U.S. Captures Venezuelan Leader, Trump Says

THE NEW YORK TIMES: President Trump announced that U.S. forces had carried out “a large scale strike against Venezuela” and were flying President Nicolás Maduro and his wife out of the country. The Trump administration had been building pressure on Mr. Maduro for months.

President Trump said on Saturday that the United States had captured the Venezuelan president, Nicolás Maduro, and was flying him out of Venezuela, in what would be a stunning culmination to a monthslong campaign by Mr. Trump’s administration to oust the authoritarian leader.

Mr. Trump made the announcement on Truth Social, his social media platform, and said that the United States had carried out “a large scale strike against Venezuela” in an operation that was conducted “in conjunction with U.S. law enforcement.” He said that Mr. Maduro’s wife had also been captured.

In a brief phone interview with The New York Times after the announcement, Mr. Trump celebrated the success of the mission to capture the Venezuelan president. “A lot of good planning and lot of great, great troops and great people,” he said. “It was a brilliant operation, actually.”

When asked if he had sought congressional authority for the operation or what is next for Venezuela, Mr. Trump said he would address those matters during a news conference at 11 a.m. at Mar-a-Lago, his private club and residence in Palm Beach, Fla.
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Venezuela’s vice president, Delcy Rodríguez, speaking on a state-run television station after Mr. Trump’s announcement, said that Mr. Maduro’s location was unknown and asked Mr. Trump for proof of life.

Earlier on Saturday, the government of Venezuela accused the United States of carrying out military attacks in the capital, Caracas, and other parts of the country after large explosions were reported at a military base in the city.

The Venezuelan government declared a state of emergency in response to the attacks and said they had occurred in Caracas and in the states of Miranda, Aragua and La Guaira, according to a statement from the Venezuelan communications ministry.

Venezuela “rejects, repudiates and denounces” U.S. military aggression, the statement said. It also called on “on all social and political forces in the country to activate mobilization plans and repudiate this imperialist attack.” Live Updates » | Anatoly Kurmanaev and Tyler Pager | Anatoly Kurmanaev reported from Venezuela, and Tyler Pager from West Palm Beach, Fla. | Saturday, January 3, 2026

Trump’s Team ‘Deliberately Vague’ about His Health

Jan 2, 2026 | “He doesn’t hear as well as he used to. His staff says he doesn’t have the same attention span.”

Trump’s team is keep reports around the President’s health “deliberately vague”, says The New York Times’s Steven Erlanger.

Swiss Ski Resort Fire: Champagne Sparklers Likely Caused Deadly Tragedy, Officials Say

Jan 2, 2026 | Sparklers on champagne bottles that came too close to the ceiling likely caused the Swiss ski resort bar fire that killed at least 40 people during a New Year’s party, officials said today. This appeared to lead to a flashover, in which everything in a room ignites almost simultaneously. Swiss prosecutors have opened an investigation into possible criminal responsibility

Iran Officials Warn Trump of Red Line after His Threat to ‘Rescue’ Protesters

THE GUARDIAN: Foreign minister says Iranian military is on standby after US president said he would act if demonstrators were killed

Donald Trump has threatened to intervene in Iran if its government kills demonstrators, prompting warnings from senior Iranian officials that any American interference would cross a “red line”.

In a social media post on Friday, Trump said that if Iran were to shoot and kill protesters, the US would “come to their rescue”. He added: “We are locked and loaded, and ready to go,” without explaining what that might mean in practice.

Protests in Iran are in their sixth day, and are the largest since 2022, when the death in police custody of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini triggered demonstrations across the country. The current unrest was triggered by an unprecedented decline in the value of the national currency on Sunday. The Iranian rial dropped to about 1.4m to the US dollar, further harming an already beleaguered economy.

Iran’s foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, called Trump’s statement “reckless and dangerous”, and said the country’s military was on standby. He also said the protests had been mostly peaceful, but that attacks on public property would not be tolerated.

“Given President Trump’s deployment of the National Guard within US borders, he of all people should know that criminal attacks on public property cannot be tolerated,” he said. » | William Christou | Friday, January 2, 2026

Ludwig II of Bavaria and the Photographer in the Service of the King of Beauty and Romance

Oct 24, 2025 | King Ludwig II of Bavaria remains one of the most fascinating figures of the 19th century – a monarch caught between dream and technology, between art and duty. His life was shaped by an unending longing for beauty, purity, and inner truth – and by the deep desire to give the world a higher meaning through art.

Um mehr über König Ludwig II. von Bayern (1845 – 1886) und seine Homosexualität und seine Schwäche für Schönheit zu lernen, klicken Sie hier. [Quelle: Google KI]

Iranian Regime Facing Widespread Violent Protests over Their Economic Failings

Jan 2, 2026 | "Everyone is fed up with the regime’s inability to deliver."

