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Happy 2026, everyone! I hope you're all staying warm, safe, and ready to dive into what’s shaping up to be an intense start to the year.

We're jumping straight into some of the wildest headlines kicking off 2026. In our first episode of the year, I'm joined by Kenni and Augustus as we break down two massive stories dominating the news.

First, the stunning U.S. military operation in Venezuela: On January 3rd, U.S. forces launched a large-scale strike and successfully captured Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro along with his wife, Cilia Flores. They were quickly extracted and flown to the United States, where Maduro now faces serious charges including narco-terrorism, drug trafficking, and weapons offenses. The operation—dubbed something like "Operation Absolute Resolve"—has led to Delcy Rodríguez stepping in as acting president, the release of hundreds of political prisoners so far, and a ton of debate over U.S. involvement in Venezuelan affairs, including control over oil resources and the path to any transition. It's a geopolitical earthquake with global reactions pouring in.

Closer to home, we're also digging into the escalating situation in Minneapolis involving ICE enforcement actions. Tensions have boiled over with multiple fatal shootings tied to federal immigration agents during protests and operations. Key incidents include the January 7th shooting of Renee Nicole Good (a 37-year-old mother and poet) in her car, and more recently on January 24th, the killing of Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old ICU nurse at the Minneapolis VA Medical Center, during an encounter with agents amid protests. These events have sparked widespread outrage, ongoing demonstrations, calls for accountability, investigations (with some agents placed on leave), and questions about the aggressive immigration crackdown under Operation Metro Surge. Protests continue to grow, raising bigger issues around federal enforcement, community trust, and whether there's any path to de-escalation or middle ground between ICE operations and the people of Minnesota.

We'll explore the details, the conflicting accounts, the videos and evidence emerging, and what this all means moving forward. Will we see real answers on the fraud allegations happening at The Quality Learing Center in Minneapolis? Can peace or compromise ever emerge in such a charged environment?

Stick around—Kenni and Augustus bring sharp insights, and we won't hold back on unpacking the chaos of early 2026. Let's get into it!

You can follow Augustus Tagaro @
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/augustustagaro/
https://www.theinjex.com/

You can find out more about Kenni Camota @
Lofreqnioiz@gmail.com

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~James Banh

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~Jump

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Happy Holidays, Atomic Zero fans! 🎄 In our final wrap-up of the year, we’re looking back at the highlights that defined our 2025 and recapping all the news from December. Stay safe, stay warm, and let’s dive into the year-end review.

https://www.stopthegondola.org/

You can follow Edwin Li @:
Edwinlicomedy.com
YouTube: www.youtube.com/user/Edwinlicomedy
Twitter: Edwinlicomedy

You can find out more about Kenni Camota @
Lofreqnioiz@gmail.com

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~James Banh

Chief Editor:
~Jump

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How do you find a person who has been missing for half a century? This week on Atomic Zero, we are honored to host Oakland-based filmmaker Tony Nguyễn, a storyteller who has dedicated his career to capturing the overlooked threads that make up the fabric of "The Town."

Tony’s previous work has always bridged the gap between the personal and the political—whether exploring the complexities of the Vietnamese refugee experience in Enforcing the Silence and Giap’s Last Day at the Ironing Board Factory, or celebrating the local legends of Oakland in Fresh Frozen and I See Me. But his latest project, Year of the Cat, is perhaps his most daunting and intimate work yet.

In this episode, we discuss Tony’s extraordinary quest to solve a 50-year-old mystery: the disappearance of his father during the chaotic Fall of Saigon. Crafted in the style of an "investigative home movie," the documentary is an intensely raw look at a son’s search for the truth. We explore how Tony balances moments of genuine humor with profound heartache, and what his journey reveals about how the children of refugees are permanently shaped by the echoes of war and the weight of loss. It is a conversation about memory, identity, and the courage it takes to look backward in order to move forward.

You can find out more about Tony Nguyen @
Linktree: papa_t510
Instagram: papa_t510

You can find out more about Kyle Le Dot Net @
Youtube: Kyle Le Dot Net
Instagram: kyleledotnet
kylele.net

Please Subscribe & Follow The Atomic Zero Show @
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~James Banh

Chief Editor:
~Jump

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