real. "Like with any queer content, it's a Russian roulette. It may be OK or you may be fined or go to jail. That's what's so scary," he said, adding you never know what you can be charged for.

That view was echoed by a lawyer for Coming Out, who said that "the law in Russia is applied very selectively," but you face consequences if the security services come across the content or if someone reports on you to the authorities. "Out of those charged with extremism, more than half are not public figures," they added.

Nonetheless, some are subtly showing their fandom for "Heated Rivalry," which centers on a sport beloved by Putin, a longtime hockey player, who in March proposed in a call withPresident Donald TrumpthatAmerican and Russian skaters should face offagainst each other.

On social media, some have posted videos of themselves ice-skating to music from the show.

Merchandise from the show has now been adopted by fans of "Heated Rivalry" to subtly advertise their allegiance to it.

One 33-year-old male fan said he wore a sweater with characters from a classic Soviet cartoon about hockey rivalry. "If they've seen 'Heated Rivalry,' they'll know right away why I'm wearing this," he said.

He said he had posted about the "romantic" show on his Instagram account but believed that "nothing would happen" unless you were a public or government figure, adding that he'd seen a lot of social media posts from women who had been inspired to attend hockey games because of the show.

Some brands are also trying to discreetly hop on the bandwagon, walking a fine line by selling candles featuring the characters' jersey numbers and editing their products into pictures from the show's premiere.

In the meantime, Russia's LGBTQ community is "still alive," the 22-year-old said, but "it has gone underground."

byVincento Seyarto

in

February 01, 2026

Gay hockey drama 'Heated Rivalry' becomes hit in Russia, but fandom could lead to prison

Russian fans of"Heated Rivalry"could end up in prison if they publicly declare their love for the show, but that hasn't stopp...

Read More

LIVE UPDATES: Winter Storm Gianna Batters The Carolinas; Power Outages Rising

Winter Storm Gianna has been as fierce as advertised in much of the Southeast, bringing more than a foot of snow to parts of Tennessee and North Carolina and triggering travel nightmares on the region's busiest roads.

(MORE:Latest Forecast For Gianna|Maps Tracker)

We're seeing more power outages and other headaches as this storm intensifies into a "bomb cyclone," so stay with us all day for the latest news, and refresh this page frequently to reveal new updates.

(06:13 a.m. EST) Not A Beach Weekend In North Myrtle Beach

Several inches of snow have fallen in North Myrtle Beach, and this scene paints a pretty good picture of why this beach destination wasn't looking too beachy overnight:

Just north of there, snow totals were impressive: 5 inches in Little River, and 12 inches in Ocean Isle Beach, North Carolina.

(05:56 a.m. EST) An Update On That I-85 Pileup In North Carolina

Late last night, we told you about a major pileup involving about 100 vehicles along Interstate 85 near Kannapolis, North Carolina. According to the Charlotte Observer, the interstatewas reopened at around 9 p.m.after police, fire and the National Guard worked to clear the scene.

Advertisement

The good news: There did not appear to be any serious injuries from the massive collision.

The bad news: It was one of 750 collisions reported to the North Carolina State Highway Patrol by Saturday night.

(05:47 a.m. EST) Power Outages Rising

With a windy system, power outages are always bound to happen. According toPowerOutage.us, here's where we're seeing the highest number of outages in the path of Gianna:

• Florida: 16,000 customers

• North Carolina: 5,000

• South Carolina: 4,800

This adds to the more than 100,000 homes and businesses still powerless in Tennessee, Mississippi and Louisiana more than a week after Winter Storm Fern.

(05:41 a.m. EST) There's Snow In St. Pete!

As the models were suggesting, snow flurries were possible as far south as St. Petersburg, Florida, and shortly after midnight, we got ground truth.

(05:30 a.m. EST) It's Like A Hurricane Along The Outer Banks

Just look at these winds and blowing snow from overnight along North Carolina's Outer Banks as the winter storm intensified and battered the coast:

byVincento Seyarto

in

February 01, 2026

LIVE UPDATES: Winter Storm Gianna Batters The Carolinas; Power Outages Rising

Winter Storm Gianna has been as fierce as advertised in much of the Southeast, bringing more than a foot of snow to pa...

Read More