Protests have turned violent as people become increasingly fed up with the regime, says director of the Middle East and North Africa Programme at Chatham House, Dr Sanam Vakil.

How Are Marlboro Cigarettes Made in a Factory? Produced Planet

Mar 31, 2025 | Come along with Produced Planet as we take you through the process of how Marlboro cigarettes are made.

Ne-Yo Ft. FABOLOUS : Link Up Remix | Official Music Video

Premiered Nov 3, 2023 | Music video by Ne-Yo, Fabolous performing Link Up (Remix). Motown Records; © 2023 Shaffer Smith, under exclusive license to UMG Recordings, Inc.

Giovanni Syracusa: How to Make Authentic Bolognese Sauce | Traditional Ragù alla Bolognese

Sep 7, 2025 | how to make authentic Ragù alla Bolognese, the famous Italian meat sauce from Bologna. This traditional recipe combines beef, pork, pancetta, soffritto, white wine, and milk, simmered low and slow for depth and richness. Perfect for tagliatelle, lasagna, or pappardelle, this is the ultimate Bolognese sauce for Italian food lovers.

For the full recipe, click here and then click on ‘more’.

Maduro Urges Trump to Abandon ‘Illegal Warmongering’ and Start ‘Serious Talks’

THE GUARDIAN: Venezuelan president warns of a ‘forever war’ similar to Iraq after US counterpart claims first land strike on dock

The Venezuelan leader, Nicolás Maduro, has urged Donald Trump to abandon his “illegal warmongering” and begin “serious talks” with his administration as mystery continued to surround a purported pre-Christmas CIA airstrike on the South American country.

Speaking during an hour-long TV interview, Maduro declined to confirm reports of the apparent US attack, which would be the first on Venezuelan soil since Trump began his five-month campaign of military pressure in August.

“This could be something we talk about in a few days,” Maduro told the Spanish journalist Ignacio Ramonet as the Venezuelan leader drove through the streets of Caracas in an apparent attempt to project serenity in the face of US pressure.

At one point during what Maduro called the “pod car” broadcast, he drove the silver SUV past his childhood home and the church where his baptism and first communion were held. “Caracas looks so beautiful,” Maduro declared, urging US voters to reflect on whether they wanted Trump to lead them into a South American version of the Iraq war. » | Tom Phillips in Rio de Janeiro | Friday, January 2, 2026

May God bless and protect Venezuela and the Venezuelans! — © Mark Alexander

Steve Schmidt: Trust Is Dead in America

Jan 2, 2026 | American government, media, and other fundamental democratic institutions have become corrupt under Trump’s regime. Steve Schmidt examines the systematic destruction of trust and urges Americans to hold their leaders accountable at the polls.

Trump has FU America. There’s no doubt about it. And if we Europeans aren’t careful, he’ll FU Europe, too. — © Mark Alexander

Zwei Männer mit Kinderwunsch: Wie schwule Paare Familien gründen | Doku NZZ Format

Jan 2, 2026 | Eine eigene Familie gründen – für viele ein selbstverständlicher Lebenstraum. Doch für schwule Paare ist der Weg zum Familienglück immer noch voller Hürden. «NZZ Format» erzählt die Geschichte von drei Männerpaaren, die ganz unterschiedliche Wege gegangen sind, um Kinder zu bekommen.

Timo und Markus mussten über 100 000 Euro aufwenden, um über eine Leihmutter in den USA ihren Sohn zu bekommen. Bastian und Dominik haben sich um ein Pflege- und ein Adoptivkind beworben und hatten zahlreiche behördliche Hindernisse zu überwinden, um Eltern zu werden. Thomas und Sven haben gemeinsam mit ihrer besten Freundin ein Kind geplant und auch bekommen. Doch drei Elternteile gibt es offiziell nicht. Wie regeln sie die ungewöhnliche Familienkonstellation?

«NZZ Format» zeigt die Höhen und Tiefen einer noch ungewöhnlichen Familienplanung. Welchen Vorurteilen begegnen die Väter? Wie leben sie den Familienalltag? Und würden sie den gleichen Weg noch einmal gehen? Ein Film über schwule Männer, die sehr offen über die schönen und schwierigen Seiten der Familiengründung sprechen.

Die Dokumentation stammt aus dem Jahr 2022.

Executions in Saudi Arabia Hit Highest Number on Record in 2025

THE GUARDIAN: Analysts attribute increase to kingdom’s ‘war on drugs’ as authorities kill 356 people by death penalty

Saudi authorities executed 356 people in 2025, setting a new record for the number of inmates put to death in the kingdom in a single year.

