Rubio to Cuba: ‘I’d be concerned’ after US military arrests Venezuelan leader Maduro
Cuban leaders should be concerned after the U.S. military operation in Venezuela and the arrest of Nicolás Maduro, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Saturday, as President Donald Trump signaled that his administration could shift its focus to the Caribbean island. Cuba has long maintained a presence in Venezuela, with intelligence agents and security personnel embedded amid close relations between Havana and Caracas. Rubio, the son of Cuban immigrants, said Venezuela’s spy agency was “basically full of Cubans” as was Maduro’s security detail. MADURO GAVE STATE TV ADDRESS AS US STRIKES IN VENEZUELA BEGAN: REPORT “One of the biggest problems Venezuelans have is they have to declare independence from Cuba,” he said during a news conference in which officials revealed details of the military operation. “They tried to basically colonize it from a security standpoint.” He added that the communist island was “a disaster. It’s run by incompetent, senile men — and in some cases, not senile, but incompetent nonetheless.” The secretary has repeatedly denounced Cuba and its leadership as a dictatorship and a failed state. “If I lived in Havana, and I was in the government, I’d be concerned — at least a little bit,” Rubio said. Trump said Cuba was something his administration would “end up talking about because Cuba is a failing nation right now — a very badly failing nation. US CAPTURE OF MADURO CHAMPIONED, CONDEMNED ACROSS WORLD STAGE AFTER SURGICAL VENEZUELA STRIKES “And we want to help the people,” he added. “It’s very similar in the sense that we want to help the people in Cuba, but we also want to help the people who were forced out of Cuba and are living in this country.” Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, were taken by U.S. forces and taken aboard the USS Iwo Jima. They were expected to be transported to the U.S. to face federal charges. The couple, along with other Venezuelan officials, face “drug trafficking and narco-terrorism conspiracies,” according to an unsealed indictment posted on social media Saturday by U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi. They are accused of partnering with drug cartels to traffic drugs into the U.S. Maduro and his wife “will soon face the full wrath of American justice on American soil in American courts,” Bondi wrote. They are charged with narco-terrorism conspiracy, cocaine importation conspiracy, possession of machine guns and destructive devices and conspiracy to possess machine guns and destructive devices against the U.S.
Maduro-backed TdA gang’s expansion into US cities emerges as key focus of sweeping DOJ indictment
The U.S. military carried out a “large-scale strike” on Venezuela Saturday morning, capturing the nation’s dictatorial leader, Nicolás Maduro, who will face sweeping criminal charges on U.S. soil, according to an unsealed indictment released by Attorney General Pam Bondi. Maduro, who was elected in 2013 and served as Hugo Chavez’s vice president, is facing charges of narco-terrorism conspiracy, cocaine importation conspiracy, possession of machine guns and destructive devices and conspiracy to possess machine guns and destructive devices against the U.S. “It’s just — it was an amazing thing, the amazing job that these people did. There’s nobody else could have done anything like it,” Trump said of the operation. REPUBLICANS LINE UP BEHIND TRUMP AFTER US STRIKES VENEZUELA, MADURO ARRESTED: ‘CHANGED THE COURSE OF HISTORY’ The unsealed indictment focuses on how Maduro allegedly enriched himself and “political elites” by reportedly partnering with vicious gangs and drug cartels that have established syndicates across the Western Hemisphere, including in the U.S., such as New York. The indictment lists six individuals as defendants, including Maduro, his wife, his son and Héctor Rusthenford Guerrero Flores, the alleged leader of a vicious Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua. The indictment alleges that Maduro “sits atop a corrupt, illegitimate government that, for decades, has leveraged government power to protect and promote illegal activity, including drug trafficking.” President Donald Trump has railed against drug cartels for spreading deadly narcotics such as fentanyl in U.S. communities, leading to hundreds of thousands of overdose deaths since 2000. Trump has directed his ire at gangs such as Tren de Aragua, which Trump designated a foreign terrorist organization last year. The indictment accuses Maduro and his co-conspirators — including Venezuelan Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello and former Interior Minister Ramón Rodríguez Chacín — of partnering with narco-terrorists, including the Tren de Aragua gang and its leader, to distribute cocaine since at least 1999. FROM BUS DRIVER TO DICTATOR: NICOLÁS MADURO’S RISE AND FALL IN VENEZUELA “In sum, MADURO MOROS and his co-conspirators have, for decades, partnered with some of the most violent and prolific drug traffickers and narco-terrorists in the world, and relied on corrupt officials throughout the region, to distribute tons of cocaine to the United States,” the indictment states. The indictment alleges that Maduro “participates in, perpetuates, and protects a culture of corruption in which powerful Venezuelan elites enrich themselves through drug trafficking and the protection of their partner drug traffickers.” The indictment says defendants worked in coordination with cartels and gangs such