Feb 2, 2019

Venezuelan air force general recognizes Juan Guaidó as president

Juan Guaidó. Photo: Marco Bello via Getty Images

General Francisco Yanez, a high-ranking member of Venezuela's air force, said he is now backing Juan Guaidó as the country's interim president, Reuters reports.

Why it matters: The military’s support for Maduro is seen as key to maintaining his grip on power, as leaders around the globe — led by the U.S. — disavow the dictator's leadership of Venezuela. Yanez is the first active general in Venezuela to recognize Guaidó’s leadership since he declared himself president on Jan. 23, and called on other military members to defect from Maduro and support the opposition leader as well.

Go deeper: The geopolitical state of play for Venezuela

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Axios
Updated 7 mins ago - Politics & Policy

Coronavirus dashboard

Illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios

  1. Global: Total confirmed cases as of 6:30 p.m. ET: 18,387,725 — Total deaths: 696,586 — Total recoveries — 10,976,180 — Map.
  2. U.S.: Total confirmed cases as of 6:30 p.m. ET: 4,758,028 — Total deaths: 156,426 — Total recoveries: 1,513,446 — Total tests: 57,543,852 — Map.
  3. States: New York City health commissioner resigns in protest of De Blasio's coronavirus response — Local governments go to war over schools.
  4. Public health: 59% of Americans support nationwide 2-week stay-at-home order in NPR poll.
  5. Politics: Trump's national security adviser returns to work after coronavirus recovery — Republicans push to expand small business loan program.
  6. Sports: Indy 500 to be held without fans — Rafael Nadal opts out of U.S. Open.
Go deeper (<1 min. read)Arrow
Dave Lawler
Updated 30 mins ago - World

At least 50 killed, 3,000 injured after massive explosion rocks Beirut

Photo: Anwar Amro/AFP via Getty Images

A major explosion has slammed central Beirut, Lebanon, damaging buildings as far as several miles away and injuring scores of people.

Driving the news: Lebanon's health minister said in televised remarks that more than 50 people have been killed and over 3,000 injured. Prime Minister Hassan Diab said the explosions occurred at a warehouse that had been storing 2,750 tons of ammonium nitrate for the past six years, per NBC.

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Sara Fischer
49 mins ago - Economy & Business

"Mulan" will head to Disney+, home to more than 60 million subscribers

An outdoor ad for Disney's "Mulan" in Hollywood, California. Photo: Rich Fury/Getty Images

Disney announced Tuesday that its most highly-anticipated blockbuster of the year, the live-action remake of "Mulan," is heading to Disney+ on Sept. 4 for consumers to purchase for a premium access fee of $29.99. The movie's theatrical debut had previously been delayed four times.

Why it matters: It's a huge blow to movie exhibitors across the country that were relying on the Disney hit to come exclusively to theaters for at least a few months before being made available to consumers at home via streaming.

Go deeper (2 min. read)Arrow