Analysts have largely attributed the increase in executions to Riyadh’s “war on drugs”, with some of those arrested in previous years only now being executed after legal proceedings and convictions.

Official data released by the Saudi government said 243 people were executed in drug-related cases in 2025 alone, according to a tally kept by Agence France-Presse.

The figures mark the second consecutive year in which Saudi Arabia has carried out its highest number of executions, after authorities executed 338 people in 2024.

Saudi Arabia resumed executions for drug offences at the end of 2022, after suspending the use of the death penalty in narcotics cases for about three years. » | Agence France-Presse in Dubai | Thursday, January 1, 2026

The rich get pleasure from shopping sprees; the ruthless, from execution sprees! — © Mark Alexander

Democracy Now! Top US News & World Headlines

January 2, 2026

Democracy Now! can be supported here.

Purely in the name of FAIRNESS, BUDGETARY NECESSITY,and COMMON DECENCY, not socialism, these multi-billionaires need to be taxed more. But our Western politicians of all political persuasions won’t do it. Why? Because the mere concept of taxing the superrich scares them SHITLESS! It is preferable for them that the poor and underprivileged SUFFER whilst the superrich enjoy their private jets, superyachts, and dine on caviar and champagne whilst the very poor have to eke out an existence by visiting foodbanks to feed their families. So, what can we, the people, do about this disgraceful situation? — © Mark Alexander

Véhicule avec chauffeur, protection policière... C’en est fini des avantages «à vie» des anciens premiers ministres et ministres de l’Intérieur

LE FIGARO : Goutte d’eau dans l’océan de la dette française, cette décision avant tout symbolique pourrait tout de même permettre de faire quelques économies substantielles.

2026 a sifflé la fin de la récré pour les anciens premiers ministres et anciens ministres de l’Intérieur. Depuis ce jeudi 1er janvier, ces derniers ne pourront plus jouir de certains avantages en nature autrefois accordés «à vie», au premier rang desquels la possibilité de disposer d’un véhicule de fonction avec chauffeur mais aussi de bénéficier d’une protection policière. Sorte de privilèges hérités d’un ancien temps et jugés surannés, que le premier ministre Sébastien Lecornu a estimé bon de proscrire, dans un contexte budgétaire extrêmement contraint. Une décision avant tout symbolique, les dépenses des anciens locataires de Matignon s’étant élevées à 1,423 million d’euros en 2023 (hors agent de sécurité), mais qui pourrait tout de même permettre de faire des économies substantielles, tout en montrant l’exemple. » | Par Pauline Landais-Barrau | vendredi 2 janvier 2026

Golda Meir: The Controversial ‘Iron Lady’ of Israel

Dec 31, 2025 | Golda Meir was one of the most influential and controversial figures in Israeli history. As a founder of the state of Israel and its first - and only - female prime minister, she played a central role in shaping the country’s early political and social foundations. This video explores Meir’s rise from immigrant activist to national leader, her reputation as Israel’s “Iron Lady,” and the defining decisions and controversies of her leadership, including the challenges surrounding the Yom Kippur War.

Iran’s Protests Pose ‘Very Serious Threat’ to the Regime | Former UK Ambassador

Jan 2, 2026 | “The government is showing they have no coherent response to the developing situation.”

Iran’s protests pose “very serious threat” to the regime, says former UK Ambassador to Iran, Nicholas Hopton.

‘Horrific’ Ski Resort Fire: Police Struggle to Identify Bodies of Dozens Killed

Jan 2, 2026 | “With third degree burns over so many bodies, in some cases they’re going to need to provide DNA samples just to find out who is who.”

Investigators have warned families they may have a long wait before formal identification takes place after dozens of people died in a bar in the Swiss ski resort of Crans-Montana, explains journalist Alan Friedman.

02/01/2026 – Snow Showers and Sunshine – Afternoon Weather Forecast UK – Met Office Weather

January 2, 2026 | Forecast by Annie Shuttleworth

Greenland Tensions: Danish PM Touts Military, STINGS Trump In New Year Address | 'Derogatory...Ally'

Jan 2, 2026 | Danish prime minister Mette Frederiksen has struck a defiant note against Donald Trump's ambition to annex Greenland. In her New Year message, the Danish premier said the country was rapidly beefing up the military force and will stand firm against attempts to take over Greenland.

Trump must surely be the worst US president ever! He is no bumptious, self-opinionated, and aggressive. Irritatingly so. He wants all that he surveys, just like a spoilt child. The world needs to do what the brave Mette Frederiksen is doing: the world needs to stand up to Trump and contain him and his expansionary ambitions. — © Mark Alexander