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.

BBC interviewed Mark Weller, director of the International Law Program at Chatham House, regarding the legality of the process by which Nicolás Maduro was removed and detained. Weller explained that the United States claims it can take legal action under its judicial system against drug trafficking, even when such activities involve foreign nationals. However, he questioned the legality of the operation that led to Maduro’s detention, describing the Friday night raid as an act of armed aggression.

Weller argued that there is no lawful justification for using force to detain someone in this manner and that the only legitimate procedure would have been through a United Nations mandate, which the United States did not have. He further described the idea that the United States could run Venezuela as a strange notion.

The discussion highlights ongoing international legal concerns surrounding the US approach to foreign interventions and the boundaries of jurisdiction in cross-border criminal enforcement.

Pope Leo expressed deep concern over the situation in Venezuela following the fall of President Nicolás Maduro after U.S. intervention. Speaking at St. Peter’s Square in the Vatican during his Sunday prayer, the first American pope called for Venezuela to remain an independent and sovereign state. He emphasized the need to uphold human rights and the rule of law as enshrined in the Venezuelan constitution, urging the nation to avoid violence and pursue justice and peace.

The Pope stressed that the welfare of the Venezuelan people must stand above all political and geopolitical interests. His remarks came after U.S. President Donald Trump announced that the United States would take control of oil-rich Venezuela following an operation to capture Maduro, who was reportedly held in a New York detention center. The statement by Trump sparked renewed international debate and concern.

Pope Leo’s appeal is being viewed as a strong message in favor of a peaceful and law-abiding resolution to Venezuela’s ongoing crisis, highlighting the importance of sovereignty and human dignity amid global tensions.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu publicly praised U.S. President Donald Trump after the removal of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife. In a statement posted on his Facebook account on Sunday, Netanyahu congratulated Trump for what he described as courageous and historic leadership in defense of freedom and justice. He also commended the determination of the U.S. president and the actions of American troops involved in the operation.

The statement came amid heightened international attention following the reported removal of Maduro from power. Netanyahu’s remarks framed Trump’s decision as a bold stand for democratic values and justice. The Israeli leader’s message of support highlighted close political alignment between the two leaders on global security and governance issues.

The development has sparked questions in other reports about the legality of Trump’s actions and the broader implications for Venezuela’s political situation, though Netanyahu’s statement focused solely on praise for the U.S. president’s leadership.

A United States military operation in Venezuela has drawn global attention after American forces captured President Nicolás Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores from the capital, Caracas. The unprecedented action, which took place late Friday local time, has been compared to past US interventions such as those in Panama and Iraq. US Attorney General Pamela Bondi said the couple will soon face the American justice system, while former President Donald Trump confirmed they are being taken to New York for trial under US criminal law.

Analysts have likened the event to the 1989 capture of Panamanian leader Manuel Noriega and the 2003 arrest of Iraqi President Saddam Hussein, though the Caracas operation occurred without prior warfare. Washington accuses Maduro’s government of using stolen oil revenues to fund drug trafficking and terrorism, allegations Venezuela denies. The US had recently imposed a total ban on Venezuelan oil tankers and labeled the government a terrorist organization.

The future of Venezuela remains uncertain. Observers suggest a possible return to democratic governance, with opposition figures María Corina Machado and Edmundo González Urrutia emerging as potential successors, though no clear path has yet been defined.

Satellite images have revealed significant damage at Venezuela’s Fuerte Tiuna, one of the country’s key military installations. The images, captured by Vantor and analyzed by BBC Verify, show that at least six structures within the complex have sustained severe damage. One image depicts smoke rising from a large red-roofed building, while three smaller buildings to its south appear almost completely destroyed.

The analysis provides a clearer picture of the extent of destruction at the site, though the cause of the damage has not been specified in the report. The repeated satellite observations suggest that the damage is widespread and concentrated in multiple areas of the facility.

Further details about the timing or source of the destruction were not included in the available information, leaving the broader context of the incident unclear.

China has condemned the United States for what it described as a clear violation of international law after US forces conducted a military operation that forcibly detained Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores. In a statement issued on Sunday, China’s Foreign Ministry expressed concern and called for the immediate release of the couple.

Russia also voiced concern over the US attack in Venezuela and the transfer of Maduro and his wife to the United States. The Russian Foreign Ministry urged Washington to reconsider its position and emphasized the need for dialogue between Venezuela and the United States to resolve the issue. Moscow described Maduro as the legitimately elected president of a sovereign and independent country and demanded his and his wife’s prompt release.

Both Beijing and Moscow’s statements reflect strong opposition to the US action and highlight calls for diplomatic engagement rather than unilateral military intervention.