By Lauren del Valle, Holmes Lybrand, CNN

(CNN) — During the first hearing in New York in the case against ousted Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, the defendants professed their innocence and accused the US government of abducting the two from their home.

Both Maduro and his wife pleaded not guilty to the drug and weapons charges against them and chose, for the time being, not to fight their detention.

The historic court appearance for Maduro and Flores marks the start of what could be a lengthy litigation process as they will likely fight the legitimacy of their military capture.

In the meantime, Trump has said, “We’re in charge” in Maduro’s absence.

The Trump administration has indicated it will be closely watching Venezuela’s interim leader – Maduro’s longtime vice president, Delcy Rodriguez, who was sworn in as the country’s president Monday.

Here’s what to know about the hearing and case:

Maduro: I am still president

When asked if he was Nicholas Maduro, the ousted president stood up and began speaking in Spanish, which a translator slowly relayed in English.

Maduro stated he “was captured at my home in Caracas, Venezuela,” and, as Judge Alvin Hellerstein tried to cut him off, added: “I am still president of my country.”

“I am innocent. I am not guilty of anything that is mentioned here,” Maduro said when asked for the second time how he would plea. “I am a decent man.”

It’s unclear how much of Maduro’s comments were translated in open court, but Hellerstein said he would have an opportunity at some later point to speak about his arrest and the charges against him.

Maduro’s attorney confirmed he was entering a not guilty plea to all four charges.

Maduro’s wife sustained ‘significant injuries,’ lawyer says

Flores also pleaded not guilty to the charges against her, telling Hellerstein in Spanish, “Not guilty, completely innocent.”

“I am first lady of the Republic of Venezuela,” Flores said through a Spanish translator when the judge asked her to confirm her identity.

Maduro’s wife had bandages on her forehead and right temple when she entered the courtroom flanked by US Marshals. She required help to get into her seat at the defense table before the hearing began.

Her defense attorney said Flores would need a physical evaluation and potential treatment for “significant injuries” she sustained during the “abduction.”

She may have a fracture or at least severe bruising on her ribs, attorney Mark Donnelly said.

Maduro’s attorney Barry Pollack also said the ousted president has “some health and medical issues that will require attention” but did not elaborate.

Motions to come challenging ‘abduction’

Pollack, who helped broker a plea deal and release for WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange last summer, said he plans to file several motions challenging the indictment and Maduro’s controversial arrest by US operatives in the early morning hours Saturday, calling it a “military abduction.”

Pollack also said Maduro has privileges and immunity tied to his office as the head of a sovereign state.

Maduro and Flores also asked for a “visit” with the Venezuelan consulate. Under US law, foreign nationals detained in the US are entitled to consular notification and access to consular resources. It’s unclear what exactly that would look like.

Attorneys for Maduro and his wife did not make a pitch for their release in court Monday but said they will make a formal bail application down the line.

The next hearing in the case is scheduled for March 17.

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SANTA MARIA, Calif. (KEYT) - The City of Santa Maria honored community icon Jim Glines with the unveiling of a new memorial sign Monday morning.

Glines, who died last February at the age of 82, was a well-known Santa Maria Valley businessman, philanthropist and civic leader.

The new sign is located at the busy intersection of Santa Maria Way and Miller Street, near Community Bank of Santa Maria, which he co-founded back in 2001.

On Monday, with many Glines family members and friends in attendance, along with other Santa Maria community leaders, the new sign was officially dedicated the City of Santa Maria Recreation & Parks Department.

Known by many as "Mr. Santa Maria," Glines familiar face and friends to many across the region, through his immense community service efforts, his successful business ventures and award-winning auctioneering.

Raised on a cattle ranch in the Cuyama Valley, Glines attended grammar and high school in Santa Maria. He later graduated from Cal Poly with a Bachelor’s Degree in Farm Management, and added a Graduate Degree in Banking from the University of Colorado.

During his lifetime, there have been few, if any, individuals in the Santa Maria Valley who have given back to the community more than Glines, who was a constant presence at hundreds of charitable events through the years.

