U.S. President Donald Trump has warned Iran of a strong response if more protesters are killed during ongoing demonstrations over rising living costs. At least 20 people have died in the unrest, which has intensified across Iran. Speaking aboard Air Force One on Sunday night, Trump said the United States is closely monitoring the situation and would deliver a harsh blow if Iranian authorities resume killing civilians, according to a report by Al Jazeera.

Iran’s Foreign Ministry responded Monday, accusing Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and hardline U.S. officials of encouraging terrorism and violence through their remarks on Iran’s internal affairs. The ministry’s statement added that what it called the “Zionist entity” is waiting for any opportunity to undermine Iran’s national unity.

The warning to Iran came shortly after a U.S. special forces raid in Venezuela that led to the arrest of President Nicolás Maduro and his wife on charges of cocaine importation and illegal weapons possession. Both are being held at a detention center in Brooklyn, New York.

The European Union has called on all sides to remain calm and avoid further escalation following a US operation in Venezuela. In a statement posted on social media platform X, EU foreign and security policy representative Kaja Kallas urged restraint and emphasized the need for peace amid rising tensions.

The statement reaffirmed the EU’s support for the Venezuelan people’s right to determine their own future. It stressed that reflecting the will of the people is the only path to resolving the current crisis and restoring democracy in the country.

According to the report, the United States detained Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife at midnight on Friday. Maduro, accused of drug trafficking and terrorism, is being held in a New York prison and is expected to appear in court on Monday.

France has declared its solidarity with Denmark following a renewed threat from US President Donald Trump to claim Greenland as part of the United States. The French Foreign Ministry announced the position on Monday, with spokesperson Pascal Confavreux telling broadcaster TF1 that no country’s borders can be changed by force. He emphasized that Greenland belongs to its people and to Denmark, and that only they have the right to decide its future.

The statement came after Denmark’s prime minister urged Trump to stop threatening Greenland, a call that the US president dismissed by reiterating his belief that Greenland should belong to the United States. The issue has drawn further concern in Europe following a US military attack in Caracas and the detention of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, which European leaders viewed with alarm. France’s foreign ministry said international law was not respected during the US operation in Venezuela.

Confavreux added that France condemns the rise of “the law of the strongest” and will not yield to it, reaffirming France’s duty as a permanent member of the UN Security Council to oppose any violation of the UN Charter.

Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores, currently held in a Brooklyn prison, are scheduled to appear in a U.S. federal court in Manhattan on Monday. According to U.S. officials, the couple faces charges related to drug and arms trafficking. Maduro has consistently denied the allegations since they were first brought against him.

The arrests followed a special midnight operation last Friday in Venezuela, during which U.S. forces detained Maduro and Flores before transferring them to New York. They have since been held in a detention facility in Brooklyn pending court proceedings. The case marks a significant escalation in U.S. legal action against Venezuela’s leadership.

Meanwhile, U.S. President Donald Trump warned Venezuela’s acting president, Delcy Rodríguez, that failure to cooperate with Washington could result in severe consequences. In an interview with The Atlantic on Sunday, Trump stated that Rodríguez’s fate could be worse than Maduro’s if she does not act in alignment with U.S. expectations.

Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen has called on U.S. President Donald Trump to stop making threats about taking control of Greenland. Her remarks came after Katie Miller, wife of Trump aide Stephen Miller, posted a map on social media showing Greenland in U.S. flag colors with the caption “soon.” Frederiksen said there is no justification for the United States to claim any of the three territories under the Danish Kingdom and emphasized that Denmark, as a NATO member, includes Greenland within the alliance’s security framework.

Frederiksen noted that Denmark already has a defense agreement with the United States granting access to Greenland and that her government has increased investment in Arctic security. She urged Washington to stop threatening a close ally whose people have clearly stated they are not for sale. Hours later, Trump reiterated aboard Air Force One that the U.S. needs Greenland for national security and that Denmark cannot prevent it.

The dispute follows the U.S. appointment of a special envoy to Greenland in December 2025, which angered Denmark. Most of Greenland’s 57,000 residents oppose becoming part of the United States despite some support for eventual independence from Denmark.

