Venezuela’s government has accused the US of launching attacks on civilian and military installations across several states
Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has declared a national state of emergency, according to the country’s Foreign Ministry.
Venezuela’s government has accused the US of launching attacks on civilian and military installations across several states, rejecting what it described as “military aggression,” according to an official statement.
The government said the attacks took place in Caracas and in the states of Miranda, Aragua, and La Guaira. Venezuelan authorities have also accused Washington of orchestrating the assault in an attempt to seize the country’s oil and mineral resources, pledging that such efforts “will not succeed.”
The White House has not confirmed ordering the strikes. US President Donald Trump held a national security meeting at Mar-a-Lago ahead of the first reports of hostilities, the New York Times reported.
The US Embassy in Caracas has issued a Level 4 advisory urging Americans not to travel to Venezuela “for any reason.”
The US banned its commercial airlines from operating in Venezuelan airspace over what the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) described as “ongoing military activity,” shortly before a series of explosions were reported in Caracas, according to the Associated Press.
At least seven explosions were heard early Saturday morning in Venezuela’s capital, followed by low-flying aircraft, according to the Associated Press. The southern part of the city, located near a major military base, was reportedly left without electricity.
The blasts come amid a deepening standoff between Venezuela and the administration of US President Donald Trump, who has accused Caracas of facilitating large-scale drug trafficking and authorized expanded US military operations targeting suspected smuggling routes.
Maduro has rejected the claims, accusing Washington of aggression and warning that any direct military action targeting Venezuela would be resisted.
The abducted Venezuelan president and his wife have denied the narco-terrorism and smuggling conspiracy charges levied against them
Kidnapped Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores have pleaded not guilty to all charges in a New York court on Monday.
The pair were delivered to the federal courthouse in Manhattan for arraignment following their abduction from Caracas by US special forces just days before.
Maduro is facing charges on four counts, including “narco-terrorism conspiracy, cocaine importation conspiracy, possession of machine guns and destructive devices, and conspiracy to possess machine guns and destructive devices against the United States.”
When asked by US District Judge Alvin Hellerstein to introduce himself, Maduro reportedly said that he is the “president of Venezuela,” and that he considers himself “a prisoner of war.”
The Venezuelan leader is reportedly being represented by Barry Pollack, a veteran criminal defense lawyer known for defending Wikileaks co-founder Julian Assange in the case that saw him freed.
In closing the proceedings, Judge Hellerstein reportedly announced that the next hearing will take place on March 17.
Meanwhile, after carrying out a regime-change operation in the oil-rich South American country, US President Donald Trump has threatened Venezuela’s interim president, Delcy Rodriguez, with a “bigger price” than the one paid by Maduro.
He added that the US needs “total access… to the oil and to other things in their country that allow us to rebuild their country.” Trump also said that Washington will “run” Venezuela “until such time as a proper transition can take place.”
“We’re in charge,” Trump reiterated on Sunday, noting that Rodriguez was “cooperating” with the US.
Moscow has condemned the US “aggression,” and lamented that “ideological hostility has triumphed over business-like pragmatism.”
Caracas has accused Washington of “grave military aggression”
Multiple explosions were heard early on Saturday in Caracas, Venezuela’s capital, according to media reports and footage from the scene.
The blasts come amid a deepening stand-off between Venezuela and the administration of US President Donald Trump, who has repeatedly accused the country’s authorities of links with drug cartels – a charge Caracas has denied.
At least seven explosions and the sound of low-flying aircraft were heard at around 2am local time, according to the Associated Press.
RT’s Murad Gadziev, who is on site in Caracas, said jets and possibly drones had been heard overhead, adding that there had been reports of helicopters – including what he described as Apache attack helicopters and a Chinook troop carrier – operating over the capital. He suggested that the activity could indicate US military operations.
CBS’s Jennifer Jacobs reported, citing unnamed US officials, that “President Trump ordered strikes on sites inside Venezuela, including military facilities.”
In a statement, Venezuelan authorities accused the US of staging the attack. Officials said they “reject, repudiate and denounce before the international community the grave military aggression perpetrated by the current Government of the United States of America,” saying that Washington had targeted both civilian and military locations in Caracas, and in the states of Miranda, Aragua and La Guaira.
They added that “the objective of this attack is none other than to seize Venezuela’s strategic resources, particularly its oil and minerals, attempting to break the political independence of the nation by force.”
Venezuelan sources told Sky News Arabia that “the home of the Venezuelan defense minister and a port in the capital were bombed”. A witness told Reuters that a part of the capital had been left without electricity.
