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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.

Auf See (AFP) – Sudanese migrant shipwreck survivors express their hopes for 2026 after being rescued by the humanitarian ship Ocean Viking, operated by the NGO SOS Mediterranee. “I hope that the whole world will be safe and peaceful, nothing more,” says Mohamed, a week after he fled Libya on a makeshift boat. Since 2016, the NGO reports having rescued more than 42,000 people in the central Mediterranean — one of the most dangerous migration routes in the world, according to the International Organisation for Migration (IOM).

Crans-Montana (AFP) – Identifying the victims of a deadly fire at a Swiss bar is “a matter of days, not weeks”, says the head of the security department of the country’s Wallis canton. “We’re moving quickly and effectively,” adds Stephane Ganzer, speaking to journalists in Crans-Montana.

Crans-Montana (AFP) – “It was quite shocking to see people lying on the ground being treated, people coming out, people with burns,” says Crans-Montana resident Elliot Alvarez, who witnessed the deadly fire that Swiss authorities say killed around 40 people and injured at least one hundred. It is not yet clear what set off the blaze at Le Constellation, a bar popular with young tourists, at around 1:30 am (0030 GMT) on New Year’s Day.

Pjöngjang (AFP) – Images broadcast by state media KCTV show North Korean leader Kim Jong Un’s daughter Ju Ae making her first visit to a mausoleum housing her grandfather and great-grandfather, further solidifying her place as her father’s successor. Kim Jong Un, his wife Ri Sol Ju and their daughter Ju Ae visited the Kumsusan Palace of the Sun to mark the new year in Pyongyang, according to KCTV.

Boston (AFP) – Boston residents brave frigid temperatures to take part in the L Street Brownies’ annual New Year’s Day Polar Plunge into Boston Harbor, in a tradition dating back more than 100 years.

Crans-Montana (AFP) – Around 40 people were killed and over 100 injured after a fire ripped through a crowded bar in the luxury Swiss ski resort of Crans-Montana, according to police. Police, firefighters and rescuers rushed to the popular resort, which is set to host the Ski World Cup from January 30, after the fire broke out in the early hours of New Year’s Day. THIS VIDEO CONTAINS IMAGES THAT MAY BE DISTURBING TO VIEWERS.

Carcavelos (AFP) – Swimmers across Europe mark the start of 2026 by braving the cold water for a New Year’s Day dip. “It’s time to have fun and be happy,” says Maria Antonia Silva, a fishmonger in Lisbon.

Istanbul (AFP) – The first snowfall of the new year in Turkey’s Istanbul has the old and young enjoying themselves with snowball fights. Some hardy fisherman refuse to let the wintery weather stop them from casting their lines.

Kiew (AFP) – Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky says in his New Year’s Eve address that his country is “10 percent” away from an agreement to end the war with Russia. “The peace agreement is 90 percent ready. Ten percent remains. And that is far more than just numbers,” Zelensky says in a video message posted on his Telegram account. “That is the ten percent that will determine the fate of peace, the fate of Ukraine and Europe,” he adds.

Vatikanstadt (AFP) – Pope Leo XIV holds the first Angelus of 2026 on World Day of Peace, appealing to people to “disarm our hearts” and “abstain from all violence”.

Sofia (AFP) – Bulgaria becomes the 21st country to switch to the euro as it enters the New Year, a milestone met with both cheers and fears, nearly 20 years after the Balkan nation joined the European Union. Successive governments have advocated joining the euro, hoping that it will boost the economy of the bloc’s poorest member. But Bulgarians have long been divided over the switch, with many worrying the introduction could usher in higher prices and add to the political instability rattling the country.