AS celebrity weddings go, few have been more scandal-hit than the nuptials of Adam Peaty and Holly Ramsay.

From the bride not inviting her future mother-in-law to her hen do and the Olympian uninviting his family, to Adam’s aunt posting her feelings about the whole tawdry affair online, it has been the showbiz gossip gift that keeps on giving.

And to top it all off, the groom went the full Brooklyn Beckham by changing his name to Adam Ramsay Peaty,

But the marriage of swimmer Adam to Gordon Ramsay’s daughter Holly isn’t the first celeb wedding to be filled with scandal.

From Hollywood bigamy and a bride having to pee in a bucket, to stag do misdemeanours, celebrity weddings have more drama than an Eastenders Christmas special.

Here we take a look at some of the wedding scandals that engulfed some of showbiz’s biggest stars.

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Meghan Markle and Prince Harry

The world was thrilled when Prince Harry and American actress Meghan announced their engagement.

But things quickly soured with allegations that Meghan had made Princess Catherine cry over Charlotte’s bridesmaid dress and that the bride was demanding to wear a particular Royal tiara on her big day.

And it was going to go from bad to worse as Meghan’s dad Thomas Markle started to speak to the press.

He was then promptly cut off by his daughter.

In the end the only member of the bride’s family to attend the Royal wedding was Meghan’s mother Doria Ragland – with all the Markles crossed off the guest list.

The King then ended up giving his future daughter-in-law away.

But as we all know the wedding wasn’t the last scandal to hit the newlyweds as they chose to step away from Royal life, flee the UK, and appear to have a strained relationship with the rest of the Royal family.

Brian McFadden and Kerry Katona

Westlife star Brian and Atomic Kitten Kerry seemed like a match made in pop heaven.

The showbiz couple said ‘I do” in a grand ceremony at Slane Castle, Ireland, in 2002.

But behind their glitzy bash, which was said to have cost £100,000, Brian was keeping a secret.

Newlywed Kerry later discovered that her husband had cheated on her with a stripper on his stag do.

The couple divorced after two years together and Kerry later said she was ‘mortified’ by Brian’s infidelity. 

“I only found out after we got married. The girl he had cheated on me with was a lap dancer and he had made her sign an NDA and paid her 15 grand to keep her mouth shut,” she explained.

Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds

It wasn’t long after tying the knot with Ryan Reynolds that actress Blake Lively found herself having to avert disaster – but not the romantic kind. 

Distracted by Florence Welch singing at her reception, it took some time for her to notice that a sparkler had burnt a hole into the front of her one of a kind Marchesa silk gown.

“I look down and my wedding dress has a big burn mark from one of the sparklers. Right on the front! And it was just so heartbreaking to me,” she told Vogue.

But new hubby Ryan turned it into a positive, later telling her the burn was “beautiful” adding: “You’ll always remember that moment with Florence singing and the sparklers. You have that forever, right there, preserved.”

She told Vogue: “Now that’s my favourite part of the dress.”

Bill Wyman and Mandy Smith

When the former Rolling Stone first met Mandy she was just 13 years old and he was 47.

Wyman wrote in his 1990 autobiography: “She took my breath away…she was a woman at thirteen.”

The relationship only became public two-and-a-half years later, when she reached the age of 16.

Despite the controversy around their relationship they wed in 1989 when Mandy was 18.

But she moved out just weeks after the wedding and they divorced two years later.

Even so, the scandal kept on rolling. In 1993, in a bizarre twist, Wyman’s 30-year-old son from his first marriage, Stephen, married Mandy’s mother, Patsy, who was then aged 46. However, they split after two years.

Bethenny Frankel and Jason Hoppy

When you gotta go, you gotta go. And during her 2010 wedding to Jason Hoppy, entrepreneur and TV star Bethenny Frankel got the call of nature that just could not wait. 

Frankel, who was seven and a half months pregnant at the time, was wearing a form-fitting gown and could not easily make the trek to a proper bathroom without being seen by guests.

Her wedding planner, Shawn Rabideau, retrieved a silver champagne bucket for her to use. 

So Frankel peed in the bucket while her assistant and her wedding planner held up the dress. 

And the special moment was captured for posterity by the TV cameras for her reality show Bethenny Getting Married.

Britney Spears and Jason Alexander

Fans were shocked when Britney and her childhood friend Jason Alexander tied the knot at the Little White Wedding Chapel in Las Vegas in 2004.

Britney later said she was just ‘drunk and bored’ after a while night out with Alexander.

The horrified Spears team quickly arranged for an annulment, claiming she lacked understanding of her actions, which was granted within 55 hours. 

But the drama would come back to haunt her years later.

On the day of Britney’s 2022 wedding to Sam Asghari, Alexander showed up at her home, livestreaming on Instagram as he tried to “crash” the event.

He was arrested, charged with trespassing, battery, and vandalism, and received a restraining order from Spears. He served around two months in jail.

Liz Taylor and Eddie Fisher

Where do we start with Liz? She is the undisputed queen of weddings having walked down the aisle no less than eight times.

But her most scandalous is undoubtedly her 1959 union with Eddie Fisher who she began an affair with after the death of her husband Mike Todd.

The only problem was that Fisher was still married to Debbie Reynolds.

Then in 1962 Taylor started having an affair with Richard Burton – while still married to Fisher.

Andy Carroll and Billi Mucklow

The footballer was all set to marry TOWIE star Billi in 2022 when photos emerged of Carroll passed out with two women in a Dubai hotel room on his stag do.

Heartbroken Billi promptly whipped off her engagement ring and moved out. 

But the two women involved came forward to say that nothing sexual had occurred and in fact Andy had been a complete gent.

So Billi forgave Andy and they wed at the five-star Four Seasons Hotel in Hampshire.

But their happiness was short-lived and they split in 2024.

Olivier Sarkozy & Mary Kate Olsen

Most brides spend months agonising over the perfect theme, colour scheme and decorations for their big day.

But it seems Mary-Kate Olsen wanted to keep it simple for her wedding to Olivier Sarkozy. 

According to the New York Post, the couple opted to adorn their reception room with “bowls and bowls filled with cigarettes”.

How romantic.

Shania Twain’s ultimate revenge

When country star Shania’s first husband Mutt Lange had an affair with her best friend and assistant Marie-Anne Thiebaud she was understandably devastated.

It was Marie-Anne’s husband Frédéric who first discovered the affair.

According to the Daily Mail, he found strange hotel receipts, phone bills, and even a lingerie set in his wife’s suitcase.

Shania and Frederic turned to each other for support during their marriage breakdowns – and ended up falling in love themselves.

They married on New Year’s Day 2011 – in the ultimate revenge act.

On the opening weekend of 2025, Forest beat Wolves 3-0 to consolidate their position in the Premier League’s top three.

That was a sixth straight win, something the club had not achieved in the top flight in a single season since 1966-67, and they sat five points ahead of Newcastle in fifth.

Now, it is four straight defeats for the first time since November-December 2023 – a run which ended with Steve Cooper losing his job at the City Ground.

Dyche is already Forest’s third manager of the season and the SOS went to him in October after Ange Postecoglou’s brief and damaging reign.

The former Everton and Burnley boss started well, but the drop-off in organisation, focus and form – especially of late – has been drastic.

At Villa they were undone by simple errors: a collective switch-off to allow Ollie Watkins to open the scoring was followed by John Victor’s ill-advised foray 40 yards from goal which allowed John McGinn to add a killer third goal.

“You can’t give basic errors away to teams like this in the Premier League,” Dyche told BBC Match of the Day.

“The mentality is there, but you can’t keep giving yourself a mountain to climb. Players were switching off to the basics. We have worked on it and shown them, but this is the job. I never expected it to be easy when I got here.”

Until Watkins struck in first-half stoppage time, Forest’s plan was working, even if it was pragmatic in the extreme. Villa had been restricted to one chance – a golden one – when goalkeeper John denied Watkins early.

But Forest fell apart. McGinn scored the first of his two goals in the 49th minute to give high-flying Villa a handy 2-0 cushion.

Although Morgan Gibbs-White’s goal made it 2-1 and briefly gave Forest hope, there was little to suggest they would mount an improbable comeback.

Gibbs-White told Sky Sports: “I feel like we stuck to the gameplan in the first half. There were lots of positives to take. I know we need points, but we showed a work ethic and desire.

“We always know Villa start with a high press. So the key was to absorb that pressure and silence the fans a bit. We were unfortunate to concede right before half-time.”

Jan. 2 (UPI) — A Washington, D.C., federal magistrate judge ruled Friday that a man who allegedly set pipe bombs outside of political party headquarters on Jan. 5, 2021, must stay behind bars before his trial.

Brian Cole Jr., 30, faces charges of transporting an explosive device and attempted malicious destruction by means of explosive materials. The charges have a maximum sentence of 30 years.

He allegedly placed two bombs in front of the Democratic National Committee and Republican National Committee headquarters, though the bombs never detonated. He was arrested Dec. 4 and hasn’t entered a plea.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles Jones filed a request on Dec. 30 to keep Cole in jail while he awaits trial. Cole’s attorneys wanted him released into the custody of his grandmother.

Judge Matthew Sharbaugh wrote in his ruling filed on Friday: “Although home incarceration and a GPS monitor would provide some check against Mr. Cole’s ability to carry out any menacing or dangerous conduct in the community, the Court is simply not satisfied these conditions rise to the necessary level.

“This is particularly true based on the severity of the potential danger Mr. Cole is alleged to pose, given his alleged persistent acquisition and retention of so-called ‘bombmaking parts,’ and given his reported penchant and capacity to create explosive devices and deploy them in public settings.

“If the plan had succeeded, the results could have been devastating: creating a greater sense of terror on the eve of a high-security Congressional proceeding, causing serious property damage in the heart of Washington, D.C., grievously injuring DNC or RNC staff and other innocent bystanders, or worse,” Sharbaugh wrote.

Sharbaugh announced Dec. 30 that Cole was indicted on the two charges but that he has not yet accepted the indictment because the Justice Department’s move seeking federal charges from a local grand jury is part of an ongoing debate in the courts. That case is pending in the federal appeals court.

According to a court filing, Cole told investigators that he disliked both political parties and was “watching everything, just everything getting worse.”

He believed the allegation that the 2020 election was stolen.

“If people feel that their votes are like just being thrown away, then … at the very least someone should address it,” Cole said, according to the filing.

“According to the defendant, he was not really thinking about how people would react when the bombs detonated, although he hoped there would be news about it,” the filing said.

“The defendant stated that he had not tested the devices before planting them. He claimed that when he learned that the devices did not detonate, he was ‘pretty relieved,’ and asserted that he placed the devices at night because he did not want to kill people.

“The defendant denied that his actions were directed toward Congress or related to the proceedings scheduled to take place on January 6,” the filing said.

Cole is from Woodbridge, Va., where he lives with his mother and other family members.

