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Year: 2026

Trump vows US will ‘run’ Venezuela until ‘safe’ transition of power

Trump vows US will ‘run’ Venezuela until ‘safe’ transition of power

President Donald Trump said the United States is “going to run the country” in Venezuela until what he described as a safe, proper and judicious transition can take place. Trump framed the role as temporary but necessary, saying the U.S. does not want to allow “somebody else get in” before conditions are stable. He said the goal is peace, liberty and justice for Venezuelans, including those who have fled to the United States and hope to return home. “We’re going to run the country until such time as we can do a safe, proper and judicious transition,” Trump said.  He also warned the U.S. is prepared to escalate further if needed, saying, “We are ready to stage a second and much larger attack,” and that American forces remain in position. “We’re there now, and we’re going to stay until such time as the proper transition can take place,” Trump said. Trump spoke during a news conference Saturday hours after U.S. special forces bombed Caracas and captured dictator Nicolás Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores, taking them to New York to face drug trafficking charges.  LIVE UPDATES: TRUMP CONFIRMS OVERNIGHT STRIKES IN VENEZUELA, SAYS US HAS ‘CAPTURED’ MADURO Trump said the U.S. plans to directly manage Venezuela alongside partners while rebuilding the country’s oil sector. “We’re going to be running it with a group, and we’re going to make sure it’s run properly,” Trump said. “We’re going to rebuild the oil infrastructure, which will cost billions of dollars. It’ll be paid for by the oil companies directly … and we’re going to get the oil flowing the way it should be.” He said the U.S. would ensure Venezuelans are “taken care of,” including those “forced out of Venezuela by this thug.” Pressed on whether U.S. forces would remain inside the country, Trump did not rule out a sustained troop presence. “They always say boots on the ground — so we’re not afraid of boots on the ground if we have to,” he said, confirming U.S. troops were already involved “at a very high level” during the operation.  Trump repeated that the U.S. intends to stay and retain control, saying, “We’re there now. We’re ready to go again if we have to. We’re going to run the country… very judiciously, very fairly.” He added that the U.S. was prepared to launch another attack if necessary and accused Venezuela’s former leadership of stealing American-built oil infrastructure, saying, “We’re late, but we did something about it.” Asked whether the U.S. would back opposition leader María Corina Machado or work with Venezuela’s newly sworn-in vice president, Trump signaled flexibility. He noted the vice president had been “picked by Maduro,” but said U.S. officials were already engaging with her. “She’s essentially willing to do what we think is necessary to make Venezuela great,” Trump said, adding that the issue was being handled directly by his team. Trump continued, “She was quite gracious, but she really doesn’t have a choice. We’re going to have this done right. We’re not going to just do this when they leave like everybody else, leave and say, you know, let it go to hell. If we just left, it has zero chance of ever coming back. We’ll run it properly. We’ll run it professionally. We’ll have the greatest oil companies in the world go in and invest billions and billions of dollars and take out money. Use that money in Venezuela. And the biggest beneficiary are going to be the people of Venezuela.” MADURO MET CHINESE ENVOY HOURS BEFORE US CAPTURE FROM CARACAS AS BEIJING SLAMS OPERATION Trump was asked by another reporter, “Why is running a country in South America ‘America first’?” Trump replied: “We want to surround ourselves with good neighbors. We want to surround ourselves with stability. We want to surround ourselves with energy. We have tremendous energy in that country. It’s very important that we protect it.” U.S. efforts to run or oversee political transitions in foreign countries have frequently encountered setbacks in recent years, highlighting the uncertainty surrounding Trump’s approach to Venezuela. The last time the U.S. intervened militarily to remove a leader in Latin America was in Panama in 1989, when American forces ousted dictator Manuel Noriega. While the operation succeeded quickly, it was followed by long-term challenges in stabilizing governance. While the invasion quickly removed Manuel Noriega, it resulted in significant civilian harm. Estimates of civilian deaths vary widely, and entire neighborhoods — most notably El Chorrillo in Panama City — were heavily damaged, leaving thousands homeless. This complicated post-invasion stabilization and fueled lingering resentment among parts of the population. MARÍA CORINA MACHADO EMERGES AS TOP POTENTIAL SUCCESSOR AFTER MÁDURO’S FALL But after years of soaring hyperinflation that wiped out savings, hollowed out wages and fueled mass migration, some U.S. officials — and many Venezuelans — believe virtually anyone who comes to power would be better than Nicolás Maduro. Venezuelans inside the country and those who fled to the United States were seen celebrating in the streets during moments of heightened U.S. pressure, according to videos that circulated widely on social media. Venezuelan opposition leaders Edmundo González Urrutia and his running mate Machado have positioned themselves as the alternative to President Nicolás Maduro, insisting they won last year’s presidential election despite the government’s declaration of Maduro as the victor. Machado, who was barred from holding office by the Maduro-appointed high court, threw her support behind González as a unity candidate, while the opposition and several international observers rejected the official results as fraudulent. González has since left Venezuela amid pressure from the Maduro government, while Machado’s present whereabouts is unknown, urging continued domestic and international pressure to force a political transition. After the capture, Machado called on Venezuela’s armed forces to recognize opposition candidate Edmundo González Urrutia as the country’s “legitimate president” and commander-in-chief, while declaring the opposition is prepared to “assert our mandate and take power.” In a defiant statement, she said “the hour of freedom has arrived,” argued President Nicolás Maduro

