Crews cleared mud from key California highways as forecasters warned that more thunderstorms were on the way after downpours and high tides caused flooding, prompting road closures and rescues of people trapped in cars. Northern counties remained under a flood watch, with up to three inches of rain possible through Monday night in areas that have been drenched off and on since around Christmas. To the south near the San Francisco Bay Area, waters were slowly receding after roadways were flooded during heavy rain that coincided with record-breaking “King Tides.”  While the tides were waning, lingering thunderstorms on Sunday could cause additional problems throughout low-lying areas.

When Nicolás Maduro appears in a New York courtroom to face U.S. drug charges, he'll be following follow a path taken Panama's Manuel Noriega, another strongman who was toppled by American forces. As was the case with Noriega, lawyers for Maduro are expected to challenge his arrest by claiming sovereign immunity. That's a bedrock principal of international and U.S. law. But legal experts say that argument is unlikely to succeed because the U.S. doesn't recognize Maduro as Venezuela’s legitimate leader. They say courts are likely to allow the prosecution to proceed despite broader constitutional questions about the U.S. military action that led to his capture.

Hollywood kicked off 2026 with “Avatar: Fire and Ash” atop the box office for the third straight week and with hopes for a blockbuster-filled year after a disappointing 2025. In three weeks of release, “Fire and Ash” has cleared $1 billion worldwide. The third chapter in James Cameron’s Pandora epic collected $40 million over its third weekend in North American theaters, according to studio estimates Sunday. But over the holiday week, it wasn’t just about the weekend ticket sales. The whole week was a lucrative one for Hollywood, with most schools still out. What drove ticket sales, beyond “Avatar”? Sydney Sweeney, Timothée Chalamet and “Zootopia 2.”

President Donald Trump's military intervention in Venezuela is testing his ability to hold the Republican coalition together. Concerns have emerged even as many Republicans initially backed the mission to capture Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro. Trump's comments about the U.S. “running” Venezuela have raised fears that he's abandoning his “America First” philosophy. Outgoing Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene has criticized this approach, as has moderate Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick. Despite Trump's dominance in the GOP, his grip has faced challenges. Secretary of State Marco Rubio is suggesting the U.S. wouldn't manage Venezuela daily, but concerns remain about the fallout from Washington's intervention.

Gunmen have killed at least 30 villagers and abducted several others in northern Nigeria’s Niger state, according to police. The attack occurred Saturday evening when the gunmen stormed Kasuwan-Daji village, opening fire on residents and burning down the local market and houses. Some residents report the death toll could be higher, with people still missing as of Sunday. They also claim security forces have not yet arrived, despite police statements. Such attacks are common in Nigeria, where rogue gangs often target remote communities. The attackers reportedly came from a forest reserve, a known hideout for armed gangs.

Marjorie Taylor Greene is leaving Capitol Hill after five years as one of the most well-known members of Congress. In her northwest Georgia House district, there is little consensus on whether the roller-coaster of headlines was worth it. Greene's hard-core supporters stand by her despite her break with President Donald Trump. They see her as a fighter who spoke for them. Others in Greene's district say her high-profile battles, conspiracy theories and bareknuckle politics did nothing to help the people she represented. Greene steps down on Monday, resigning in the middle of her third term.

Officials say Ukrainian drone strikes killed two people and wounded two others, including a child, in Russia’s Belgorod and Kursk regions on Sunday. More peace talks are expected in Paris early this week. In Ukraine, three people were wounded in overnight drone strikes in the Kharkiv region, and the death toll from Friday’s missile attack on Kharkiv rose to five. European and other national security advisers met in Kyiv on Saturday to discuss security guarantees and economic support. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said meetings of military officials and European leaders in Paris on Monday and Tuesday could finalize security guarantee documents.