The case baffled law enforcement for almost five years. The pipe bombs were made of 1-inch galvanized pipes, 8 inches long with end caps, homemade black powder, wires, metal clips and a kitchen timer. The FBI has said the bombs were viable and could have hurt people nearby if they had detonated. The bombs sat for 15 hours before being discovered.

U.S. President Donald Trump has confirmed that Venezuelan dictator Nicolas Maduro and his wife were flown first to the U.S. Navy’s Wasp class amphibious assault ship USS Iwo Jima following their capture overnight. TWZ had highlighted the high likelihood that the Iwo Jima had played a central role in last night’s operation in our initial reporting, where readers can otherwise first get up to speed on the details that are known so far.

Trump shared new details about the operation while speaking by phone earlier this morning with Fox News.

“Yes, the Iwo Jima,” Trump said when asked if Maduro and his wife had been taken first to a ship. “They’re on a ship, and they’ll be heading into New York.”

As TWZ previously wrote:

“With what appears to be a very large contingent of 160th SOAR [the U.S. Army’s 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment] helicopters spearheading this operation, it seems likely that the USS Iwo Jima would be used to support them, especially as much of this ship’s air wing has been moved ashore. The special operations mothership M/V Ocean Trader is also a critical part of this effort as it has been in the region for months and sailing with the Iwo Jima, but its ability to support many helicopters is much more limited than an amphibious assault ship.”

“He was in a house that was more like a fortress than a house. It had steel doors, it had what they call a safety space, where it’s solid steel all around,” according to Trump. “He was trying to get into it, but he got bum rushed so fast that he didn’t.”

Trump noted that U.S. forces had “blowtorches” and other equipment they were prepared to use if Maduro had been able to make it into that secure space. It has previously been reported that members of the U.S. Army’s Delta Force were in the lead on the ground.

“I think we had nobody killed … [but] a couple of guys were hit” and a helicopter was hit “pretty hard,” Trump added, but did not elaborate. Details about casualties on either side of the operation remain limited.

“I’ve never seen anything like this. I was able to watch it in real time, and I watched every aspect of it.” Trump also told Fox News. “We were prepared to do a second wave. We were all set — and this was so lethal, this was so powerful, that we didn’t have to.”

Other details about the full U.S. force package involved in the operation in Venezuela are still emerging. This includes a picture now circulating online showing a new addition to U.S. forces in Puerto Rico, U.S. Air Force F-22 Raptors. The U.S. military has been building up a large array of air, naval, and ground assets in the region for months now, which TWZ has been tracking closely.

The 2021 thriller is said to have a perfect balance of scary and shocking moments

An ‘underrated’ 2021 thriller that you probably missed is now available to stream on Prime Video.

The Girl Who Got Away (or Mother) didn’t gain much traction when it premiered but it sounds perfect for weekend viewing.

Written and directed by Michael Morrissey, the psychological horror centres on serial kidnapper and murderer Elizabeth Caulfield, who is imprisoned for abducting and murdering young girls she pretended were her daughters.

She had five victims, but one called Christina managed to escape. Twenty years on from her crimes, Elizabeth breaks out of prison to hunt down her only liberated victim. But Christina’s own dark past starts to unravel as her kidnapper tracks her down.

American actress Lexi Johnson leads the cast as Christina, with Nigerian-British actor Chukwudi Iwuji as local police officer Jamie. They are joined by The Matrix alum Kaye Tuckerman who plays the story’s villain, Elizabeth.

Although the mystery thriller didn’t reach wide audiences upon its debut, it still earned impressive ratings from audiences. Rotten Tomatoes viewers awarded it an 87% score.

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One Google reviewer shared their five-star verdict, writing: “A perfect dose of scary and shock. An interesting theme with a unique plot. Good strong acting. I felt the latter half slipped through quickly with so many revelations coming to light suddenly. But must say this is an underrated gem.”

For the latest showbiz, TV, movie and streaming news, go to the new **Everything Gossip** website.

While an IMDb user praised: “Was pleasantly surprised that what I thought was happening was close but the twists left me guessing until the very end. A few jump scares but builds a good storyline and the thriller/psychological terror is more the backburn to that. Strong cast performances.”

And a third fan posted: “Me and my wifey really liked this movie and were never bored I recommend it and don’t understand the negative reviews.”

This moviegoer was responding to a barrage of brutal reviews that the thriller also suffered. While some dubbed it a ‘must-watch’ others were less than impressed.

“Predictable & bordering on ridiculous,” penned one, with another slamming: “Don’t bother [watching]. It’s not even bad enough to be good.”

Those keen to form their own opinions can stream The Girl Who Got Away now on Prime Video.

Good morning, and welcome to L.A. on the Record — our City Hall newsletter. It’s David Zahniser, dishing up the latest on city and county government.

It’s not hyperbole to say that 2025 was a terrible year for Los Angeles.

Wildfires ravaged huge stretches of Pacific Palisades, Altadena, Malibu and other communities. Federal immigration raids tore families apart and disrupted the economy, prompting furious protests in downtown and elsewhere. L.A.’s political leaders, facing a brutal budget year, signed off on cuts while working to stave off layoffs of public employees.

Now, we’re heading into a year of uncertainty — one with the potential to bring fresh faces both to City Hall and the county’s Hall of Administration, while also ushering in bigger, structural changes.

Here are a few of the political issues we’ll be tracking over the next twelve months, in this newsletter and elsewhere:

1) WILL HE OR WON’T HE? It’s January, and we still don’t know if real estate developer Rick Caruso will seek a rematch against Mayor Karen Bass in the June 2 primary election. A second Caruso run would deliver a jolt to the campaign, complicating Bass’ attempt to win a second four-year term in a single shot. He’s got to decide soon!

Per Mike Murphy, a political strategist and longtime Caruso friend: “He is close to a decision.”

Caruso, a fierce critic of the city’s handling of the Palisades fire, lost to Bass by 10 percentage points in 2022. If he jumps in, he would join a long list of challengers that includes former L.A. schools superintendent Austin Beutner, community organizer Rae Huang and an assortment of unknowns.

The larger the field, the tougher the road Bass will have in trying to avoid a November runoff — and winning her election overall.

2) WILL THE COUNCIL GET BIGGER? The Charter Reform Commission, which is made up of a dozen or so citizen volunteers, is heading into the home stretch as it works on a plan to update the City Charter, the governing document for L.A.

The commission’s report, due in April, is expected to say whether voters should expand the number of City Council members, scale back the duties of the elected city attorney and grant the city controller additional authority. There are also some smaller proposals, including a move to a two-year budget process.

The council will then decide which of those proposals will go on the November ballot. Raymond Meza, who chairs the commission, sounded optimistic about the prospects.

“There’s been a lot of serious public input and energy behind this process, and we think the council is going to thoroughly consider our recommendations,” Meza said.

3) WILL CITY HALL KEEP MOVING LEFT? Eight council seats are up for grabs this year, with bruising campaigns looming on the Eastside, on the Westside, in the west San Fernando Valley and in South L.A.

Councilmembers Eunisses Hernandez and Traci Park are among those battling for a second term. Voters also must find replacements for Curren Price and Bob Blumenfield, each of whom is facing term limits after a dozen years on the council.

Ground Game LA, Democratic Socialists of America and other groups inspired by the victory of New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani are looking to keep pulling the Overton window in their direction on public safety, tenant protections and other issues.

The ballot will also feature two other citywide contests, with City Atty. Hydee Feldstein Soto and City Controller Kenneth Mejia both seeking reelection.

4) CAN L.A. AFFORD MORE COPS? Bass has been pressuring the council to free up the money to hire more officers in the new year. She’s not likely to let up, even as she begins preparing her newest citywide budget.

Still, a fight over LAPD hiring could spur the council to take a fresh look at Bass’ other major policy initiative — Inside Safe, which has been moving homeless people indoors since she took office.

Amid growing concerns about the city’s financial stability, some council members have begun exploring the idea of paying the county to deliver homeless services — an idea that Bass panned in a Daily News opinion piece last month.

That op-ed drew some icy rebuttals from County Supervisor Lindsey Horvath, who called the city’s track record on homelessness “indefensible.”

5) WHITHER THE COUNTY? Speaking of the county, officials inside the Hall of Administration will likely spend the coming year trying to figure out how to prevent Measure J — which requires public spending on alternatives to incarceration — from being struck down by Measure G, the reform measure approved by voters in 2024.

(Measure G, which was largely about expanding the number of county supervisors and establishing an elected CEO, inadvertently set the stage for a pending repeal of Measure J, in what has been billed as an enormous bureaucratic snafu.)

We’ll also be watching as the county’s new homelessness department gets up and running. And we’ll monitor Sheriff Robert Luna’s bid for reelection, as well as the campaign for two supervisorial seats.

6) COULD WE SEE A BUILDING FRENZY? L.A. County’s fire-scarred communities are hoping to see a ramp up in the pace of rebuilding in 2026. But will fire victims stay put? Or will they sell their burned-out sites to developers? The stakes are high, not just for those communities but for the elected officials who represent them.

Of course, there are plenty of other issues to track in the new year beyond the big six. For example, there’s the proposed sales tax hike to fund Fire Department operations; the push for higher taxes to pay for park facilities; the gambit to slow down wage hikes for hotel and airport workers; and the movement to hike the city or county minimum wage.

Then there are the preparations, and behind-the-scenes negotiations, over the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games, which have huge cost implications for the city.

Are you exhausted yet? If not, we’ll see you next week.

State of play

— ‘HIGHLY UNPROFESSIONAL’: The author of the Fire Department’s after-action report on the Palisades fire declined to endorse it because of changes that altered his findings, according to an email obtained by The Times. “Having reviewed the revised version submitted by your office, I must respectfully decline to endorse it in its current form,” wrote Battalion Chief Kenneth Cook, about an hour after the report was made public. Cook also called the final version of the report “highly unprofessional.”

— PLAYING WITH FIRE: Two groups have sued the city of L.A., alleging that agencies ignored state wildfire safety regulations while signing off on development in areas with severe fire hazards. The State Alliance for Firesafe Road Regulations and the Federation of Hillside and Canyon Assns. offered what they described as 75 examples of building permits and other plans that violate the state’s “minimum firesafe regulations.”

— DIGGING INTO DTLA: It’s been a tumultuous year for DTLA Law Group, which grew from a small firm focused on car crash victims into a litigation powerhouse with thousands of sexual abuse claims against government agencies. The firm’s activities are now the subject of an investigation by the DA’s office, amid lingering questions about how DTLA amassed so many plaintiffs so quickly. The Times spoke with dozens of former clients and employees who described aggressive tactics to bring in new clients.

— RADIO SILENCE: L.A.’s parking enforcement officers were removed from the field last weekend after copper wire thieves damaged a key communications tower in Elysian Park, leaving some workers with inoperable radios.