U.S. President Donald Trump said he does not believe Ukraine carried out an attack on Russian President Vladimir Putin’s residence, despite Moscow’s claims. Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One on Sunday, Trump stated that he doubted the reports of such an incident and noted that no one was certain whether the published accounts were true. Russia’s defense ministry had earlier released a video alleging that Ukraine launched a drone strike on a Putin residence in the Novgorod region, though it reported no damage or casualties.

The allegation surfaced as diplomatic efforts intensified to end the nearly four-year-long Russia-Ukraine war. At the same time, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky was visiting Florida for a meeting with Trump. Russian officials criticized Ukraine for being ungrateful in peace efforts, while Kyiv and its Western allies denied any involvement in the alleged attack. Trump added that U.S. assessments also found no evidence linking Ukraine to the incident.

Zelensky accused Russia of continuing heavy bombardments into the new year, with Ukrainian authorities reporting air raid sirens nationwide and at least two deaths in the Kyiv region. European leaders are expected to meet in France to discuss a U.S.-backed peace proposal that Zelensky said is nearly complete.

Protests in Iran over rising living costs have entered their eighth day, spreading to at least 222 locations across 78 cities. According to reports from the Anadolu news agency, at least 20 people have been killed and 51 injured, while around 1,000 individuals have been arrested. Demonstrations have been reported in 26 provinces and 17 universities, despite the deployment of additional security forces and attempts to suppress gatherings.

The Press Association, founded by Iranian human rights activists, stated that among the dead are students, workers, and civilians aged between 16 and 45, including one member of the security forces. Most casualties reportedly resulted from gunfire by security personnel. The highest number of arrests occurred in cities such as Yazd, Isfahan, Kermanshah, Shiraz, and Behbahan, with many detainees transferred to local prisons.

The protests began on December 28 in response to surging inflation, declining purchasing power, market instability, and widespread unemployment, reflecting deep public frustration over worsening economic conditions.

The Palestinian Journalists Syndicate reported that Israel committed 99 violations against Palestinian journalists in December 2025, including killings, physical assaults, arrests, and restrictions on news gathering. The report, released on Sunday and cited by Anadolu Agency, stated that Israeli forces continued a systematic policy of targeting Palestinian journalism, resulting in serious breaches of law across the occupied territories.

According to the syndicate’s Freedom Committee, one journalist was killed and two were seriously injured by shelling in Gaza, where two relatives of journalists also died. In the occupied West Bank, 48 journalists were detained. The report documented 15 attacks using tear gas and stun grenades, two attempted vehicle assaults, nine incidents of armed threats, and six verbal threats. It also recorded two cases of beatings, destruction of journalistic equipment, and demolition of two journalists’ homes.

Earlier, Gaza’s Government Media Office said 257 Palestinian journalists had been killed since October 2023. The Gaza Health Ministry added that Israeli forces violated the ceasefire hundreds of times, killing 420 Palestinians and injuring 1,184 since the truce took effect.

At least 80 people have been killed in a United States military operation in Venezuela, according to a senior Venezuelan official cited by The New York Times. The death toll is expected to rise. Venezuelan Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino said many members of President Nicolás Maduro’s security unit were among the dead. US President Donald Trump announced that Maduro and his wife had been captured during the operation and that the United States had established control over the country.

Maduro and his wife are being held in a New York prison and are scheduled to appear in court on Monday. They face charges of drug trafficking and collaboration with groups designated as terrorist organizations. Maduro has denied the allegations, while the current Venezuelan government has called for his release.

Nicolás Maduro Guerra, the son of the detained president, urged Venezuelans to take to the streets against what he called US aggression. In an audio message shared on social media, he vowed that the anti-imperialist socialist movement founded by former leader Hugo Chávez would endure.

China and Pakistan have agreed to enhance cooperation and coordination in both bilateral and multilateral forums. The decision was announced in a statement following Pakistani Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar’s visit to China. During his meeting in Beijing with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, Dar discussed a range of regional and global issues, according to The Express Tribune.

A statement from Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry said the talks covered the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, trade, and multilateral collaboration. Both sides emphasized that their friendship is vital for peace, stability, and prosperity in the broader region. They also agreed to appropriately celebrate the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries.

