4 d. ago Trump says US companies will invest billions in Venezuelan oil production. Experts aren’t so sure

Industry insiders say US oil firms want to ‘avoid getting screwed’ and will proceed with extreme caution in regionAnalysis: Trump’s focus on Venezuelan oil reinforces claim action was never about ‘war on drugs’Industry experts have expressed skepticism over Donald Trump’s bullish prediction that US big oil firms will rapidly invest tens of billions of dollars to fix Venezuelan infrastructure and ramp up production after the rendition of the country’s president, Nicolás Maduro.Without an “iron-clad guarantee” that the US federal government will fully reimburse them for the cost of rebuilding the country’s oil market, analysts expect global energy giants to proceed with extreme caution. Continue reading...

Politics

5 d. ago Venezuelan leader Maduro calls himself a ‘prisoner of war’ as he appears in US court on drug charges

Nicolás Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores declared their innocence in a federal courthouse in New York after their capture by US forces

Events

6 d. ago America is at war with drug cartels not Venezuela, US insists after capturing Maduro

Venezuelan leader will be held at Brooklyn’s Metropolitan Detention Center ahead of his first court appearance, which could be as early as Monday

Events

6 d. ago Republican casts doubt on Trump’s claim US will ‘run’ Venezuela amid Democrats’ anger over Maduro operation – live

Senator Tom Cotton says there are ‘still a lot of questions to be answered’ about what happens next in Venezuela and dismisses Trump’s assertion that the US will ‘run’ the country How Trump intervention in Venezuela is a return to form for the USAnalysis – Trump’s new focus on oil reinforces it was never about ‘war on drugs’Keir Starmer also told the BBC that he thinks we are living in a more “volatile” world than we have been for “many, many years” and said global affairs have much more of a “direct impact” on the UK than they have in a long time, citing the effects of military conflicts and the climate crisis.Asked if Donald Trump is worsening global turmoil, Starmer dodges the question and speaks about the so-called special relationship between the UK and the US.The relationship between the US and the UK is one of the closest relationships in the world. It is vitally important for our defence, for our security, for our intelligence.It is my responsibility to make sure that relati...

Politics

9 d. ago Executions in Saudi Arabia hit highest number on record in 2025

Analysts attribute increase to kingdom’s ‘war on drugs’ as authorities kill 356 people by death penaltySaudi 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. Continue reading...

Events

3 w. ago Trump’s cannabis reform would revolutionise US policy. Just don’t expect the ‘war on drugs’ to end | Kojo Koram

Rescheduling marijuana might seem an unlikely move for a Republican president – but it perfectly coheres with his ‘America First’ worldviewFor decades, the issue of cannabis reform was firmly viewed as a leftist pipe dream. To most conservatives, particularly US Republicans, legalising weed was as realistic as nuclear disarmament, or abolishing national borders.Think of the phrase “war on drugs” and the first people that probably come to mind are Republican presidents Nixon, Reagan and George HW and George W Bush. Although the clampdown reached its harshest levels during the presidency of Mr “I didn’t inhale” Bill Clinton, it always seemed as if the GOP owned the position of being “tough on drugs”. As recently as 2023, Mitch McConnell, then Senate Republican leader, reaffirmed this reputation by stating that: “Democrats are struggling with the basics. This should not be this hard. Drugs belong off our streets.”Dr Kojo Koram is professor of law and political economy at Loughborough U...

Events

3 w. ago Trump declares fentanyl a ‘weapon of mass destruction’ in escalation of Venezuela drug war

The drug is a commonly-used painkiller with numerous legitimate medical uses

Events

3 w. ago Premier League news, reaction to Arsenal drama and Salah’s return, WSL buildup and more – matchday live

⚽ Latest news pre-match buildup ⚽ Fixtures | Tables | Read Football Daily | Mail usFootball Association to pass on fan anger over World Cup ticket pricesThe Football Association will pass on England supporters’ concerns about high 2026 World Cup ticket prices to Fifa. However, despite the growing outrage, it is understood none of the international federations expect world football’s governing body to change its policy. Continue reading...

Politics

4 w. ago Football Association to pass on fan anger over World Cup ticket prices

Prices 10 times those promised in initial bidFifa not expected to change policy for 2026The Football Association will pass on England supporters’ concerns about high 2026 World Cup ticket prices to Fifa. However, despite the growing outrage, it is understood none of the international federations expect world football’s governing body to change its policy.Anger among supporter groups continued on Friday after it emerged that the cheapest tickets will cost 10 times the price promised in the original bid for the United States, Canada and Mexico to host the tournament. For England fans it will mean having to pay at least $220 (£165) for group games – when the bid document’s ticket model stated the cheapest seats should be $21 (£15.70). Continue reading...

Sport