— LUCKY NUMBER 13: The Charter Reform Commission might finally get its 13th member, just a few months before it wraps up its work. Councilmember Bob Blumenfield recently nominated Jason Levin, a onetime spokesperson for his office, to fill the seat after his previous pick, former Councilmember Dennis Zine, flamed out. Levin is an executive vice president at the firm Edelman, focusing on crisis and risk.

— NEW YORK STATE OF MIND: City Council President Marqueece Harris-Dawson and Councilmember Eunisses Hernandez flew to New York City this week for Mamdani’s inauguration. Hernandez, on Instagram, called the event “a reminder that the movement for dignity, justice, and humanity is bigger than any one city.”

— READY FOR SIGNATURES: The City Clerk’s office recently cleared the way for the firefighters’ union to begin gathering signatures for a sales tax hike to pay for fire stations, fire equipment and other emergency resources. The proposal comes amid complaints that department brass sought to cover up findings about the Palisades fire.

— YET ANOTHER WAGE HIKE: The fire tax proposal comes a few weeks after the city clerk cleared the way for another ballot petition — this one hiking the city’s minimum wage to $25 per hour. The proposal includes provisions to ensure that hotel employees are “paid fairly for burdensome workloads” and prohibit “the exploitative practice of subcontracting housekeeping work.”

— BIG DAY FOR THE VA: The U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals upheld a lower court order requiring the federal Department of Veterans Affairs to build more than 2,500 units of housing on its West L.A. campus. “Rather than use the West Los Angeles VA Grounds as President Lincoln intended, the VA has leased the land to third party commercial interests that do little to benefit the veterans,” wrote Circuit Judge Ana de Alba.

— CHANGING CHAIRS: One of Harris-Dawson’s top aides, senior advisor Rachel Brashier, is switching offices at City Hall. Brashier, who frequently sits next to the council president as he presides over meetings, has taken a job with the mayor, according to Harris-Dawson spokesperson Cerrina Tayag-Rivera. Brashier will serve as a deputy chief of staff, per Bass’ team.

QUICK HITS

• Where is Inside Safe? The mayor’s signature program to combat homelessness did not launch any new operations over the holiday.
• On the docket next week: L.A. marks the one-year anniversary of the Palisades and Eaton fires with a number of events. Among them is “They Let Us Burn,” a demonstration in Pacific Palisades where community leaders plan to highlight their demands to city, county and state leaders.

Stay in touch

That’s it for this week! Send your questions, comments and gossip to LAontheRecord@latimes.com. Did a friend forward you this email? Sign up here to get it in your inbox every Saturday morning.

Celtic manager Wilfried Nancy insists he is still “together with the board” and believes “we can turn things around” despite falling to a sixth loss in eight games following the derby defeat to Rangers.

The Frenchman hailed an “outstanding” first half from his team, during which they took the lead through Yang Hyun-Jun and passed up several other chances.

However, their city rivals roared back in the second period and exposed the home side’s defensive fragility with a double from Youssef Chermiti and a third from Mikey Moore.

The 3-1 defeat means Rangers move level on points with second-placed Celtic, who could be six adrift of Hearts if the leaders beat Livingston later on Saturday.

While fans of the Parkhead side staged a post-match protest directed at the club board, Nancy told BBC Scotland: “It was disappointing because we deserved more today, but again we needed more goals.

“In the second half, we conceded three goals from throw-ins. It’s difficult to accept, but it’s reality. This is not about the players or the tactics, this is about moments.

“This is not about myself, this is about disappointing the fans because I know the meaning of this game. I can understand the disappointment, but I also saw what we’re able to do.

“We are really close, there are many things that can turn around. If it was not the case, I would not talk like this. I really believe we can turn things around.

“We are together with the board.”

Jake Paul’s defeat by Anthony Joshua in their heavyweight bout in December has seen American boxer lose his WBA ranking.

Jake Paul has slipped out of the WBA cruiserweight rankings after the YouTuber-turned-boxer was soundly beaten by former world heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua last month.

Paul’s jaw was broken in two places and the American needed surgery to repair the damage after Joshua’s sixth-round knockout victory in a heavyweight bout in Miami.

The event had drawn criticism ahead of the bout due to the disparity in the sheer size and experience of the boxers, while Paul spent much of the fight dancing around the ring rather than engaging Joshua.

Paul (12-2, 7 KOs) had entered the WBA’s cruiserweight rankings at No 14 in July shortly after he beat 39-year-old Julio Cesar Chavez Jr by unanimous decision in Anaheim, California.

He was at No 15 entering the bout against Joshua. Bosnia’s Edin Puhalo has taken Paul’s place in the top 15, having recorded his 29th career win in December.

The WBA ranking announcement and changes were for the period ending December 31.

It’s the start of a new year and that means the kickoff of a whole new slate of television series. And while 2026 will bring plenty of those, it will also yield revivals, new seasons of beloved shows, spinoffs and long-awaited finales. Though this list isn’t exhaustive by any means, and not all dates have been announced, there’s plenty to start penciling into your calendar.

‘Star Trek: Starfleet Academy’ (Jan. 15, Paramount+)

Holly Hunter as Capt. Nahla Ake in “Star Trek: Starfleet Academy.”

(Brooke Palmer/Paramount+)

In these awful, uncertain times, it is heartening that “Star Trek,” that most good-hearted, proudly progressive of space operas, continues to create new missions for fresh multiplanetary crews of explorers. The latest series, set like “Star Trek: Discovery” in the far-flung 32nd century, when anything the writers need created can be, takes place both in San Francisco — where the rebuilt Starfleet Academy is welcoming its first new class in more than 100 years — and aboard a training starship, the USS Athena, which will presumably carry cadets into situations more dangerous than rush week or beer pong. Tig Notaro’s engineer Jett Reno, surviving from “Star Trek: Discovery,” and Robert Picardo’s holographic doctor way back from “Star Trek: Voyager,” are seen here, as are several new young actors for youth appeal and Holly Hunter, as the academy chancellor and starship captain, for the “Broadcast News” fans. The voice of Stephen Colbert, making announcements as the Digital Dean of Students, is heard, and Paul Giamatti puts on prosthetics to play the villain. — Robert Lloyd

‘Memory of a Killer’ (Jan. 25, Fox)

Michael Imperioli, left, and Patrick Dempsey in “Memory of a Killer.”

(Christos Kalohoridis/Fox)

Former “Grey’s Anatomy” heartthrob Patrick Dempsey trades in his “McDreamy” scrubs for a high-powered rifle in Fox’s thriller drama. Inspired by the 2003 Belgian film “De Zaak Alzheimer,” the drama features Dempsey as Angelo Ledda, a New York City hit man facing a devastating dilemma: he has early Alzheimer’s. The disease complicates his deadly profession and his life as a low-key family man. With a cast that includes Michael Imperioli (“The Sopranos”) and Gina Torres (“Suits”), the trailer looks particularly intriguing, with Dempsey looking intense while backed by the Who’s “Behind Blue Eyes.” Fox is spotlighting the series with a two-night premiere; the first episode airs following the NFC Championship game. The second episode airs Jan. 26 as the drama settles into its regular slot on Mondays at 9 p.m. — Greg Braxton

‘Scrubs’ revival (Feb. 25, ABC)

Zach Braff, top, and Donald Faison in the “Scrubs” revival.

(Jeff Weddell/Disney)

Ready for another walk through the halls of Sacred Heart Hospital with J.D., Elliot, Turk, Dr. Cox and Carla? The 30-minute sitcom was a comfort watch throughout much of the early aughts, with an endless loop of reruns keeping the show alive in the minds of fans long after it was canceled in 2010. But now ABC is bringing back the medical sitcom nearly 16 years later, and a lot of familiar faces are returning too: Zach Braff, Sarah Chalke and Donald Faison will reprise their lead roles, and John C. McGinley and Judy Reyes will make guest appearances. But not all is the same — several new cast members will join “Scrubs,” including Vanessa Bayer (“Saturday Night Live,” “I Love That for You”) and Joel Kim Booster (“Fire Island,” “Loot”). As long as J.D.’s daydreams and goofy bromance with Turk remain, I’m all in. — Maira Garcia

‘Monarch: Legacy of Monsters’ Season 2 (Feb. 27, Apple TV)

Wyatt Russell and Mari Yamamoto in Season 2 of “Monarch: Legacy of Monsters.”

(Vince Valitutti/Apple)

It’s been two years since the first season of “Monarch: Legacy of Monsters” ended with a surprise two-year time jump and I’ve been waiting to see what’s next for the extended Randa clan ever since. The Monsterverse series follows Cate Randa (Anna Sawai) — a survivor of a Godzilla encounter — trying to learn the truth about her father Hiroshi’s (Takehiro Hira) disappearance with the help of her newly discovered half-brother Kentaro (Ren Watabe) and ex-pat hacker May (Kiersey Clemons). It turns out the Randa family legacy is intertwined with Godzilla as well as Monarch, a secret organization dedicated to studying the giant monsters known as Titans. The possibility of kaiju battles was definitely what initially drew me to the show, but the humans have kept me hooked. Season 1 ended with Cate reuniting with her brother and father after escaping a mysterious pocket world beneath Earth’s surface with her long-lost grandmother Keiko (Mari Yamamoto) in tow. If that is not the setup for some gloriously messy family drama, I don’t know what is — and that’s not even taking into account a potential love triangle. But don’t fret monster lovers, the presence of Kong has also been teased for Season 2. — Tracy Brown

’American Love Story’ (February, FX)

The latest iteration of Ryan Murphy’s “American Story” anthology will focus on John F. Kennedy Jr. and Carolyn Bessette Kennedy, whose relationship and untimely deaths in 1999 created a media frenzy. (The couple died in a plane crash that Kennedy was piloting — the cause of death was deemed pilot error, but with no survivors, we’ll never know with 100% certainty.) Though their deaths occurred more than two decades ago, the event remains a significant moment in the memories of Americans and the Kennedy family, which has endured numerous tragedies over the decades. While Kennedy family members have openly criticized the series, it hasn’t stopped Murphy from proceeding. The television creator knows how to pique viewers’ interest, often dramatizing notable people and events. The series stars Sarah Pidgeon as Bessette, newcomer Paul Kelly as Kennedy and Naomi Watts as matriarch Jackie Kennedy. — M.G.

‘Y: Marshals’ (March 1, CBS), ‘Dutton Ranch’ (2026, Paramount+)

Logan Marshall-Green, Arielle Kebbel and Luke Grimes in CBS’ “Y: Marshals.”