Dar also met Liu Jianchao, Minister of the International Department of the Communist Party of China, and congratulated the party on successfully holding the Fourth Plenary Session of its 20th Central Committee. In a separate meeting with Chinese Executive Vice Premier Ding Xuexiang, both sides reaffirmed their commitment to further strengthen the Pakistan-China strategic partnership.

U.S. President Donald Trump has again warned India over its continued imports of Russian oil, saying Washington could impose additional tariffs on Indian goods if New Delhi does not reduce purchases. Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One on Sunday, Trump said India had already cut some Russian oil imports but could face higher duties if cooperation does not improve. He also praised Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, calling him a good person who understands Washington’s concerns.

The warning comes as U.S. scrutiny of India’s energy trade with Russia intensifies. India maintains that its Russian oil imports are necessary to ensure national energy security. A few weeks earlier, Trump and Modi held a phone conversation emphasizing the importance of maintaining bilateral trade despite tariff disputes. Following that, officials from both countries resumed talks to resolve longstanding trade issues.

Last August, the U.S. imposed punitive tariffs of up to 50 percent on Indian goods over discounted Russian oil purchases. The issue has gained renewed global attention as oil politics resurfaces following U.S. military action in Venezuela, where production has sharply declined due to sanctions and investment shortages.

Thirty-two Cuban nationals were killed in a United States military operation in Venezuela aimed at capturing President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores. The raid took place early Saturday in Caracas, and both Maduro and Flores were taken to the United States, where they are expected to appear in court on Monday on drug-related charges. Cuba’s government announced two days of national mourning on January 5 and 6 to honor the victims, according to a statement released in Havana.

The Cuban statement did not provide detailed information but confirmed that those killed were members of the country’s armed forces and intelligence agencies. It said they had fulfilled their security and defense duties with dignity and bravery, dying in direct combat against the attackers. Former US President Donald Trump told the New York Post that many Cubans lost their lives trying to protect Maduro, calling it a poor decision.

The incident has drawn attention to the involvement of Cuban personnel in Venezuela’s defense and the escalating tension surrounding the US operation.

U.S. President Donald Trump issued a stern warning to Colombian President Gustavo Petro following the arrest of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. Speaking late Sunday night aboard Air Force One, Trump suggested that Colombia could face possible U.S. military action. He described Petro as a “sick man” leading a country allegedly involved in cocaine production and trafficking to the United States, adding that such activities would not continue for long.

Trump also commented on Cuba’s deteriorating political and economic situation, saying the country might collapse without direct U.S. intervention. He claimed that Cuba’s economy, heavily dependent on Venezuelan oil, was now in deep crisis and that the nation was “ready to fall.” According to Trump, many Cuban Americans in the United States would welcome this outcome.

The remarks, reported by the Financial Post, reflect Trump’s increasingly aggressive tone toward leftist governments in Latin America following Maduro’s detention.

At least 26 people have died and 14 remain missing after a passenger boat carrying farmers and fishermen capsized in northeastern Nigeria. The accident occurred late Saturday night as the vessel was traveling from Jigawa State to Yobe State, according to the country’s emergency services. Mohammed Goje, executive director of the Yobe State Emergency Management Agency, said rescue teams and volunteers have recovered 26 bodies so far and rescued 13 passengers alive. Search operations for the missing continue.

Boat accidents are common on Nigeria’s busy waterways, often caused by overloading, poor maintenance, and disregard for safety regulations. Each year, such incidents claim numerous lives across the country’s river transport routes.

Authorities have not yet provided further details on the cause of the latest accident or the total number of passengers on board.

Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro was arrested late Saturday night by US special forces in Caracas. The 63-year-old leader had previously, in an August speech, called US President Donald Trump a coward and challenged him to come and capture him. The arrest took place at a secured location in the Venezuelan capital, where Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, were detained and taken into US custody.

On Sunday, the White House released a 61-second video on social media platform X mocking Maduro. The video interspersed clips of Maduro’s August remarks with footage of the Delta Force operation in Caracas and images of the detained couple. It also included a segment from a press conference where US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth stated that Maduro had a chance to avoid this outcome but lost it.

According to the report, Maduro and his wife face charges in the United States for cocaine importation and illegal possession of weapons. They are currently being held at a Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, New York.