AFP UK

Unknown (AFP) – The British Ministry of Defence says it has cooperated with France to strike an underground facility in Syria that has likely been used by the Islamic State group to store weapons. According to the ministry, there was no indication that the bombing north of the ancient site of Palmyra had posed any risk to civilians. IS was territorially defeated in Syria in 2019 but still maintains a presence, particularly in the country’s vast desert.

Jerusalem (AFP) – Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says that Israel stands in solidarity with the people of Iran as protests rocked several cities in the Islamic republic this week. “We identify with the struggle of the Iranian people and with their aspirations for freedom, liberty and justice,” says Netanyahu during a weekly cabinet meeting.

Chilworth (AFP) – An English churchyard is covered in frost at sunrise as the UK braves freezing temperatures with warnings of snow and ice across the country.

Cúcuta (Colombia) (AFP) – Armored vehicles and soldiers guard the Colombian side of the Simon Bolivar International Bridge following the bombing of the capital, Caracas, and other cities, as well as the capture of Venezuela’s Nicolas Maduro by US special forces. Colombia announced on January 3 that it is preparing to declare an “economic state of emergency” on the border with Venezuela. IMAGES

Cúcuta (Colombie) (AFP) – Armed vehicles, military personnel as well as vehicle and foot traffic are seen on the border between Colombia and Venezuela in Cucuta, following the capture by US forces of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro in an overnight operation and raid in Caracas. Charged with “narco-terrorism,” the leftist strongman and his wife are being taken to New York to stand trial in federal court, according to American President Donald Trump. IMAGES

Crans-Montana (AFP) – Swiss authorities announce the opening of a criminal investigation into the two managers of the bar that was ravaged by fire during a New Year’s celebration in the ski resort of Crans-Montana, killing 40 people and injuring 119. French couple Jacques and Jessica Moretti owned and managed Le Constellation bar, which was crammed with young partygoers when the blaze began in a packed basement.

Santiago (Chili) (AFP) – Crowds gather in the streets of Chile’s Santiago to celebrate the capture by the US military of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro. The United States led an overnight operation in Caracas, launching strikes on the Venezuelan soil, to capture the leader and his wife. According to Washington, both will be taken to New York to face federal charges. IMAGES

Las Minas (AFP) – A 6.5-magnitude earthquake has rattled Mexico’s capital and a tourist hotspot on the Pacific coast, killing at least two people and causing moderate damage in a small town near the epicenter. The US Geological Survey says the quake struck shortly before 8:00 am on January 2 near Acapulco, a major port and beach resort. It was felt around 400 kilometers away to the north in Mexico City, where alarms sent people rushing into the street for safety, disrupting a holiday weekend.

Seoul (AFP) – North Korea’s state newspaper, the Rodong Sinmun, is displayed at a library in Seoul as South Korea eases public access to the publication. Seoul has reclassified the paper from special material to general material, in the latest overture from the administration of dovish President Lee Jae Myung.

Caracas (AFP) – Supporters of Venezuela’s Nicolás Maduro gather a few blocks from the Miraflores Palace, the seat of the executive branch, after US forces captured Venezuela’s leader Nicolas Maduro and bombed the capital, Caracas, and other cities. IMAGES

(AFP) – Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino Lopez says Venezuela has been subjected to “criminal military aggression by the US government” and announces a major deployment of military resources. According to US President Donald Trump, US forces have captured Venezuela’s leader, Nicolas Maduro, after bombing the capital, Caracas, and other cities in a dramatic climax to a months-long standoff between Trump and his Venezuelan arch-foe.

Caracas (AFP) – US President Donald Trump says US forces have captured Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro after launching a “large scale strike” on the South American country. Maduro and his wife both face drug and terrorism charges in the United States, which has waged a months-long pressure campaign against the leftist president. In a stunning denouement, the US army’s elite Delta Force snatched the Maduros as bombs fell on Caracas, according to US media reports.