(Sonja Flemming/CBS)

More than a year has passed since “Yellowstone” rode off into the sunset. The modern western was television’s hottest series during its five-season run, solidifying the star power of its lead Kevin Costner as patriarch John Dutton while establishing co-creator Taylor Sheridan as one of TV’s top writer-producers. Sheridan hopes to continue his “Yellowstone” triumph with several spinoffs. Kelly Reilly and Cole Hauser will reprise their respective roles as Dutton’s volcanic daughter Beth Dutton and her husband, boss ranch hand Rip Wheeler, in Paramount+’s “Dutton Ranch.” Luke Grimes, who played Dutton’s son Kayce Dutton, will headline “Y: Marshals” in which Kayce joins a top U.S. Marshals unit. Joining Grimes in the CBS drama are “Yellowstone” cast members Gil Birmingham (Thomas Rainwater) and Mo Brings Plenty (Mo). Also in development is “The Madison,” a drama starring Michelle Pfeiffer and Kurt Russell about a New York City family living in Montana’s Madison River territory. — G.B.

‘Imperfect Women’ (March 18, Apple TV)

Elisabeth Moss, left, Kerry Washington and Kate Mara in “Imperfect Women.”

(Nicole Weingart/Apple)

If you’re longing for the elusive Season 3 of “Big Little Lies” or a similar crime-laced psychological thriller led by powerhouse women, Apple TV might be able to scratch that itch with this upcoming drama. Based on Araminta Hall’s novel of the same name, “Imperfect Women” will follow three lifelong friends, played by Kerry Washington, Elisabeth Moss and Kate Mara, as a murder sends their lives into chaos. Moss and Washington also serve as executive producers with Hall. Details about the plot of the series are scant (it is a mystery, after all), but the novel teases a story with deep betrayal and guilt, a secret affair and muddled perspectives, all underpinned by a murder investigation. That all sounds pretty dark, but Moss said the series will somehow be a “fantastic palate-cleanser” after the close of her dystopian drama “The Handmaid’s Tale.” “Imperfect Women” is “super different,” she added. “It’s fun, it’s sexy.” — Kaitlyn Huamani

‘The Forsytes’ (March 22, PBS)

Danny Griffin and Tuppence Middleton in “The Forsytes.”

(Sean Gleason/Masterpiece / PBS)

Written by Debbie Horsfield (“Poldark”), this is, as far as I can tell, a freely adapted, female-forward prequel to John Galsworthy’s “Forsyte Saga” novels, which provided the basis for a highly popular, 26-part adaptation in 1967 and subsequent filmings in 2002 and 2003. Set among a late Victorian-era family of stockbrokers, a phrase that will undoubtedly bring the word “succession” to mind, it promises to be a meaty, cheesy and handsomely dressed — sometimes undressed — romp. The large ensemble cast includes Francesca Annis, Stephen Moyer, Tuppence Middleton, Eleanor Tomlinson, Jack Davenport, “Doctor Who” companion Millie Gibson and Susan Hampshire, who starred in and won an Emmy for the 1967 series. — R.L.

‘Margo’s Got Money Troubles’ (April 15, Apple TV)

Michelle Pfeiffer and Elle Fanning in “Margo’s Got Money Troubles.”

(Allyson Riggs/Apple)

Ever look at a television title and think: “It’s great to see myself represented on TV?” The actual premise of this series may feel less relatable on the surface to most, but the struggle to stretch a dollar like it’s made of industrial-use elastic is a conundrum many of us know all too well these days. And this new series from prolific TV producer David E. Kelley promises humor and heart in its adaptation of Rufi Thorpe’s novel of the same name, which explores sex work and financial precarity without moralization. The series stars Elle Fanning as the titular character, a recent college dropout from a working-class background who, as a new mom raising a baby solo, is forced to figure out how to make ends meet and finds a financial lifeline as a creator for OnlyFans, the subscription-based platform made famous by adult content. The series also features Michelle Pfeiffer as Margo’s mother (an ex-Hooters waitress) and Nick Offerman as her father (an ex-pro wrestler). And to ensure she’s not letting 2026 go by without adding a stamp to her TV punch card, Nicole Kidman is also part of the stacked cast. Because we need that, all of us. — Yvonne Villarreal

‘The Testaments’ (April 2026, Hulu)

Lucy Halliday, left, and Chase Infiniti in “The Testaments.”

(Disney)

The success of Bruce Miller’s award-winning adaptation of Margaret Atwood’s “The Handmaid’s Tale” prompted the author to write the Booker Prize-winning sequel “The Testaments,” which Miller is also adapting. Set to premiere in April, it returns viewers to the Old Testament world of Gilead, years after the events in “The Handmaid’s Tale,” and focuses on June’s (Elisabeth Moss) daughters Hannah, renamed Agnes (Chase Infiniti), and Daisy, previously known as Nicole (Lucy Halliday), as they face the brutal forces of a misogynistic theocracy. Ann Dowd reprises her role as Aunt Lydia, the only character (with the possible exception of June) who will cross over from the previous series. Miller has characterized the series as a “coming of age” story, but readers of the book will know that all is not what it once was in Gilead; forces both without and within plot its downfall and June’s daughters will not be far from the fight. — Mary McNamara

‘Beef’ Season 2 (2026, Netflix)

Three years after gifting us a darkly comic road rage thriller fronted by Steven Yeun and Ali Wong that was set against a soundtrack of ‘NSync, Tori Amos and Hoobastank songs, Lee Sung Jin’s anthology series returns for its second season with another layered, twist-filled exploration of class struggles, resentment and the absurdity of life’s curveballs. Consisting of eight 30-minute episodes, this season unpacks the pursuit of the American Dream by way of an exclusive Southern California country club and two couples from different socioeconomic backgrounds. The chaos kicks off when a young couple who work at the club (Cailee Spaeny and Charles Melton) witness a heated fight between their boss (Oscar Isaac), the general manager, and his wife (Carey Mulligan), an interior designer, just as the club’s new Korean billionaire owner (Youn Yuh-jung) takes over. The encounter spins out into a web of favors and coercion in this tale of broken systems and characters going to great lengths to get what they want. “Parasite’s” Song Kang-ho and K-Pop star BM (of KARD) round out the cast. And yes, there will be needle drops. — Y.V.

‘Little House on the Prairie’ (2026, Netflix)

It’s beyond time that someone revisited the semi-autobiographical series by Laura Ingalls Wilder in a way more suited to modern television. The 1974 NBC adaptation is a classic, but as a family drama of its time, it did not attempt to capture the historical breadth the book series documented. The many tribulations, and triumphs, the Ingalls family experienced as they moved from state to state, (including the locust plague of 1874, described in “On the Banks of Plum Creek,” which devastated the Midwest) provide a unique look into life on the American “frontier.” With any luck, showrunner Rebecca Sonnenshine and her team of writers will do the same. — M.M.

‘Something Very Bad Is Going to Happen’ (2026, Netflix)

Fans of the nearly 10-year long “Stranger Things” chapter on Netflix are sure to be feeling a bit of Duffer Brothers withdrawal in the new year. But their overall deal with Netflix will bear another intriguing project before the creators move over to Paramount exclusively. “Something Very Bad Is Going to Happen” is a horror drama centering on a soon-to-be bride and groom, although the title seems to imply they never make it to the altar. The Duffer Brothers, Matt and Ross, and Hilary Leavitt from Upside Down Pictures are executive producing along with Haley Z. Boston, who will serve as showrunner. Boston has written on “Guillermo del Toro’s “Cabinet of Curiosities” and “Brand New Cherry Flavor,” both of which attracted avid horror fans. Camila Morrone (“Daisy Jones & the Six,” “The Night Manager”) stars alongside Adam DiMarco (“The White Lotus,” “Overcompensating”). Very few other details have been shared, but the talent involved — both behind the scenes and in front of the camera — is enough to pique my curiosity, even if I’ll have to close my eyes when things get a little too scary for my comfort. — K.H.

‘Yellowjackets’ Season 4 (2026, Showtime)

Tawny Cypress in the Season 3 finale of “Yellowjackets.”

(Darko Sikman/Paramount+ with Showtime)

I thought high school was traumatizing enough, but I didn’t have to deal with anything close to what the teens in “Yellowjackets” have endured for three seasons. The coming-of-age survival thriller is about a championship high school soccer team whose plane crashes into the remote Canadian wilderness where they are stranded for 19 months. The story unfolds over two timelines, with one following the girls as they do whatever it takes to survive in the wilds — including cannibalism and ritual sacrifice — and the other following the survivors in the present day as they are trying to live their lives. Unfortunately for them, whatever they started in the wilderness is unwilling to be left buried in the past and is back on the h(a)unt. There is plenty of rage, trauma, secrets and murder in both timelines, as well as some unsolved mysteries that may or may not involve supernatural elements. With the upcoming fourth season confirmed to be the last, here’s to hoping some of the remaining questions — including how the girls were saved, how many girls actually survived, and why the “wilderness” came back to them in the present day — will be answered. — T.B.

‘VisionQuest’ (2026, Disney+)

It feels like forever ago that “WandaVision” kicked off Marvel Studios’ foray into television with a bang. A clever homage to sitcoms, the show followed Wanda Maximoff (Elizabeth Olsen) as she tried to magically piece together a life and family with Vision (Paul Bettany) after the events of “Avengers: Endgame” (2019). The upcoming Disney+ series “VisionQuest” will cap off the “WandaVision” trilogy, which also includes one of my favorite MCU installments, “Agatha All Along.” When audiences last saw Vision, the reconstructed android had just regained his memories and, presumably, his sentience, before flying off into the unknown. The new series will see Vision trying to navigate that aftermath to figure out who he is — reportedly with some help from other known Marvel AI programs and robots. Both “WandaVision” and “Agatha” explored grief and trauma and motherhood in their own ways, so I’m curious how these themes might carry over into “VisionQuest.” I’m admittedly a bit more into witches than robots, but I’m looking forward to the proper introduction of Tommy Shepherd (Ruaridh Mollica), who in the comics is the grown-up version of one of Wanda and Vision’s magically-created twins, and any potential family reunions. — T.B.

Jan. 3 (UPI) — The United States early Saturday morning staged a daring “large strike against Venezuela,” during which the country’s president, Nicolas Maduro, was captured and flown out of the country.

President Donald Trump announced on Truth Social that Maduro and Maduro’s wife had been captured, with the New York Times reporting that they were flown by helicopter to the USS Iwo Jima and that both will eventually face charges in the Southern District of New York.

“The United States of America has successfully carried out a large scale strike against Venezuela and its leader, President Nicolas Maduro, who h as been, along with his wife, captured and flown out of the country,” Trump said in the Truth Social post. “This operation was done in conjunction with U.S law enforcement.”

Trump said that a news conference will be held at 11 a.m. EST from Mar-a-Lago, his golf club in Florida.

This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.

IF manicured gardens and grand, Downton Abbey-style houses are your thing, you’re going to love our country house picks.

As the new year approaches, Britain’s most grand estates are ready to shine.

Country houses and estates are a great choice for a family day out, with wide-open grounds and historic buildings to explore.

But it’s not all countryside walks and grand buildings – plenty of country estates now have loads to do for children, too.

We’ve rounded up some of the most magnificent country houses across the UK, packed with exciting events, gorgeous grounds and plenty of kids’ activities.