Colombian President Gustavo Petro said, without assigning blame to any particular country, that “right now they are bombing Caracas. Alert to the whole world, they have attacked Venezuela.” He also urged an emergency session of the UN Security Council.
The explosions come amid heightened tensions between Washington and Caracas. Trump has repeatedly accused Venezuela’s government of facilitating large-scale drug trafficking and has authorized expanded US military operations targeting suspected smuggling routes in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific.
Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has rejected the allegations, accusing the US of aggression and of using anti-drug operations as a pretext to topple his government. He has warned that any direct military action on his country would be met with resistance.
Since the meeting the Venezuelan president has been effectively renditioned to the US
Chinese President Xi Jinping’s special envoy met with Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro in Caracas on Friday, hours before the US regime-change operation in the oil-rich South American country.
Qiu Xiaoqi, the Special Representative for Latin American and Caribbean Affairs, led the Chinese delegation, which included Ambassador to Venezuela Lan Hu and other senior officials.
“I am very happy to greet you. Thank you, and thank President Xi Jinping for his brotherhood and his message as a strong leader for the world,” Maduro stated at the meeting, alongside Oil Minister and Vice President Delcy Rodriguez.
The Venezuelan government said the encounter served to “consolidate the new multipolar world order.” It emphasized the “unwavering” nature of the relationship between Caracas and Beijing, particularly in the face of “unilateral coercive measures” and the pursuit of “sovereign development” for the nations of the Global South.
Beijing has yet to release its readout of the meeting, but according to Caracas, Qiu Xiaoqi emphasized that China and Venezuela are “strategic partners to the test” and that their relationship represents a valuable opportunity for the People’s Republic.
The show of support from China follows Russia’s recent condemnation of US actions in the region, as Moscow has reaffirmed its solidarity with Venezuela as it faces a naval blockade in the Caribbean.
US President Donald Trump has justified US military strikes on alleged drug trafficking vessels and the naval blockade of Venezuelan oil tankers by saying it’s part of a campaign to dismantle the “Cartel de los Soles,” alleging links to Maduro’s government – accusations Caracas has vehemently denied.
Maduro said he is open to holding talks with the Trump administration regarding drug trafficking and even Venezuela’s oil reserves, but added that he has refused to entertain what Caracas described as attempts at “extortion.”
“The US government knows, because we’ve told many of their spokespeople, that if they want to seriously discuss an agreement to combat drug trafficking, we’re ready,” he said in an interview released Thursday.
“If they want oil, Venezuela is ready for US investment, like with Chevron, whenever they want it, wherever they want it and however they want it.”
The blaze at a crowded New Year’s Eve party in Crans-Montana killed about 40 people and injured over 100
A New Year’s Eve celebration at a popular Swiss ski resort bar ended in tragedy when a fire, likely ignited by sparklers on top of champagne bottles, tore through the crowded basement venue, killing at least 40 people.
Swiss authorities confirmed Friday that preliminary evidence points to “sparkler candles or sparklers placed on bottles of champagne that were moved too close to the ceiling” as the cause of the blaze at Le Constellation bar in the upscale Alpine resort of Crans-Montana.
The fire broke out around 1:30am on January 1, 2026, as the bar was packed with young revelers celebrating the New Year.
Witnesses described a chaotic scene where a “show” involving the sparklers quickly turned deadly.
Photos and videos shared online show at least six bottles with lit sparklers being held aloft by staff and patrons. In one of the photos, a woman is seen sitting on another’s shoulders with the bottles, waving them too high, apparently hitting the ceiling.
A new video from the bar in the Swiss ski resort Crans-Montana shows people still partying and filming the fire as it spreads through the anti-acoustic plastic foam in the ceiling.
The flames ignited acoustic foam panels lining the bar’s low wooden ceiling. Officials are investigating whether this material, used for soundproofing, contributed to the fire’s ferocity.
The fire spread within seconds, according to witnesses. Patrons in the basement nightclub rushed toward a narrow staircase and a single main door, causing a crowd surge. Some resorted to smashing windows to escape.
The process of formally identifying the deceased victims has been slow and challenging. Many bodies were so severely burned that they are unrecognizable, and personal items like wallets were destroyed by the flames.
Officials have stated that this work will take several days as they must be “100% sure” before informing families. Authorities are now relying on DNA analysis and dental records to make positive identifications.