Jake Paul loses WBA cruiserweight ranking after loss to Anthony Joshua

Jake Paul loses WBA cruiserweight ranking after loss to Anthony Joshua

Jake Paul’s defeat by Anthony Joshua in their heavyweight bout in December has seen American boxer lose his WBA ranking. Published On 3 Jan 20263 Jan 2026 Click here to share on social media share2 Share Jake Paul has slipped out of the WBA cruiserweight rankings after the YouTuber-turned-boxer was soundly beaten by former world heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua last month. Paul’s jaw was broken in two places and the American needed surgery to repair the damage after Joshua’s sixth-round knockout victory in a heavyweight bout in Miami. Recommended Stories list of 4 itemsend of list The event had drawn criticism ahead of the bout due to the disparity in the sheer size and experience of the boxers, while Paul spent much of the fight dancing around the ring rather than engaging Joshua. Paul (12-2, 7 KOs) had entered the WBA’s cruiserweight rankings at No 14 in July shortly after he beat 39-year-old Julio Cesar Chavez Jr by unanimous decision in Anaheim, California. He was at No 15 entering the bout against Joshua. Bosnia’s Edin Puhalo has taken Paul’s place in the top 15, having recorded his 29th career win in December. The WBA ranking announcement and changes were for the period ending December 31. Adblock test (Why?)

Indonesia hire former Canada coach Herdman to replace Kluivert

Indonesia hire former Canada coach Herdman to replace Kluivert

Former Canada coach John Herdman replaces Patrick Kluivert as Indonesia coach after failure to reach 2026 World Cup. Published On 3 Jan 20263 Jan 2026 Click here to share on social media share2 Share Indonesia has hired former Canada coach John Herdman to lead the men’s national team after it failed to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The 50-year-old Englishman replaces Patrick Kluivert, who left as coach in October. Recommended Stories list of 4 itemsend of list The Indonesian football federation said Saturday that Herdman is “not just a coach, but a football architect with a strong track record of taking teams to the World Cup”. Herdman led Canada to the 2022 World Cup after leading the women’s team to the 2015 Women’s World Cup. Indonesia, which gained independence in 1945, has not reached the World Cup since the 1938 tournament, when it was the Dutch East Indies. Herdman received a written admonishment following a Canada Soccer disciplinary committee hearing that was triggered by a drone-spying scandal at the Paris Olympics. Domestic media reported that he signed a two-year contract with an option for two more years. Herdman left his job as head coach of MLS team Toronto FC in 2024. His first task is to prepare Indonesia for the 2027 Asian Cup that will take place in Saudi Arabia. Adblock test (Why?)