With impressive interiors and gardens made for wandering, here’s the Sun Travel team’s top picks for 2026.

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Chartwell House, Kent

Now I don’t know about you, but the thought of seeing inside the home of one of our Prime Ministers’ was thrilling.

And Chartwell House, the home of Sir Winston Churchill and his family, really did live up to the thrill. 

Inside the stunning country home in Kent, there are lots of the former Prime Minister’s belongings, all laid out just as he himself positioned them. 

But it isn’t just the house that is impressive – there is also a studio in the grounds, which is home to the largest single collection of Winston Churchill’s paintings.

Many are landscapes and they truly are fascinating to look at. Whilst he was no Picasso, Churchill certainly was talented with a paintbrush. 

Outside there is also a rose garden that was designed by Lady Churchill and a lawn which looks over the surrounding countryside.

If you want to grab a quick bite to eat, then head to Landemare Café, which serves light lunches, cakes and hot drinks. 

Travel Reporter, Cyann Fielding

Kentwell Hall, Suffolk

If you want the perfect autumn break, you need to head to Kentwell in Suffolk, which dates back to the 1400s.

It isn’t open all year round, but in the summer you can explore the grounds and gardens.

There are a number of themed days throughout the year.

One of my favourites is Hands-On History, where it takes you back in time to the 16th century.

Otherwise there is the Enchanting Gardens Lit by Night and the Dickensian Christmas events in the winter months.

Or there are Open Air Cinemas and Last Night at the Proms during the warmer months.

Save time to visit the nearby Long Melford too, a very quaint old village.

Deputy Travel Editor, Kara Godfrey

Ashridge House, Hertfordshire

Having first visited Ashridge House in 2022, I wouldn’t wait to go back.

Most of the house is actually closed because it’s used for weddings, but I still encourage anyone to go and see it.

It’s perfect to explore either on a crisp winter morning or sunny afternoon as there’s 190 acres of grounds to see from landscaped gardens to woodlands.

Thanks to its sprawling house and estate, it’s been used for filming things like The Dirty Dozen and Maleficent.

When you’re there, make sure to check out the Bakehouse as well which is a cafe in the courtyard that serves hot drinks, tasty pastries as well as breakfast and lunch.

During the festive season, the house also puts on a huge Christmas light display – which happens to be the biggest in Hertfordshire.

It has 20 installations across the estate along with a Ferris wheel that takes visitors up 115 feet into the air.

Travel Reporter, Alice Penwill

Holkham Hall, Norfolk

Holkham Hall in North Norfolk is a sprawling estate featuring a grand hall with beautiful stately rooms, surrounding wildlife and plenty of exciting events throughout the year.

I’ve never visited an estate that has so much to do.

You’ll also find plenty of spots to set up a picnic down by the river of Holkham Park amongst wandering deer, as well as a summer food festival.

The warmer months also see the Ropes Course open for adventurers keen to climb and swing through the treetops.

There’s even a deer and wildlife safari for £6 per person (though if you drive to nearby Snettisham Farm Park, there you can feed the deer by hand).

But Christmas is my favourite time to visit, with craft markets, candlelight tours of the Hall, and even Canine Carolling (a performance from a choir of festively-dressed dogs).

It’s a popular time to visit, with many flocking over after seeing the estate sparkle in Channel 4‘s Christmas at Holkham Hall decorating documentary.

The expansive country estate is also just a short walk away from Holkham Beach – a royal favourite and often visited by the Prince and Princess of Wales.

Travel Writer, Jenna Stevens

Farlam Hall Country House Hotel, Cumbria

What could be better at the end of an epic walk than a glorious country house?

Which is why Farlam Hall in the Cumbrian countryside is perfectly situated, a few miles south of Hadrian’s Wall. 

On a recent week’s hiking holiday along the wall, we stopped overnight at the 4-star property. 

The classically decorated rooms and very comfy beds were the perfect respite from the long days’ walking.

But my favourite bit was the canapes in the drawing room before dinner. 

It made me feel like I was in an Agatha Christie mystery. 

Head of Travel – Digital, Caroline McGuire

Coleton Fishacre, Devon

Hidden in the lanes of Devon, Coleton Fishacre is a stunning “1920s country retreat complete with tropical garden by the sea”, states the National Trust. 

The pretty house used to be a retreat for the D’Oyly Carte family, which included Rupert D’Oyly Carte – the son of Richard D’Oyly Carte who was the mastermind behind the Savoy Hotel.

The interiors are fascinating with lots of Art Deco features – all of which are in perfect condition. 

Outside, visitors will find the RHS-accredited coastal valley garden, full of exotic plants and boasting sea views. 

The entire house feels like exploring a treasure chest, with something exciting around each corner. 

There is also a cafe at the house and a really good gift show with local handmade items. 

Travel Reporter, Cyann Fielding

Heythorp Park, Cotwsolds

ONE of the latest grand country house hotels to join the Warner Hotels group, this imposing 18th century country house set in 440 acres of glorious parkland is just a stone’s throw from Burford and Bourton-on-the-Water.

Follow in the aristocratic footsteps of the Duke of Shrewsbury, who built the house in 1707 with a spot of clay pigeon shooting, archery or indulge in an afternoon tea on the terrace overlooking the stunning grounds.

And yet, for all its grandeur, this is a fantastic value way to enjoy a country house hotel.

Mid-week breaks with Warner include half board and all your entertainment and start from just £190 per night in January 2026.

Indulge in British classics in the Market Kitchen buffet restaurant at breakfast, lunch or dinner or enjoy a la carte fine dining in Brasserie32 and gastro pub classics in The Travelling Duke.

As well as an 18-hole championship golf course there’s a luxurious spa. For the real Downton experience, go for one of the mansion rooms in the original country house.

Head of Travel, Lisa Minot

Wimpole Estate, Cambridgeshire

Wimpole Estate in Cambridgeshire is the kind of place you turn up to for a morning walk, and somehow end up staying all day.

The stately house sits in the middle of the countryside, on a working farm straight out of a picture book.

This National Trust estate is perfect for strolls down woodland walkways before settling down in the Old Rectory for tea and homemade scones.

Plus the 17th century mansion is well worth stepping inside to poke around its ornate rooms.

Families can head to Home Farm to meet rare-breed animals, climb on tractors and watch the shire horses at work.

There’s always something happening too, with open-air theatre in the warmer months and popular harvest fairs in the autumn.

And if you want a postcard-perfect picture, the walk up to the Gothic Tower gives you some of the dreamiest views in Cambridgeshire.

Travel Writer, Jenna Stevens

Medellin, Colombia – The shock removal of Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro by the United States military has triggered alarm in bordering Colombia, where analysts warn of the possibility of far-reaching repercussions.

The Colombian government condemned Washington’s early Saturday morning attacks on Venezuela – which included strikes on military targets and Maduro’s capture – and announced plans to fortify its 2,219-kilometre (1,378-mile) eastern land border, a historic hotbed of rebellion and cocaine production.

Security analysts also say Maduro’s deposition could aggravate an already deteriorating security situation in Colombia, while refugee advocacy groups warn the country would bear the brunt of possible migration waves triggered by the fallout from the intervention.

The Colombian government held an emergency national security meeting at 3am (09:00GMT), according to President Gustavo Petro.

“The Colombian government condemns the attack on the sovereignty of Venezuela and Latin America,” wrote the president in an X post, announcing the mobilisation of state forces to secure the border.

The ELN factor

The National Liberation Army (ELN), a left-wing group and the largest remaining rebel force in the country, have been vocal as recently as December in its preparations to defend the country against “imperialist intervention”.

Security analysts say the primary national security risk to Colombia following the attacks stems from ELN, which controls nearly the entire border with Venezuela.

“I think there is a high risk now that the ELN will consider retaliation, including here in Colombia, against Western targets,” said Elizabeth Dickinson, deputy director for Latin America at Crisis Group International.

The rebel group is heavily involved in cocaine trafficking and operates on both sides of the border; it has benefited from ties with the Maduro government, and US intervention threatens the group’s transnational operations, according to analysts.

The ELN, which positions itself as a bastion against US imperialism in the region, had already stepped up violence in response to the White House’s threats against Colombia and Venezuela. In December, it ordered Colombians to stay home and bombed state installations across the country, an action it described as a response to US aggression.

The Colombian government has ramped up security measures in anticipation of possible retaliatory action by the ELN following Maduro’s removal.

“All capabilities of the security forces have been activated to protect the population, strategic assets, embassies, military and police units, among others, as well as to prevent any attempted terrorist action by transnational criminal organisations, such as the ELN cartel,” read a statement on Saturday morning issued by Colombia’s Ministry of Defence.

‘Mass influx of refugees’

In addition to fears of increased violence, Colombia also stands to bear the brunt of any migration crisis initiated by a conflict in Venezuela.

In an X post on Saturday morning, Petro said the government had bolstered humanitarian provisions on its eastern border, writing, “all the assistance resources at our disposal have been deployed in case of a mass influx of refugees.”

To date, Colombia has received the highest number of Venezuelan refugees worldwide, with nearly 3 million of the approximately 8 million people who have left the country settling in Colombia.

The previous wave of mass migration in 2019 – which followed opposition leader Juan Guaido’s failed attempt to overthrow Maduro – required a massive humanitarian operation to house, feed, and provide medical attention to refugees.

Such an operation is likely to prove even more challenging now, with Colombia losing roughly 70 percent of all humanitarian funds after the Trump administration shuttered its USAID programmes in the country last year.

“There is a real possibility of short-term population movement, both precautionary and forced, especially if instability, reprisals, or power vacuums emerge,” said Juan Carlos Viloria, a leader of the Venezuelan diaspora in Colombia.

“Colombia must prepare proactively by activating protection mechanisms, humanitarian corridors, and asylum systems, not only to respond to potential arrivals, but to prevent chaos and human rights violations at the border,” added Viloria.

A further collapse in US-Colombia relations

Analysts say Maduro’s removal raises difficult questions for Petro, who has been engaged in a war of words with Trump since the US president assumed office last year.

The Colombian leader drew Trump’s ire in recent months when he condemned Washington’s military buildup in the Caribbean and alleged a Colombian fisherman had been killed in territorial waters. In response, the White House sanctioned Petro, with Trump calling him a “thug” and “an illegal drug dealer”.

“Petro is irascible at the moment because he sees Trump and his threats no longer as empty, but as real possibilities,” said Sergio Guzman, Director at Colombia Risk Analysis, a Bogota-based security consultancy.

Indeed, Trump has on multiple occasions floated military strikes against drug production sites in Colombia. However, experts say it is unlikely the White House would take unilateral action given their historic cooperation with Colombian security forces.

Despite Petro condemning Washington’s intervention in Venezuela, he previously called Maduro a “dictator” and joined the US and other nations in refusing to recognise the strongman’s fraudulent re-election as president in 2024.

Rather than supporting Maduro, the Colombian leader has positioned himself as a defender of national sovereignty and international law.