Many of the 119 injured victims remain hospitalized and have been described as “still fighting for their lives.” The scale of injuries overwhelmed local medical facilities, as many of the burns sustained require highly specialized, resource-intensive care from entire teams of specialists.
The American president claimed the US is “locked and loaded” and ready to support anti-government protesters in Iran
The Iranian government has formally demanded action from the United Nations following a series of increasingly bellicose statements from US President Donald Trump, including a claim that Washington is poised to intervene in the ongoing unrest in the Islamic Republic.
In a letter to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Friday, Iranian Ambassador Amir Saeid Iravani accused Trump of “incitement to violence, unrest, and terrorist acts” within Iran.
“The President of the United States openly threatened the Islamic Republic of Iran with the use of force and intervention, declaring that ‘We are locked and loaded and ready to go,’” he wrote.
“These repeated and deliberate statements demonstrate a consistent pattern of unlawful conduct by the United States,” the letter reads, further detailing a long history of alleged US interference in Iranian affairs, including the 1953 coup, support for Saddam Hussein during the Iran-Iraq War, the downing of Iran Air Flight 655, and the assassination of General Qassem Soleimani six years ago.
Large-scale protests erupted in Iran in late December, initially sparked by economic hardship, including the national currency hitting a new low. Demonstrations have spread and become increasingly violent; protesters have attacked government buildings and clashed with security forces.
Several casualties have also been reported among both the protesters and the security forces.
Trump claimed in a post on Truth Social on Friday that if Iran “shoots and violently kills peaceful protesters,” the US would “come to their rescue.”
This prompted a warning from Iranian parliament speaker Mohammad Ghalibaf, who stated on X that US forces in the Middle East would be considered “legitimate targets” should Washington intervene.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has acknowledged the right of citizens to demonstrate peacefully, but emphasized that acts of violence during the protests, as well as foreign interference, will not be tolerated.
“The Great People of Iran will forcefully reject any interference in their internal affairs,” Araghchi wrote on X. “Similarly, our Powerful Armed Forces are on standby and know exactly where to aim in the event of any infringement of Iranian sovereignty.”
The Iranian ambassador’s letter to the UN calls on the Security Council to “unequivocally and strongly condemn these reckless and provocative statements” and demands the US comply with international law, ceasing “all threats or uses of force.”
A North Carolina teen allegedly planned to kill around 20 people over the holidays
The FBI and local law enforcement have disrupted a New Year’s Eve terror attack planned by a North Carolina teen, the agency has announced.
Christian Sturdivant, 18, allegedly planned to use a firearm, knives, and hammers to carry out a violent attack at a local grocery store and a fast food restaurant during the holidays, it said.
The suspect was “directly inspired” by Islamic State (IS, formerly ISIS), the FBI in the city of Charlotte said in a statement on Friday.
“He was preparing for jihad and innocent people were going to die. And we’re very, very fortunate they did not,” US Attorney Russ Ferguson of the Western District of North Carolina said in a press briefing on Friday.
Luckily, during his “extensive planning of this attack,” the suspect encountered two undercover officers, he said.
According to the US Department of Justice, authorities executed a search warrant at Sturdivant’s residence on Monday, where they found handwritten documents, one of which was titled “New Year’s Attack 2026.” The note listed items to be used in the terrorist act and described a goal of stabbing as many civilians as possible, aiming for 20 to 21.
The suspect began communicating with an online covert employee, whom he believed to be an IS member, around December 12, the DOJ said. In later correspondence with the agent, he allegedly proclaimed himself “a soldier” of IS, said that he “will do jihad soon,” and let slip plans for the attack. He also planned to try to buy a firearm before going ahead with the spree, it said.
“Successful collaboration between federal and local law enforcement saved American lives from a horrific terrorist attack,” US Attorney General Pam Bondi wrote on X after the announcement.
Sturdivant is currently in federal custody. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison, the DOJ said.
President Donald Trump has warned Washington could go in to support protests in the Islamic Republic
Tehran will target US forces in the Middle East if Washington tries to intervene in Iran’s handling of ongoing mass protests, the country’s parliamentary speaker, Mohammad Ghalibaf, has warned.
His words came after US President Donald Trump stated that America was “locked and loaded” and could go in at any moment.
Large-scale demonstrations began in the Islamic Republic in late December when merchants in Tehran went on strike after the national currency, the rial, hit a record low. The protests quickly spread to other cities and turned political and violent.
“The disrespectful president of America should … know that … all American centers and forces across the entire region will be legitimate targets for us in response to any potential adventurism,” Ghalibaf said in a statement on X on Friday, commenting on Trump’s post on Truth Social earlier that day.
