Follow the news on Venezuela and the United States | Jan. 4, 2026

The reported death toll from the US military strike on Venezuela has climbed to 80, including both civilians and members of the country’s security forces.

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Marco Rubio says that, despite only capturing Maduro, the Trump admin doesn’t view the remainder of Maduro’s regime as “legitimate.”

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Marco Rubio says it was the “Cubans” who colonized Venezuela, providing intelligence and direction for the socialist regime.

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Maduro’s public appearances, dancing, and other attempts to goad and mock Trump are what convinced Trump to kidnap the Venezuelan President.

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Scott Adams says that he is converting to Christianity on his death bed amid his battle with terminal cancer.

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Trump has released data showing that most immigrants from a variety of nationalities have significant welfare populations.

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An African tells a British journalists he supports re-colonizing Africa to stabilize and improve the continent.

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A radical left-wing group attacked the power infrastructure in a wealthy part of Berlin. Thirty-five thousand households are left without power for five days in –5°C winter temperatures.

Hospitals have been evacuated amid fears of looting.

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Protests have emerged across Central and Western Iran as armed protesters take to the streets to demonstrate against the Islamic Republic’s worsening economy.

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Across all age groups, more Americans strongly disapprove than strongly approve of President Trump’s handling of Venezuela.

Younger Americans are the least supportive of his handling, while older Americans are the most supportive.

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Former Israeli PM Naftali Bennett released a video with a flipped hourglass, captioned: “The time has come.”

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Left-wing protestors gathered outside of the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn to protest the capture of Maduro and the bombing of Venezuela.

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A US Air Force C-17 Globemaster departing from Germany is flying southeast and has entered Middle Eastern airspace, with a second aircraft appearing to follow a similar initial route.

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Israel’s security cabinet has approved a new military operation, dubbed Operation Iron Strike, following five hours of security consultations chaired by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

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The probability that Ali Khamenei will be ousted as Iran’s Supreme Leader has risen to 43%, per Polymarket.

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The Homeland Security secretary says Venezuelans can apply for refugee status instead.

Venezuelan ally Iran criticized the U.S. strikes against Caracas, which came after President Trump pledged to intervene in protests that have rattled the regime in Tehran in recent days. The Iranian Foreign Ministry described the U.S. action as “a gross violation…

The futures indices are currently green after the US arrested Maduro.

Markets have broadly reacted positively to Maduro's capture, with energy prices declining as investors expect Venezuela to increase its energy supply.

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Natural gas prices have fallen 6% just 15 minutes after futures reopened, marking their first trading session since Maduro’s capture.

Meanwhile, oil prices have dropped back below $57 per barrel, approaching their lowest levels since 2021.

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archived 2 Jan 2026 11:10:43 UTC