On Saturday, Petro called for an emergency meeting of the United Nations Security Council, which Colombia joined as a temporary member just days ago.

“Colombia reaffirms its unconditional commitment to the principles enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations,” wrote the president in an X post.

This story has been published in conjunction with Latin America Reports.

The Stranger Things finale included a few Easter Eggs, but only one is the real clue to what The Duffer Brothers’ new spin-off will be about.

The finale episode of Stranger Things has arrived and fans are already picking it apart to find clues for an upcoming spin-off. Since the finale aired on Netflix last week, The Duffer Brothers have confirmed which Easter Egg viewers should look out for that will be an important clue to the series they do next.

One popular fan theory, which had been quickly gaining traction, was that Hopper and Joyce would have their own show when they move to Montauk, a real town that partially served as the inspiration behind the creepy experiments we see in Stranger Things.

However, in an interview with Deadline, The Duffer Brothers clarified that this was simply a cheeky Easter Egg about Stranger Things’ original name, as it had originally been a supernatural drama called Montauk back in 2015 before the location was changed to the fictional Hawkins, Indiana.

“There’s no Montauk spinoff,” Ross Duffer confirmed. “That was more of a wink to the fans, deep-cut fans that know that the show started as Montauk.”

However, fans who had been to see Stranger Things spin-off play The First Shadow on London’s West End spotted a few other Easter Eggs in the finale, with Henry Creel’s origin story reportedly being a crucial clue to the real spin-off.

During the season 5 finale, we learn Henry found a rock inside a scientist’s brief case that gave him powers and connected him to The Mind Flayer. This adds more context to the play, as The First Shadow previously revealed he went missing in the desert and came back changed by what he found there.

Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter, Matt Duffer confirmed: “I’ve been pinned down and forced to blow this already, so I might as well tell you. There’s lingering questions about the rock and where the rock came from [in Henry’s story in the finale] and the scientist and all of that.

“Because we had said that there is something in the finale that is going to connect to the spinoff. The spinoff is not about rocks or mining the rocks, but I would say that’s the loose end that’s not that’s not tied up that will be tied up.”

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He went on to explain that there would be “an entirely new mythology” but that the spin-off “does connect and will answer some of the lingering questions”, adding: “It’s not specifically about the Mind Flayer or the Upside Down, but hopefully it provides some answers to that at least those lingering questions related to Henry’s memory.”

The show creators also told Variety that they would start working on the spin-off from Monday, January 5, with Matt revealing: “You don’t understand. My favorite part of the show is working on it. It’s not releasing it — that’s just stressful, no matter how it goes when you release it.

“It’s maybe my least favorite part of the process. I like the creative part. I like making it. So, we’re actually really excited, and it’s very exciting to work with a clean slate: completely new characters, new town, new world, new mythology.”

As well as the new spin-off, an animated series featuring the original Stranger Things characters has also already been confirmed. It will be called Stranger Things: Tales from ’85 and is reportedly set to come out some time in 2026.

Stranger Things seasons 1 to 5 are available to stream in full on Netflix now.

**For the latest showbiz, TV, movie and streaming news, go to the new ** Everything Gossip ** website**

The gubernatorial recall election comes at a particularly opportune time for one of California’s ascendant special interests — Native American tribes that have exclusive rights to operate Las Vegas-style casinos in the state.

For months, Indian leaders have been frustrated by the slow pace of talks with Gov. Gray Davis over new gambling compacts that would help small tribes in generally remote locations.

At the same time, other tribes with large casinos are pressing for an increase in the number of slot machines allowed, and are growing concerned over what they see as attempts by the state and local governments to erode their authority as sovereign entities.

Now, with total gambling revenues of about $5 billion per year, California tribes are poised to exert significant influence in the Oct. 7 election. Since 1998, tribes have spent more money on state political campaigns — in excess of $120 million — than any other interest group.

Because donors are subject to limits on direct contributions, unlimited independent expenditures may become even more important in this truncated campaign. The tribes have access to large amounts of money and have demonstrated a willingness to spend on campaigns.

“The tribes were invisible until they started writing checks,” said Jim Knox of California Common Cause. “There is no better illustration of the power of money in politics.”

Interviews with tribal chairmen, consultants and political experts indicate that Democratic Lt. Gov. Cruz Bustamante is the favored candidate among some California Indian leaders.

“We’re hoping for strong support,” said Richie Ross, Bustamante’s lead campaign strategist. “But there really has been no quantification of that. The tribes will be involved. I don’t know to what extent.”

Ross also serves as a lobbyist and political consultant for two major casino-operating tribes: the Barona and Viejas bands of Indians in San Diego County. The two tribes have donated a combined $487,500 to Bustamante since 1998, when he was elected lieutenant governor.

Tribal leaders are intrigued by the candidacy of Arnold Schwarzenegger and eager to learn his position on Indian gambling. Republican state Sen. Tom McClintock of Thousand Oaks has spoken out on behalf of tribal sovereignty and is viewed favorably by some tribes.

And the possibility still exists that tribes will oppose the recall. After all, it was Davis who granted them the exclusive gambling rights they had sought for so many years and had failed to secure under Republican Gov. Pete Wilson. So far, no tribes have publicly stated plans to support the recall.

“Has Gray Davis really done that bad of a job?” asked Vincent Armenta, chairman of the Santa Ynez Band of Mission Indians. “I think it is pretty difficult to blame one individual for all of the state’s problems.”

Tribes are taking a wait-and-see approach.

“Nobody is showing their hands in any significant way,” said Howard Dickstein, a Sacramento attorney who represents several tribes.

Armenta said he hopes to meet next week with Bustamante, Davis and McClintock. “I believe all of them have potential to be a decent governor,” Armenta said.

Deron Marquez, chairman of the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians, said his tribe has decided to sit out the recall campaign, at least for the time being.

“In my mind, the recall is more than a done deal. I think the governor is on his way out,” he said. “We’re just basically waiting to see who is for real and who is not.”

Many of the tribes want to see where the candidates stand on expanded tribal casinos and whether California should authorize slot machines at card rooms and horse tracks, a proposition the tribes oppose.

“Like a lot of special interests, tribal casino leaders will invest in a lot of candidates when they’re not certain of the outcome,” said former Assembly Speaker Leo McCarthy, a San Francisco Democrat and a critic of expanded gambling. “They’ll bet on more than one horse.”

The ability of the tribes to influence an election was illustrated in the Los Angeles mayor’s race in 2001. Antonio Villaraigosa had angered the tribes by the way he handled their issues when he was Assembly speaker, so they launched a mail campaign attacking him as being soft on crime. He lost to James K. Hahn.

“The tribes played hardball against Villaraigosa, letting him know and everybody else that if they oppose the tribes, they will come in and pour massive amounts of money against them — and massive amounts of money they have,” said Robert Stern, head of the Center for Governmental Studies in Los Angeles.

Under Davis, Las Vegas-style gambling has exploded on reservations throughout California, particularly in San Diego County and the Palm Springs area. In 2000, voters overwhelmingly approved a ballot measure granting tribes exclusive rights to operate slot machines.

Davis has signed individual compacts with 62 tribes, some of which have no casinos. The agreements permit them to operate a maximum of 2,000 slot machines at any one casino. The machines are the most lucrative form of gambling for casino operators.

Gaming industry experts estimate that Indian casinos in the state will generate revenue of about $5 billion this year, up from about $1.4 billion in 2000.

This ranks California as the second-largest gambling state in the nation, behind Nevada’s $9.3 billion in casino revenue. Experts said California will probably become No. 1 within a few years. Nevada gambling revenue is expected to remain steady or even decline, while California Indian casinos continue a rapid expansion.

Early today the Santa Ynez Band unveiled its $150-million Chumash Casino expansion north of Santa Barbara. In Riverside County, the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians is building a $90-million casino on reservation land in downtown Palm Springs that is scheduled to open this fall.

About 15 miles away, the Morongo Band of Mission Indians is constructing a 309-foot-tall resort hotel between scenic peaks in the San Gorgonio Pass.

In June, the once-impoverished United Auburn Indian Community opened a $200-million casino in suburban Sacramento. On opening day, traffic backed up eight miles.

Many of those facilities are approaching a Vegas-style experience by offering upscale dining, shopping and entertainment. Jay Leno is scheduled to appear at a private VIP party celebrating the opening of the Chumash Casino this week.

Amid all the expansion, tribes are renegotiating their existing 20-year compacts with Davis, who is asking for a share of casino profits to help ease the state’s budget crisis. The original agreements negotiated by Davis did not include payments to the California treasury similar to the shares of casino proceeds that go to Nevada, New Jersey, Connecticut and other states.

Tribal leaders were angered earlier this year when Davis began renegotiations by saying he wanted $1.5 billion in gaming revenues in exchange for lifting the cap on slot machines. The governor has since lowered that demand to $680 million for this year.

Bustamante, for one, said this month that he would support a proposal by Anthony Pico, chairman of the Viejas Band of Kumeyaay Mission Indians, that tribes pay taxes at the same level as other corporations. That amount would be far less than the $680 million that Davis has been seeking.

Bustamante is also on record as saying he believes the marketplace should determine the number of slot machines in an Indian casino. After a groundbreaking ceremony in May for the $250-million resort hotel on the Morongo reservation, Bustamante told the Desert Sun newspaper: “The tribes are not getting what they want [from the state]. The tribes want more machines. In-N-Out Burger doesn’t have to ask how many burgers it can make.”

When he announced his candidacy earlier this month, Bustamante called Indian gambling “one of the strongest parts of the California economy. It is creating tens of thousands of jobs. It is providing tremendous charity.”

Ross, Bustamante’s main campaign strategist, explained such support by recalling that the lieutenant governor forged his alliance with tribes when they were under political attack from Nevada gaming interests and “were economically weak and in legal jeopardy.”

“Many of the longer-term leaders know that he has been one of the few people who understood sovereignty, and stood up for them,” Ross said.

Stern of the Center for Governmental Studies said the tribes run a risk if they decide to bankroll Bustamante’s campaign in a recall election.

“The big problem that Bustamante will have is that he doesn’t want to be pictured as a tool of the tribes,” he said.

At this point, tribal leaders said, they don’t know what to make of Schwarzenegger.

Michael Lombardi, a tribal gaming consultant and former general manager of the Chumash Casino in Santa Ynez and Casino Morongo near Banning, said he wonders whether the actor knows anything more about Indians than what he saw in John Wayne movies.

“We did notice that one of the heroes in ‘Predator’ was Indian,” Lombardi said. “That guy was handsome and brave and died a good death. We noticed that [Schwarzenegger] is not a part of the Hollywood hypocrisy that always portrays Indians as savages.

“We are intrigued by Arnold,” he said. “Would he allow slot machines to expand by market demand? I think there are tribes out there waiting to hear some answers.”