The protests are the most intense since 2022, when Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old accused of improperly wearing her hijab, died in police custody.
The incident triggered weeks of violent unrest, resulting in more than 200 deaths across the country and thousands of arrests.
Videos circulated online suggested that the crowds have attacked government buildings and facilities linked to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). Casualties were also reported among both the protesters and the security forces.
Trump warned that Washington could intervene if Iran “shoots and violently kills peaceful protesters.”
Ghalibaf alleged that Israeli agents have sought to transform legitimate protests into violent urban battles, adding that those attempts were thwarted.
Tehran is capable of discerning between protesters and “foreign mercenaries” and would never mistreat its own people, the parliamentary speaker noted.
Israel has openly endorsed the unrest. Its Mossad national intelligence agency has admitted that it has operations in the Islamic Republic. Tehran warned on Friday that any intervention into Iran’s security would be followed with a “regret-inducing response.”
The US media has increasingly questioned the president’s health and age after he exhibited visible bruising on his hands
US President Donald Trump has revealed that he takes a higher than recommended daily dose of aspirin and has blamed the medication for leading to bruising on his hands, which has sparked speculation in the US media in recent months.
He made the comments in an interview with the Wall Street Journal published on Thursday.
“They say aspirin is good for thinning out the blood, and I don’t want thick blood pouring through my heart,” Trump said. “I want nice, thin blood pouring through my heart. Does that make sense?”
Trump takes 325 milligrams of aspirin a day for “cardiac prevention,” WSJ wrote, citing the president’s personal physician, Sean Barbabella. A low dose is most commonly 81mg, it added, citing the Mayo Clinic.
The US leader said he turned away recommendations to lower the dosage, explaining that he has been taking it daily for 25 years and he is “a little superstitious.”
A White House-provided Mayo Clinic analysis has estimated the president’s cardiac age to be that of a 65-year-old, the WSJ said.
When pressed by the newspaper on other health habits, Trump admitted that despite being prescribed compression socks to treat leg swelling, he stopped wearing them as he “didn’t like them.”
He also expressed no interest in exercise other than golf. “I just don’t like it,” he said, arguing that spending hours on a treadmill is “boring.”
In a Truth Social post on Friday, Trump declared that White House doctors have pronounced him in “perfect health.” He added that he had “aced” a cognitive exam and called for all US presidents and vice presidents to take such a test.
During his reelection campaign last year, the 79-year-old often called for his predecessor Joe Biden to undergo a cognitive exam due to the then president’s alleged mental decline late in his term. The Democrat, the oldest person to hold the US presidency, left office at age 82 following scrutiny of his possible cognitive deterioration after a disastrous debate with Trump.
The Labour government’s economic policies have reportedly left the most vulnerable Britons with even less disposable income
The poorest UK households have only become poorer under Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s Labour government despite its promises to boost living standards, several British outlets reported on Friday, citing recently published analytical data.
Disposable income left after bills and essentials for the least wealthy households in the UK fell 2.1% during the period between July 2024 (when Labour took office) and October 2025, The Telegraph wrote, citing data published by Retail Economics, an independent research consultancy.
Conversely, the discretionary spending among the UK’s richest households has increased 10.3% during the same period.
“Lower income families are still grappling with the legacy of surging prices, with finances playing catch up as the cost of everyday products is significantly higher than it was four years ago,” the Telegraph wrote, citing Retail Economics’ Head of Commercial Content Nicholas Found.
A whole “generation of younger, lower to middle-income households” is feeling poorer than they were five years ago, being forced to prioritize essentials and cut back on discretionary spending, he reportedly said.
According to the UK’s Office for Budget Responsibility, due to “gradually slowing real wage growth and rising taxes,” real household disposable income is only expected to grow by 0.6% in 2026.
The Labour government announced £26 billion ($35 billion) in tax hikes in its November budget, which was widely seen as a breach of prior promises. Simultaneously, Chancellor Rachel Reeves reaffirmed plans to ramp up military spending by 2.6% of GDP, despite recognizing that her budget would squeeze “ordinary people.”
Starmer’s handling of the economy, as well as his crackdown on free speech in the UK amid the country’s migration crisis, has led to a plummet in his approval ratings. Only 15% of Britons think that he is doing well as prime minister, according to this week’s YouGov poll data.
With local elections coming in May, a recent YouGov voting intention survey showed both Labour and the Conservatives trailing behind the Euroskeptic Reform UK party by more than 8%.
