Ousted Venezuelan president Maduro to appear in New York court

Nicolas Maduro, the ousted Venezuelan president, will appear in a New York federal court Thursday for his second hearing since his capture by U.S. forces in January. Maduro faces charges including drug trafficking and weapons offenses as part of a broader U.S. effort to hold him accountable for alleged criminal conduct during his authoritarian rule in Venezuela. His legal team is mounting challenges to procedural and legal obstacles in the case, which proceeds under an environment of sweeping U.S. sanctions against Venezuela. The case marks a significant escalation in U.S. intervention in Venezuelan affairs and reflects the Trump administration's stance toward Maduro's government. The outcome will shape the legal and diplomatic landscape surrounding Venezuela's political crisis and U.S.-Venezuela relations.