Schwarzenegger spokesman Rob Stutzman declined Friday to describe the candidate’s views. One of the candidate’s top advisors is former Gov. Wilson, who battled tribes over gambling expansion. A co-chairman of Schwarzenegger’s campaign is Assemblyman Abel Maldonado (R-Santa Maria), who backs Indians in their efforts to maintain sovereignty and expand their casinos.

“If I’m advising him,” Maldonado said, “I say give them special attention because they’ve done a great job for the community.”

Another issue of concern is whether cities and counties should be compensated so they can better cope with the environmental impacts of casino developments.

“I think in Indian country there is a feeling that the state of California should live up to that 20-year deal approved by the voters, the Legislature, the governor and both political parties,” said Lombardi.

“Right now we’re confronted with the dilemma that county governments need money and they want to get it from the tribes because the tribes are so successful,” he added.

Under the current agreements, tribes are required to contribute roughly $140 million to two special state accounts. One is an Indian Gaming Special Distribution Fund for expenditures such as repairing roads, treating compulsive gamblers and subsidizing emergency rescue services. The other is used to redistribute revenues to impoverished reservations.

The Davis administration also has been engaged in talks over the last three years with tribes that haven’t signed gambling compacts.

On Wednesday, he signed the first compact with a California tribe that will pay casino proceeds directly to the state treasury. The agreement with the Torres-Martinez Desert Cahuilla Indians in the Imperial Valley requires the tribe initially to pay the state 3% of the revenue from its first 350 slot machines; the share increases to 5% in the third year of operation.

Wednesday’s announcement prompted speculation that, after years of stalled negotiations, Davis suddenly will shift gears and accelerate talks with tribes.

“It doesn’t take a genius to figure this out,” said I. Nelson Rose, a gambling expert and professor at the Whittier Law School in Costa Mesa. “I think we will see a couple of dozen new compacts before the recall campaign is over.”

Robert Rosette, a Sacramento attorney who represents several tribes that are eager to open casinos, said his clients are watching the recall campaign closely.

“They were very surprised at Gov. Davis’ sudden decision to grant Torres-Martinez that contract,” he said. “They also became hopeful that they will get theirs. We will see very soon how that pans out.”

Aides to Davis said that the recall campaign had no bearing on the timing of the Torres-Martinez announcement and that it is unlikely the governor will strike numerous other deals in the coming weeks.

“Nobody should view this signing … as having anything to do with politics,” said Steve Maviglio, Davis’ press secretary. “These things take time. They are very complex. They last for years. They don’t operate on a political calendar.”

*

Times staff writer Gregg Jones in Sacramento contributed to this report.

Former world heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua has flown back to the UK after a fatal car crash that killed two of his close friends in Nigeria.

The 36-year-old was a passenger in a Lexus SUV that collided with a stationary truck on a major expressway near Lagos on Monday.

Joshua’s close friends and team members Sina Ghami and Latif “Latz” Ayodele died in the crash. Their funerals will take place at a London mosque on Sunday.

Joshua was taken to hospital and was discharged on Wednesday.

Driver Adeniyi Mobolaji Kayode, 46, was charged at Sagamu Magistrates’ Court on Friday. Police sources told the BBC the charges included causing death by dangerous driving.

The defendant was granted bail of 5m naira (£2,578) and remanded pending his bail conditions being met. The case has been adjourned until 20 January.

Joshua, who was born in Watford, has family roots in Sagamu – a town in Ogun state, near the crash site.

The 2012 Olympic champion was on his way to visit relatives for New Year celebrations in the town at the time of the collision, a family member told the BBC.

The boxer had been spending time in Nigeria after his recent victory over American YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul on 19 December.

United States President Donald Trump announced on Saturday morning that his country’s forces had bombed Venezuela and captured the South American nation’s president, Nicolas Maduro, and First Lady Cilia Flores in a dramatic overnight military attack that followed months of rising tensions.

Venezuela’s government said that the US had struck three states apart from the capital, Caracas, while neighbouring Colombia’s President Gustavo Petro released a longer list of places that he said had been hit.

The operation has few, if any, parallels in modern history. The US has previously captured foreign leaders, including Iraq’s Saddam Hussein and Panama’s Manuel Noriega, but after invading those countries in declared wars.

Here is what we know about the US attacks and the lead-up to this escalation:

How did the attack unfold?

At least seven explosions were reported from Caracas, a city of more than three million people, at about 2am local time (06:00 GMT), as residents said they heard low-flying aircraft. Lucia Newman, Al Jazeera’s Latin America editor, reported that at least one of the explosions appeared to come from near Fort Tiuna, the main military base in the Venezuelan capital.

Earlier, the US Federal Aviation Administration had issued instructions to American commercial airlines to stay clear of Venezuelan airspace.

Within minutes of the explosions, Maduro declared a state of emergency, as his government named the US as responsible for the attacks, saying that it had struck Caracas as well as the neighbouring states of Miranda, Aragua and La Guaira.

The US embassy in Bogota, Colombia, referred to the reports of the explosions and asked American citizens to stay out of Venezuela, in a statement. But the diplomatic mission did not confirm US involvement in the attacks. That came more than three hours after the bombings, from Trump.

What did Trump say?

In a post on his Truth Social platform, Trump said, a little after 09:00 GMT that the US had “successfully carried out a large scale strike against Venezuela and its leader, President Nicolas Maduro, who has been, along with his wife, captured and flown out of the Country”.

Venezuela has not yet confirmed that Maduro was taken by US troops — but it also has not denied the claim.

Trump said that the attack had been carried out in conjunction with US law enforcement, but did not specify who led the operation.

Trump announced that there would be a news conference at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida at 11am local time (16:00 GMT) on Friday, where more details would be revealed.

Where did the US attack in Venezuela?

While neither the US nor Venezuelan authorities have pinpointed locations that were struck, Colombia’s Petro, in a social media post, listed a series of places in Venezuela that he said had been hit.

They include:

• La Carlota airbase was disabled and bombed.
• Cuartel de la Montana in Catia was disabled and bombed.
• The Federal Legislative Palace in Caracas was bombed.
• Fuerte Tiuna, Venezuela’s main military complex, was bombed.
• An airport in El Hatillo was attacked.
• F-16 Base No 3 in Barquisimeto was bombed.
• A private airport in Charallave, near Caracas, was bombed and disabled.
• Miraflores, the presidential palace in Caracas, was attacked.
• Large parts of Caracas, including Santa Monica, Fuerte Tiuna, Los Teques, 23 de Enero and the southern areas of the capital, were left without electricity.
• Attacks were reported in central Caracas.
• A military helicopter base in Higuerote was disabled and bombed.

What led to these US attacks on Venezuela?

Trump has, in recent months, accused Maduro of driving narcotics smuggling into the US, and has claimed that the Venezuelan president is behind the Tren de Aragua gang that Washington has proscribed as a foreign terrorist organisation.

But his own intelligence agencies have said that there is no evidence that Maduro is linked to Tren de Aragua, and US data shows that Venezuela is not a major source of contraband narcotics entering the country.

Starting in September, the US military launched a series of strikes on boats in the Caribbean Sea that it claimed were carrying narcotics. More than 100 people have been killed in at least 30 such boat bombings, but the Trump administration is yet to present any public evidence that there were drugs on board, that the vessels were travelling to the US, or that the people on the boats belonged to banned organisations, as the US has claimed.

Meanwhile, the US began its largest military deployment in the Caribbean Sea in at least several decades, spearheaded by the USS Gerald Ford, the world’s largest aircraft carrier.

In December, the US hijacked two ships carrying Venezuelan oil, and has since imposed sanctions on multiple companies and their tankers, accusing them of trying to circumvent already stringent American sanctions against Venezuela’s oil industry.

Then, last week, the US struck what Trump described as a “dock” in Venezuela where he claimed drugs were loaded onto boats.

Could all this be about oil?

Trump has so far framed his pressure and military action against Venezuela and in the Caribbean Sea as driven by a desire to stop the flow of dangerous drugs into the US.

But he has increasingly also sought Maduro’s departure from power, despite a phone call in early December that the Venezuelan president described as “cordial”.

And in recent weeks, some senior aides of the US president have been more open about Venezuela’s oil: the country’s vast reserves of crude, unmatched in the world, amounted to an estimated 303 billion barrels (Bbbl) as of 2023.

On December 17, Trump’s top adviser Stephen Miller claimed that the US had “created the oil industry in Venezuela” and that the South American country’s oil should therefore belong to the US.

But though US companies were the earliest to drill for oil in Venezuela in the early 1900s, international law is clear: sovereign states — in this case Venezuela — own the natural resources within their territories under the principle of Permanent Sovereignty over Natural Resources (PSNR).

Venezuela nationalised its oil industry in 1976. Since 1999, when socialist President Hugo Chavez, Maduro’s mentor and predecessor, came to power, Venezuela has been locked in a tense relationship with the US.

Still, one major US oil company, Chevron, continues to operate in the country.

The Venezuelan opposition, led by Nobel Peace Prize laureate Maria Corina Machado, has publicly called for the US to intervene against Maduro, and has pointed to the oil reserves that American firms could tap more easily with a new dispensation in power in Caracas.

Oil has long been Venezuela’s biggest export, but US sanctions since 2008 have crippled formal sales and the country today earns only a fraction of what it once did.

How has Venezuela’s government reacted?

While Venezuela has not confirmed Maduro’s capture, Vice President Delcy Rodrigues told state-owned VTV that the government had lost contact with Maduro and First Lady Flores and did not have clarity on their whereabouts.

She demanded that the US provide “proof of life” of Maduro and Flores, and added that Venezuela’s defences were activated.

Earlier, in a statement, the Venezuelan government said that it “rejects, repudiates and denounces” the attacks.

It said that the aggression threatens the stability of Latin America and the Caribbean, and places the lives of millions of people at risk. It accused the US of trying to impose a colonial war, and force a regime change — and said that these attempts would fail.

What happens to Maduro next?

In a statement posted on X, Trump’s Attorney General Pam Bondi announced that Maduro and his wife have been indicted in the Southern District of New York.

Maduro has been charged with “Narco-Terrorism Conspiracy, Cocaine Importation Conspiracy” among other charges, Bondi said. It was unclear if his wife is facing the same charges, but she referred to the Maduro couple as “alleged international narco traffickers.”

“They will soon face the full wrath of American justice on American soil in American courts,” she added.

Mike Lee, a Republican senator from Utah, earlier posted on X that he had spoken to US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who had told him that Maduro had been “arrested by US personnel to stand trial on criminal charges in the United States, and that the kinetic action we saw tonight was deployed to protect and defend those executing the arrest warrant.”

In 2020, US prosecutors had charged Maduro with running a cocaine-trafficking network.

But US officials remain silent on the illegality of Maduro’s capture and the attacks on Venezuela, which violate UN charter principles of sovereignty and territorial integrity of nations.

