13 h. ago Trump calls Venezuela strikes ‘amazing’ and teases meeting with oil executives after ousting Maduro – live

US president calls the Caracas operation ‘brilliant tactically’ and ‘an incredible thing’ and says deposed leader Nicolás Maduro is a ‘violent guy’From elation to frustration: Trump snub wrongfoots Venezuela’s oppositionMy colleague Sibylla Brodzinsky has reported on the relationship between the US and Colombia, home to significant oil reserves. Here is an extract from her story:Colombia has long been a close partner of the US in the fight against drug trafficking and enjoyed bipartisan support in Washington but relations have soured dramatically since Trump came to office.Colombia’s narcotics trade is largely controlled by illegal armed groups such as the Gulf Clan, the National Liberation Army (ELN) and dissident factions of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (Farc) guerrilla group, the majority of whose members demobilised after a 2016 peace deal Continue reading...

Politics

21 h. ago Pope closes 2025 Holy Year and signals his pontificate can now begin in earnest

Pope Leo XIV has closed the Vatican’s 2025 Holy Year, marking the end of a yearlong celebration that drew 33 million pilgrims to Rome

Politics

50 h. ago Trump news at a glance: Republicans backpedal on claims US will ‘run’ Venezuela

Trump has called on Venezuela’s interim leader to adhere to US demands as top Republicans scramble to answer questions about what happens next – key US politics stories from 4 January 2026Proclaiming the US would “run” Venezuela after abducting its president and his wife, president Trump has now qualified his claim. Amid questions, including from top Republicans, Trump has now called on Venezuela’s interim president, Delcy Rodríguez, to accommodate US demands or face the possibility of a fresh military intervention.Rodríguez, 56, who had on Saturday pledged fealty to ousted president Nicolás Maduro and condemned his capture as an “atrocity”, appears to be adhering to the US line. Continue reading...

Politics

62 h. ago Pope Leo says his soul is ‘full of concern’ over Venezuela and calls for country to remain independent

Pope Leo was speaking to pilgrims in St. Peter's Square during his weekly Sunday prayer

Politics

2 d. ago UK snow mapped: Weather warnings remain as snow and ice blanket the country

Arctic air is bringing freezing temperatures and snow across the UK

Events

3 d. ago Mamdani says he called Trump to personally object to Venezuela attack and capture of Maduro

‘I registered my opposition, I made it clear and we left it at that,’ the new New York mayor said of the call

Politics

3 d. ago Venezuela president Nicolas Maduro's whereabouts unknown as 'proof of life' demands made

Donald Trump announced that the US launched a 'large-scale strike' on Venezuela and said President Nicolas Maduro was captured and flown out of the country, though his whereabouts remain unknown

Politics

3 d. ago In their words: Survivors and others talk about fatal Swiss Alpine bar fire

In the aftermath of a fire inside a Swiss Alpine bar that killed 40 people celebrating the new year, survivors, friends and family members, the region’s top authorities and even Pope Leo have spoken to the public in remarks in French, Italian, German and English, reflecting the tradition of Swiss multilingualism

Events

3 d. ago Snow and ice to blanket much of the UK on first weekend of the year

Daytime temperatures are expected to remain in the low single figures for much of the country on Saturday.

Politics

4 d. ago Warnings active as UK ushers in first weekend of the new year with snow and ice

Daytime temperatures are expected to remain in the low single figures for much of the country on Saturday.

Events

5 d. ago Pope opens 2026 with plea for peace in countries bloodied by war, families wounded by violence

Pope Leo XIV has opened 2026 with a plea for peace

Events

6 d. ago Pope Leo reveals his wish for 2026 as he closes out the year

In addition to the Jubilee, 2025 was momentous because of the papal transition after Francis died in April and cardinals elected history's first pope from the United States

Politics

6 d. ago Pope asks that people 'welcome foreigners' as he closes out 2025

Closing out on 2025, Pope Leo XIV thanked the city of Rome and its volunteers who helped the millions of pilgrims visiting St Peter's, as well as praying that we 'welcome foreigners'

Politics

6 d. ago Pope asks that Rome welcome foreigners as he closes out 2025

Pope Leo XIV has closed out 2025 with a prayer that the city of Rome might be a welcoming place for foreigners and fragile people young and old

Politics

6 d. ago Wreckage from Trump's Venezuela boat strike reveals it was smuggling drugs the president calls 'tremendously positive'

Wreckage from US strikes on drug boats in the Caribbean have allegedly washed up on shore and reveal contents of the vessel may not have been as deadly as Trump's team has said.

Politics

8 d. ago Trump casually confirms first land strike on plant in Venezuela: 'We knocked that out'

Donald Trump appeared to give nonchalant confirmation of the first US land strike in Venezuela during a call on December 26.

Politics

9 d. ago Pope Leo’s pick to lead New York Catholics signals shift away from Maga

Progressive Catholics, including some in Vatican, felt church had allied too closely with Republican party

Politics

1 week ago Venezuela says it released 99 people detained for protesting 2024 presidential election

Government said the move was due to its ‘unrestricted respect for human rights’ in the face of US aggressionVenezuela has said it has carried out its largest release of political prisoners this year, claiming to have freed 99 people detained for taking part in protests after the 2024 election, widely believed to have been stolen by the dictator Nicolás Maduro, as it comes under increasing military pressure from the US.Civil society organisations have treated the news with caution and stressed that the releases were insufficient, noting that at least 900 political prisoners remain in the country. Continue reading...

Politics

1 week ago Venezuela says it released 99 people detained for 2024 election protests

Government said the move was due to its ‘unrestricted respect for human rights’ in the face of US aggressionVenezuela has said it has carried out its largest release of political prisoners this year, claiming to have freed 99 people detained for taking part in protests after the 2024 election, widely believed to have been stolen by the dictator Nicolás Maduro, as it comes under increasing military pressure from the US.Civil society organisations have treated the news with caution and stressed that the releases were insufficient, noting that at least 900 political prisoners remain in the country. Continue reading...

Politics

1 week ago Pope Leo's stark Christmas message to Putin as Russia bombs Kyiv

Pope Leo has called for an end to the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, saying that the sides should find the 'courage' to engage in sincere, direct and respectful dialogue

Politics