US lawmakers react to attack on Venezuela, ‘capture’ of Nicolas Maduro

US lawmakers react to attack on Venezuela, ‘capture’ of Nicolas Maduro

The United States’s attack on Venezuela and the purported “capture” of President Nicolas Maduro have drawn heated reactions in Washington, DC, amid months of mounting tensions between the two countries. Democratic lawmakers have largely condemned US President Donald Trump’s actions on Saturday against the South American country and its leader, saying they violate international law and lack necessary Congressional approval. Recommended Stories list of 3 itemsend of list Members of Trump’s Republican Party, meanwhile, have defended the attacks as part of the administration’s push to stem drug trafficking into the US. Here’s a look at some of the reactions from US lawmakers. Democratic Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib “Trump’s illegal and unprovoked bombing of Venezuela and kidnapping of its president are grave violations of international law and the U.S. Constitution. These are the actions of a rogue state,” Tlaib wrote on social media. “The American people do not want another regime change war abroad.” Democratic Senator Andy Kim The Democratic senator accused US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth of lying when they told lawmakers during a Senate briefing last month that the US pressure campaign against Venezuela was not about regime change. “I didn’t trust them then and we see now that they blatantly lied to Congress,” Kim wrote on X. “Trump rejected our Constitutionally required approval process for armed conflict because the Administration knows the American people overwhelmingly reject risks pulling our nation into another war.” Advertisement He added that the US strike “doesn’t represent strength” and is not “sound foreign policy”. “It puts Americans at risk in Venezuela and the region, and it sends a horrible and disturbing signal to other powerful leaders across the globe that targeting a head of state is an acceptable policy for the U.S. government.” Democratic Congresswoman Betty McCollum McCollum, the ranking Democrat on the US House Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense, called on Trump to immediately halt US strikes against Venezuela. “The actions taken today by the Trump administration are blatantly illegal,” she said in a statement. “Venezuela poses no imminent national security threat to the United States and Congress has not voted to authorize any use of force in the region.” She urged Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson to call the House of Representatives back into session immediately “to rein in this out-of-control President”. Democratic Senator Reuben Gallego “This war is illegal, it’s embarrassing that we went from the world cop to the world bully in less than one year. There is no reason for us to be at war with Venezuela,” Gallego wrote on X. Democratic Congressman Jim McGovern McGovern also raised questions about the lack of Congressional oversight, saying that “without authorization from Congress, and with the vast majority of Americans opposed to military action, Trump just launched an unjustified, illegal strike on Venezuela.” “He says we don’t have enough money for healthcare for Americans—but somehow we have unlimited funds for war??” the Democratic lawmaker wrote on X. Republican Senator Tom Cotton Cotton, a top Trump ally in Congress, hailed the US president as well as US troops and law enforcement officers for an “incredible operation”. “Nicolas Maduro wasn’t just an illegitimate dictator; he also ran a vast drug-trafficking operation. That’s why he was indicted in U.S. court nearly six years ago for drug trafficking and narco-terrorism,” Cotton wrote on X. He said he spoke with Rubio, the US secretary of state, who confirmed that Maduro was in US custody and “will face justice for his crimes against our citizens”. Cotton then appeared to threaten the interim government in Venezuela, saying it needed to “decide whether to continue the drug trafficking and colluding with adversaries like Iran and Cuba or whether to act like a normal nation and return to the civilized world”. “I urge them to choose wisely,” Cotton wrote. Republican Senator Mike Lee Lee, who had been critical of the Trump administration’s pressure campaign against Venezuela, said Rubio told him that Maduro had been arrested “to stand trial on criminal charges” in the US. Advertisement Lee also wrote on social media that Rubio told him the US military action in Venezuela “was deployed to protect and defend those executing the arrest warrant”. “This action likely falls within the president’s inherent authority under Article II of the Constitution to protect U.S. personnel from an actual or imminent attack,” Lee said in a post on X. Republican Senator Rick Scott The Florida senator said “the strikes against and capture of narco-terrorist Nicolas Maduro” were conducted “with a level of professionalism and precision”. He said they also send a message to the world that Trump “is a man of his word, and the United States will not tolerate terrorists.” “Maduro was indicted in a U.S. Court and was told to stop sending drugs into our country to kill our kids and grandkids, but he refused. This is peace through strength on full display. Today, America and the world are a safer place,” Scott wrote on X. US Vice President JD Vance Vance said that the operation to “capture” Maduro shows that Trump “means what he says”. “The president offered multiple off ramps, but was very clear throughout this process: the drug trafficking must stop, and the stolen oil must be returned to the United States,” Vance said on social media. Before Saturday’s attacks, senior Trump administration officials had said Venezuela’s oil belongs to Washington, falsely describing the nationalisation of the South American country’s petroleum industry as “theft”. In his X post, Vance also addressed the experts, world leaders and US lawmakers who have denounced the administration’s actions against Venezuela as illegal. “And PSA for everyone saying this was ‘illegal’: Maduro has multiple indictments in the United States for narcoterrorism. You don’t get to avoid justice for drug trafficking in the United States because you live in a palace in Caracas,” the US vice president said. Adblock test (Why?)