as Mexico’s Zetas, Mexico’s Sinaloa Cartel, Colombian group ELN, the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia—People’s Army and Tren de Aragua. “TdA has expanded its criminal network throughout the Western Hemisphere and established a presence in the United States, including New York,” the indictment said. “TdA’s criminal activities include human smuggling and other illicit acts. TdA has developed additional revenue sources through a range of other criminal activities, including drug trafficking, firearms trafficking, commercial sex trafficking, kidnapping, robbery, theft, fraud, and extortion. TdA members also commit murder, assault, and other acts of violence to enforce and further the organization’s criminal activities.” MADURO SAYS VENEZUELA IS ‘READY’ TO MAKE DEAL WITH US ON DRUGS AND OIL AFTER MILITARY STRIKES Trump has repeatedly accused Maduro of working with cartels, while underscoring how the foreign gangs have infiltrated the U.S. and spread violence and addiction. “TdA operates in conjunction with Cártel de los Soles, the Nicolás Maduro regime-sponsored, narco-terrorism enterprise based in Venezuela, and commits brutal crimes, including murders, kidnappings, extortions, and human, drug, and weapons trafficking,” Trump wrote in a March 2025 presidential proclamation. He doubled down in his press conference on Saturday, warning that “all political and military figures in Venezuela should understand what happened to Maduro can happen to them.” Venezuela has argued that Tren de Aragua is no longer an active cartel and was effectively wiped out in 2023, Reuters previously reported. Maduro and 14 other current and former Venezuelan officials were previously charged by U.S. federal prosecutors in 2020 on narco-terrorism, corruption and drug trafficking allegations. The January 2025 indictment expands on the 2020 document, including adding Maduro’s son and wife as defendants. The Venezuelan government said in a statement following Saturday’s strike that “the civilian and military localities of the city of Caracas, capital of the Republic, and the states of Miranda, Aragua and La Guaira” were impacted by the attack. The nation accused the U.S. of committing a “very serious military aggression” against Venezuela and carrying out “imperialist aggression.” “The objective of this attack is none other than to seize Venezuela’s strategic resources, particularly its oil and minerals, attempting to break the Nation’s political independence by force,” the Government of Venezuela said in a statement. “They will not succeed. After more than two hundred years of independence, the people and their legitimate Government remain steadfast in defense of sovereignty and the inalienable right to decide their own destiny.” Trump said on Fox News that Maduro and his wife were flown by helicopter to a U.S. military ship. The couple will be transported to New York City, where the dictator is expected to stand trial. “Yes, the Iwo Jima,” Trump said on Saturday morning on Fox News. “They’ll be heading into New York. The helicopters took them out, and they went by helicopter on a nice flight. I’m sure they loved it, but they’ve killed a lot of people.” The president said he watched the operation from Mar-a-Lago, where he spent the Christmas holiday, and praised the military for its efforts. Democrats have taken issue with a lack of notice to Congress over the strike, while MAGA Republicans have rallied around Trump’s decision. Trump held a news conference at Mar-a-Lago Saturday, where he said the U.S. will “run” Venezuela until there is a safe transition of power. “We’re going to run the country until such time as we can do a safe, proper and judicious transition. So, we don’t want to be involved with having somebody else get in. And we have the same situation
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’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
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
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?)
Magh Mela 2026: Thousands of devotees take first holy dip at Prayagraj’s Triveni Sangam, CM Yogi extend wishes
Devotees gathered in large numbers across Uttar Pradesh for the first holy dip of the Magh Mela 2026 on Paush Purnima. Pilgrims performed the sacred bath at significant locations like Ayodhya and Prayagraj’s Triveni Sangam. Authorities ensured smooth arrangements for the spiritual gathering.
Indore water contamination tragedy: IMC springs into action, tankers rush to rescue Bhagirathpura residents
The Indore Municipal Corporation (IMC) has deployed water tankers to ensure the supply of safe drinking water to the residents.District Collector Shivam Verma visited the area on Saturday morning to take stock of the situation and inspect the water tanker arrangements.
Rajnath Singh’s BIG statement on white-collar terrorism: ‘Degree in hand, RDX in their…’
Addressing the 104th Foundation Day of Bhupal Nobel University in Udaipur, Singh further stressed that education should aim not only at professional success but also at fostering good conduct, ethics, and a humane personality to promote social harmony.
MASSIVE crackdown at IGI Airport: Delhi police bust visa and passport fraud, arrest…; Here’s what we know so far
Delhi Police’s IGI Airport unit carried out a major crackdown on visa and passport fraud in 2025, arresting over 130 people including agents and facilitators. Authorities froze suspicious bank accounts, issued LOCs, arrested proclaimed offenders, and intensified action against touting and theft.