Glines was a member of the Santa Maria Elks Lodge #1538 for more than 50 years and was past chairman of the Santa Maria Elks Rodeo Queen Contest. 

He also served as Elks Rodeo Queen Chairman or Co-Chairman for 20 years and was named as the Santa Maria Elks Lodge “Citizen of the Year” in 2008.

Glines was also a board member of Los Rancheros Visitadores, was appointed to the Santa Barbara County Fair Board of Directors in 1990 by then-California Governor George Deukmejian, and was later elected President of the Board.

In 2001, Glines co-founded Community Bank of Santa Maria and served as President and Chief Executive Officer for many years before becoming the bank's Chairman of the Board, which he held until the time of his death.

Glines also appeared on countless television commercials for Community Bank of Santa Maria, many times riding a horse, befitting his lifelong equine passion.

As an auctioneer, Glines built a reputation as one of the finest in the business.

A graduate of the World Champion College of Auctioneering in Bakersfield, Glines was a former member of the Board of Directors of the California State Auctioneers Association and was named California State Champion Auctioneer in 2001.

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By Brenda Goodman, CNN

(CNN) — Flu continues to visit misery across the US, with all but four states showing high or very high levels of activity as a new virus strain called subclade K continues to spread.

By another measure – visits to the doctor for fever plus a cough or sore throat, which are common flu symptoms – the US is at its highest level of respiratory illness since at least the 1997-98 flu season, according to data published Monday by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

“This is definitely a banner year,” said Dr. Caitlin Rivers, an epidemiologist and senior scholar at Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security. “It’s the worst we’ve had in at least 20 years. We’re seeing a majority of the country is experiencing very high levels of activity, and we’re still in the thick of it.”

It’s striking to see such an intense season coming off last year’s bad flu season, she noted, as bad years don’t typically occur back to back.

Rivers said she’s not seeing data suggesting that the flu is peaking yet but notes that the CDC’s Center for Forecasting and Outbreak Analytics is seeing signs that the season may be reaching its apex in terms of intensity. We may be at or near peak week, Rivers said.

Nearly all US states were at high or very high levels of flu activity in the latest data. Montana and Vermont reported low levels of activity, while South Dakota and West Virginia reported moderate levels. Nevada didn’t report flu data this week but showed high levels of flu activity in last week’s report.

In terms of severity – how many people have been hospitalized by the flu – this season is not a standout yet. The cumulative hospitalization rate is the third highest by this point in the season since 2010-11, but that could change as more people are infected.

The CDC estimates that at least 11 million people have had the flu this season, 120,000 have been hospitalized with it and 5,000 people have died.

The agency also received another report of a child’s death, bringing the total number of children who’ve died of influenza this season to nine.

Flu vaccinations have been dropping in children, from a high of 53% over the 2019-20 flu season to 42% at the same point this season.

The new flu data came the same day the US Department of Health and Human services announced a plan to modify the childhood vaccine schedule. The changes would recommend that kids get flu vaccines after a consultation with a health care provider, a provision called shared clinical decision-making, which could make the shots harder for people to access.

“To back off on a flu recommendation in the midst of a pretty severe flu year seems to me to be pretty tone-deaf, and that’s coming off an influenza year where we had the most childhood deaths from influenza in many years,” said Dr. Sean O’Leary, chair of the American Academy of Pediatrics’ Committee on Infectious Diseases.

Shots are also down in adults, from nearly 61 million in 2019-20 to roughly 48 million this year, CDC data shows.

Rivers said she didn’t think the lagging vaccination rates were playing a role in the high volume of cases this year.

“The vaccine is not really expected to protect against infection and therefore transmission. It’s really just about preventing severe illness,” she said.

Instead, she says, the new flu strain – subclade K, which represents most viruses analyzed by labs – seems to be the reason for the intensity.

She said that strain just different enough from the flu viruses people have been exposed to in the past to get around our immune defenses.

Subclade K began to spread after strains were chosen for this year’s flu shots