News Wrap: Colombian president accuses U.S. of ‘military aggression’ in Caribbean

Geoff Bennett:

In the day's other headlines: Colombian President Gustavo Petro is accusing the Trump administration of carrying out military aggression by striking alleged drug boats in the Caribbean.

Those comments come a day after Petro said Colombian citizens were killed in the latest U.S. military boat strike, though he did not provide any evidence. The Trump administration called that allegation baseless. During a meeting with European officials in Belgium today, Petro doubled down on his criticism of the U.S.

Gustavo Petro, Colombian President (through interpreter):

The reality is that the United States wants to isolate itself. I have asked all Caribbean foreign ministers to meet with us, because what we're hearing now are missiles and an internal repressive war in North American cities against Latin Americans. As long as the United States refuses to join the world, we can unite.

Geoff Bennett:

It follows Senate Republicans blocking a war powers resolution yesterday aimed at preventing the U.S. military from carrying out the strikes. Last month, the administration told Congress that the attacks are justified because the U.S. is in armed conflict with the drug cartels.

Russian President Vladimir Putin now says his country's forces were to blame for downing an Azerbaijan airlines jetliner last December. Putin explained during a meeting with Azerbaijan's president today that Russian air defenses had fired missiles toward an incoming Ukrainian drone, but they exploded near the jet as it was preparing to land. Putin also promised to punish those responsible.

It was his first public admission of responsibility for the crash that killed 38 people and roiled relations between the two countries.

Hungarian author Laszlo Krasznahorkai has won this year's Nobel Prize in literature. His breakthrough novel, "Satantango," as it's known in English, was released in 1985 and was later turned into a film. The 71-year-old has since written more than 20 books, many of them surreal, dark, and as the Nobel judges put it — quote — "characterized by absurdism and grotesque excess."

At times, just one sentence will sprawl across multiple pages. The panel in Stockholm today said his work reaffirms the power of art. The award comes with nearly $1.2 million in prize money. The Nobel Peace Prize will be announced tomorrow.

A federal judge in New York dismissed a defamation lawsuit brought by rapper Drake against his own record label Universal Music Group. At issue was a diss track written by Drake's rival, Kendrick Lamar, as part of their long-running battle. Lamar's song "Not Like Us" calls Drake a pedophile. He accused the label, which represents both artists, of damaging his brand and reputation by releasing the song.

The judge said the track's content is merely opinion and that — quote — "A war of words does not violate the law." Lamar himself was not named in the suit.

On Wall Street today, stocks took a breather after recent gains. The Dow Jones industrial average fell nearly 250 points on the day. The Nasdaq gave back 18 points, so a small loss there. The S&P 500 also ended 18 points lower.

Still to come on the "News Hour": Senate Majority Leader John Thune discusses negotiations to end the government shutdown; tensions flare in Chicago over ramped-up immigration raids; and nearly 80 years after her death, a new collection of stories by Virginia Woolf is published.