Politics

Delcy Rodríguez was confirmed as Venezuela's interim leader after US officials announced the capture of Nicolás Maduro; Maduro is in US custody and is due to face trial in the United States.

The Guardian editorial calls the US seizure of Venezuela's president Nicolás Maduro illegal and reports President Trump said the US would 'run' the country and 'take back the oil'.

Most Republicans initially backed the U.S. mission that captured Nicolás Maduro and brought him to the United States to face criminal charges, though some GOP lawmakers expressed unease about President Trump's comments suggesting the U.S. might 'run' Venezuela.

Reports say the New York Times and Washington Post were told about a US operation to capture Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro shortly before it began; officials confirmed Maduro was captured and taken to the United States to face criminal charges.

European leaders are split between welcoming Nicolás Maduro's removal and insisting on respect for international law; US officials described the operation as self-defence over drug‑trafficking while some legal scholars dispute its legality.

A Daily Mail/JL Partners poll shows Vice President JD Vance with 49% support among Republican primary voters, 38 points ahead of Ron DeSantis at 11%, and with strong showing in a Turning Point USA straw poll.

Nicolás Maduro was captured and taken to the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, a federal jail that has faced longstanding problems though the Bureau of Prisons says it has made recent improvements.

On a CNN panel, Scott Jennings compared Minnesota Lieutenant Governor Peggy Flanagan's wearing of a headscarf to imagery from The Handmaid's Tale, which drew criticism from fellow panelists; Flanagan wore the scarf during a visit to a Somali market in Minneapolis amid reports of alleged daycare fraud.

Colombia has mobilised armed forces to its border with Venezuela after reports of US strikes, and President Gustavo Petro has called for an emergency UN Security Council session.

Ireland's Prime Minister Micheál Martin will make a five-day visit to China beginning Sunday and will meet President Xi Jinping, Premier Li Qiang and Zhao Leji; he will also travel to Shanghai. The Chinese Foreign Ministry said the visit is intended to expand cooperation and foster China–EU relations amid recent trade tensions.

President Zelenskyy said a peace agreement is “90% ready” but warned the remaining issues are decisive; Washington and Kyiv have been negotiating amid disputed proposals and cautious public sentiment in Ukraine.

Iran warned that US bases and forces across the region would become "legitimate targets" if Washington intervenes in its domestic protests, after US President Donald Trump said America was "locked and loaded" to protect protesters.

State-run election authorities reported early returns showing the military-backed Union Solidarity and Development Party leading the first phase of Myanmar's three-part vote, and the junta said turnout was about 52%; two further rounds are scheduled for Jan. 11 and Jan. 25.

Officials report a missile strike on an apartment block in Kharkiv left two people dead and dozens injured, and search and rescue teams are still working at the scene.

The justice secretary has launched a drive to recruit thousands of magistrates alongside criminal court reforms, and MoJ figures show about 79,600 criminal cases are currently backlogged in England and Wales.

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy accused Governor Gavin Newsom of lying after California delayed cancelling about 17,000 commercial licenses for non‑domiciled drivers; the DMV says the cancellation date moved from Jan. 5 to March 6 while it works with federal authorities. Undetermined at this time.

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez spoke at Zohran Mamdani's January 1 inauguration, saying the new mayor was ushering in a "new era" for the city. U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders administered the oath of office.

Japan's foreign ministry said President Trump invited Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi to visit the United States this spring and that the two leaders agreed to coordinate the trip; the White House has not yet confirmed the call.

A convicted double-murderer who held a prison officer hostage was awarded compensation and legal costs after a High Court found failures in reviews of his segregated conditions.

Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro urged Donald Trump to begin 'serious talks' and declined to confirm reports of a pre-Christmas US airstrike that US media have linked to the CIA.

A 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals panel ruled 2-1 that California's ban on openly carrying firearms in counties with more than 200,000 residents violates the U.S. Constitution.

Less than 24 hours after his inauguration, Mayor Zohran Mamdani rode the subway to City Hall and then revoked several executive orders from the previous administration, including two related to Israel.

Police were alerted to a break-in at Bruntons Aero Products in Musselburgh shortly after midnight on January 1, and inquiries are ongoing. A social media post accompanying a video said the site was targeted because of links to Leonardo UK.

The Trump administration suspended about 6,900 Minnesota borrowers over suspected COVID-era loan fraud tied to the Feeding Our Future probe, and federal investigations are ongoing with House Oversight hearings set for January 7.

The BBC said it has reached a settlement with the Horenstein family after a news crew filmed inside their home following the 7 October attacks, and the family reportedly received £28,000.

Minnesota has until Jan. 9 to provide federal child care recipient and provider information after HHS paused some federal child care funds.

Donald Trump's reported McDonald's meal has circulated widely, and in a Wall Street Journal interview he defended his health while his physician said a CT scan was done to rule out cardiovascular issues.

A magistrate judge ordered that Brian Cole Jr., accused of placing explosive devices outside the Democratic and Republican party headquarters the night before 6 January, must remain in custody pending trial; the court said it could not set conditions to assure community safety.

Former No 10 adviser Paul Ovenden criticised a "political perma-class" and said ministers were distracted from voters' priorities; several government experts and commentators said ministers already hold the power to change Whitehall and the government declined to comment.

A federal judge dismissed Louisville's proposed settlement with the U.S. Justice Department after the department withdrew its support earlier this year.