Russia and Cuba, close Maduro allies, condemned the attack. Colombia, which neighbours Venezuela and has itself been in Trump’s crosshairs, said that it “rejects the aggression against the sovereignty of Venezuela and of Latin America” – even though Bogota itself does not recognise Maduro’s government.

Most other nations have been relatively muted in their response to the US aggression so far.

What’s next for Venezuela?

Constitutionally, Rodriguez, the vice president, is next in line to take charge if Maduro indeed has been plucked out of Venezuela by the US.

Other senior leaders seen as close to Maduro and influential within the Venezuelan hierarchy include Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello, National Assembly President — and Delcy’s brother — Jorge Rodriguez, and military chief General Vladimir Padrino López.

But it is unclear whether the state apparatus that Chavez and Maduro carefully built over a quarter century will last without them.

“Maduro’s capture is a devastating moral blow for the political movement started by Hugo Chavez in 1999, which has devolved into a dictatorship since Nicolas Maduro took power,” Carlos Pina, a Venezuelan analyst based in Mexico, told Al Jazeera.

If the US does engineer — or has already engineered — a regime change, the opposition’s Machado could be a front-line candidate to take Venezuela’s top job, though it is unclear how popular that might be. In a November poll in Venezuela, 55 percent of participants were opposed to military intervention in their country, and an equal number were opposed to economic sanctions against Venezuela.

Trump might be mistaken if he thinks the US can stay out of the chaos that’s likely to follow in a post-Maduro Venezuela, suggests Christopher Sabatini, a senior research fellow for Latin America, the US and North America programme at Chatham House.

“Assuming even if there is regime change – of some sort, and it’s by no means clear even if it does happen that it will be democratic – the US’s military action will likely require sustained US engagement of some sort,” he said.

“Will the Trump White House have the stomach for that?”

Follow our live build-up with full team news, in advance of our text commentary stream of the last 16 tie.

LILY Allen has opened up on her state of mind and the “huge change” in her family life situation following her split with husband David Harbour.

The popstar candidly told how she had now come out from the other side of a “nervous breakdown” which saw her hospitalised.

Lily, 40, who shares two daughters with first husband Sam Cooper, and endured a bitter split with Stranger Things actor David, 50, last year.

Cheating allegations and a marriage lacking intimacy were allegations levelled at the Netflix actor by Lily, with the former couple starting to negotiate the sale their £6m Brooklyn townhouse.

The marriage breakdown sparked Smile songstress Lily’s first album in seven years.

At the heart of the record is a character called Madeline, who Lily confirmed to the Times is a construct of other people, and the secret relationship she has with a man many are interpreting to be Harbour.

LILY’S HABIT

Lily Allen reveals she’s in therapy for secret addiction

HER CHOICE

Lily Allen admits she ‘can’t remember’ how many abortions she’s had

Now she has opened up on the after effects on her Miss Me? podcast.

She said: “I’ve done quite a lot this year.

“I’ve finished an album, I got a boob job, I had a nervous breakdown, I went into hospital for a bit, I came out, I did some podcasting for a while, then I played one of the hardest tracks in theatre and killed myself (in the role of Hedda Gabler) every night for seven weeks.”

She added of teen daughters Ethel, 14, and Marnie, 13: “My kids are f**king mental at the moment.

“They are really developing their personalities. It’s just a lot.

“There’s a lot of questions.”

Tacitly making reference to the life changes prompted by the split she said: “There’s a lot of change in our lives at the moment

“We’ve changed houses, we’ve changed countries, we’ve changed schools, and it’s a lot.”

The Fear hitmaker added to her show: “The last five years, I’ve been a stay-at-home mum.

“And now I’m a single mum that has to work and suddenly has a lot of work opportunities on my plate and I’m having to travel a lot.”

MARRIAGE SPLIT

Lily previously told how she was suicidal after her marriage split and voluntarily opted to go to rehab.

She has previously been open about her recreational use of drugs and alcohol but she opted to quit the substances six years ago.

It led the star to find her marriage split even more challenging as she wasn’t able to use the substances as a way out.

Lily said: “The feelings of despair that I was experiencing were so strong.

“The last time that I felt anything like that, drugs and alcohol were my way out, so it was excruciating to sit with those [feelings] and not to use them.”

Lily said: “I’ve been into those places before against my will and I feel like that’s progress in itself.

“That’s strength. I knew that the things I was feeling were too extreme to be able to manage, and I was like, ‘I need some time away’.”

Lily married David in 2020 – her second husband following her marriage to the father of her children, builder Sam Cooper.

The LDN hitmaker was married to Sam from 2011-2018 although the relationship was understood to have crumbled sometime before they made their break-up official.

TOUGH TIMES

Lily and David split up in December 2024 and it was later reported he’d had a three-year affair.

David had even made a shock “cheating” joke while doing a tour of their New York City home two years prior.

But the split fuelled the Lily’s huge music comeback, with the toxic fallout playing out on her first album in seven years.

The eye-watering details of her open marriage and split from actor David are seemingly laid bare in the 14-song album.

On the album, Lily took aim at David and claimed how he allegedly ­bedded a woman called “Madeline”.

The track is written as a letter to the woman David had an affair with.

“How long has it been going on? Is it just sex or is there emotion?” Lily sings at one point.

And in the song Tennis, Lily croons:  “So I read your text, and now I regret it.

It has since been revealed that “Madeline” is likely based on Natalie Tippett, a single mum aged 34, from New Orleans, who has strongly denied any affair.

HILTON HEAD ISLAND, S. C. — With the wounds from last week’s election defeats still tender, Republican governors and political leaders met Monday in this robustly sunny resort to chart a suddenly clouded political future.

Calls for increased emphasis on education and the environment were squelched by other sounds: teeth-gnashing, backbiting and bemoaning of the turn of political events.

Just a year ago, in the flush of George Bush’s presidential victory, Republicans saw the 1990 elections as a historic opportunity to overthrow the Democrats and control the powerful reapportionment process stemming from the 1990 census.

Now, as they looked forward, mostly what they saw was the troubling issue of abortion, which is credited with breathing new life into the Democratic Party and is at least partly responsible for last week’s Democratic gubernatorial victories in New Jersey and Virginia.

“If you look at last Tuesday’s results, you are hard pressed not to say . . . that the pro-choice coalition has indeed, definitely, become a force,” Republican pollster Linda DiVall warned the governors.

“If we in the Republican Party don’t recognize that, we are setting ourselves up for some major defeats.”

The emergence of abortion as a potent tool to be wielded against anti-abortion Republicans has sent the party scrambling to regain the offensive for 1990.

Strategy for 1990

In plans outlined Monday, party leaders detailed a two-pronged approach to next year’s elections–playing down abortion while pressing issues that could overshadow that emotional topic.

Vice President Dan Quayle, in a speech here Monday, pointedly did not mention abortion but tried to rally support for a more activist 1990 program modeled after Bush’s 1988 race.

“We will continue to work and identify with issues beyond peace and opportunity,” he said, “and (will) relate to opportunity the importance of education, the importance of the environment, the importance of enhancing our competitiveness, renewing an attack on poverty.

“These will be Republican issues,” he said.

Also, Quayle underlined the firm break between the 1990s-version Republican Party with its Reagan-era predecessor. He touted the importance of government–a position precisely the opposite of that pronounced by Ronald Reagan at the turn of the last decade.

“We cannot adopt an idea that somehow all government or any government is simply evil,” Quayle said. “That’s not the case.”

In talking to reporters later, the vice president said that an emphasis on popular topics like education and the environment will help Republican candidates. And he argued that the party’s anti-abortion stance “is going to be a neutral issue.”

But other Republicans roll their eyes at such rosy predictions and worry nervously that abortion will prove the difference in 1990’s elections.

Next year, 34 Senate seats, 36 governorships and all 435 House seats will be on the ballot. More important, the elections will put into office governors and state legislators who can shape new boundaries for political districts, which will remain in force for 10 years. Whoever wins in 1990, in short, has a distinct advantage for the next decade.

Republicans are still smarting over the last reapportionment, in which Democrats controlled the process and came away with strong holds on many states, most particularly California.

Despite the success of the GOP in winning the presidency, Democrats currently hold 29 governor’s seats and control 28 legislatures. Among the 1990 battlegrounds will be California, Texas and Florida, which have gained in population and thus will gain congressional seats, and the Northeast and Great Lakes states, which are losing seats.

Major GOP Efforts

Republicans will be mounting major efforts as well in states where they are close to holding a majority of legislators in a legislative body–Illinois, Pennsylvania, Oregon and Florida among them, Republicans here said.

Republicans acknowledge that there are limits to their ability to force abortion onto the back burner. The Supreme Court, which unleashed a fury of political activity with its July decision permitting the states to place some restrictions on abortion, is due to consider the subject again next term. And abortion rights groups, which mobilized in the wake of the court decision, have vowed to exact revenge on anti-abortion legislators in 1990.

But, as they shift focus to newly embraced issues like education and the environment, the Republicans hope to take the edge off of the abortion issue by instructing party candidates to announce their position and stick to it. Many Republicans here castigated their losing gubernatorial candidates–J. Marshall Coleman of Virginia and James Courter of New Jersey–for waffling on the issue.

“You don’t shift positions,” said Florida Gov. Bob Martinez, who after the Supreme Court decision called a special session of the Florida Legislature to adopt new abortion restrictions–only to have the Legislature table the proposals.

“If you’re shifting around on quicksand based on the political winds, you’re gonna die,” he added.

Conservative South Carolina Gov. Carroll A. Campbell Jr. spoke what is rapidly becoming the party line–that voters will accept an anti-abortion stance as long as it is consistent and expressed sensitively.

There has been no large-scale test of the theory since the Supreme Court’s decision was announced.

“The problem with Republicans is that they have not gone out in advance and told the public what they believed in,” Campbell said.

“The Democrats in this instance (last week’s races) went out and defined the issue (and) left the Republican candidates there with no clear message of what they stood for. And I’m going to tell you something: You’ll beat nothing with something every time.”

Thompson Disagrees

Illinois Gov. James R. Thompson, a moderate who has opted not to run again in 1990, split ranks with Campbell on the direction that party candidates must take in the future.

“At least at the state level, a candidate in any party who takes a strong pro-life stance is going to lose,” Thompson said.

“The old days when only the pro-life movement was political are gone,” he added. “The Republican Party is going to be pushed in the direction of the pro-choice movement.”

Most Republicans agree that all but the most rabid anti-abortion activists will have to silence in 1990 their once-public demands for a constitutional amendment banning abortion and for other highly restrictive measures.

“There’s room for an offensive–but the offensive is clearly in the middle,” Republican National Committee member Haley Barbour of Mississippi said.

Like others, Barbour suggested that moderate attempts at abortion restrictions–like advocating that parents be notified when a young girl seeks to have an abortion–will remain on the agenda, because polls show Americans to be more sympathetic to them than to more comprehensive barriers.

“Politics is the art of the achievable,” he said.