March 16 (UPI) — The Israeli military announced Monday that soldiers were conducting “limited and targeted ground operations” in southern Lebanon against Hezbollah, amid its larger war against the militant organization’s backer, Iran.
Israeli troops were reported in Lebanon earlier this month, but Monday’s announcement appears to formalize and broaden the mission. The language in the announcement was also consistent with other reports that Israel may be planning to significantly expand its ground operation.
“This activity is part of broader defensive efforts to establish and strengthen a forward defensive posture, which includes the dismantling of terrorist infrastructure and the elimination of terrorists operating in the area, to create an additional layer of security for residents of northern Israel,” the IDF said in a social media statement.
Israel has been attacking Hezbollah in Lebanon for years, and launched a ground operation there in October 2024 that ended with a fragile cease-fire, with both sides accusing the other of violations. Fighting erupted again late last month after the United States and Israel launched a war against Iran.
Specifics about the ground operation were minimal, including the day it began, with the IDF stating on Telegram that the troops entered Lebanon “in recent days.”
Troops from the 91st Division are conducting what the Israel Defense Forces called “limited and targeted ground operations” against Iran-backed Hezbollah strongholds.
Videos of the operation taken from apparent night-vision cameras worn by the soldiers and distributed by the IDF online show Israeli forces and military vehicles seemingly operating in southern Lebanon.
The operation was aimed at enhancing the forward defense area and was part of broader efforts to strengthen Israel’s forward defensive posture, the IDF said, which is consistent with reporting by Axios that Israel plans to seize all of Lebanon south of the Litani River and will be a major operation.
The IDF said airstrikes were conducted before the soldiers of the 91st Division moved in, with a Hezbollah site attacked on Saturday. Troops on Sunday searched the area and found a storage facility housing dozens of rockets, explosive devices and guns, it said in a Monday update on the operation.
Photos included in the release show rockets laid upon a couch inside a debris-filled residence.
Two Hezbollah operatives were also killed, it said, stating the militants had advanced on the Israeli troops.
“The IDF will continue to operate with determination against the Hezbollah terrorist organization following its deliberate decision to attack Israel on behalf of the Iranian regime,” the IDF said.
“The IDF will not tolerate any harm to the residents of the State of Israel.”
במסגרת מאמץ משימת ההגנה הקדמית: כוחות צה”ל חיסלו מחבלים ואיתרו מצבור אמצעי לחימה של מחבלי ארגון הטרור חיזבאללה
במהלך פעילות מבצעית של אוגדה 91, חיל האוויר תקף מבנה צבאי של ארגון הטרור חיזבאללה בו זוהתה פעילות של מחבלי הארגון בסוף השבוע.
אתמול, הכוחות סרקו במרחב המבנה ואיתרו בו… pic.twitter.com/IfLTvjhIZp— צבא ההגנה לישראל (@idfonline) March 16, 2026
Thousands of Brits were left stranded following the outbreak of the Middle East conflict but now British Airways has announced it will suspend its daily rescue flights from Muscat
IT MIGHT be super early to start thinking about Christmas but it is that time of year again where LaplandUK tickets drop soon.
LaplandUK has announced that tickets to its sought-after festive experience will be released later this month on March 27 at 10am.
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LaplandUK tickets will be released on March 27Credit: LaplandUKLast year, 750,000 people joined the waiting roomCredit: LaplandUK
The high-demand tickets usually sell out within a few hours after launch and this year is expected to be the same with the newer £30million Manchester LaplandUK experience running for its second time.
Similar to the rush for Glastonbury but for Christmas, LaplandUK is predicting that over one million people want to get tickets.
Last year, 350,000 tickets were available and before the tickets were released, over 750,000 people were waiting in the virtual queue online.
This year, LaplandUK will run from November 7 to December 24, with tickets costing between £60 and £195.
Once guests purchase their tickets, they will be sent a personalised invitation.
Guests can join the online waiting room this year at 9am and then will be assigned a queue position at 10amCredit: LaplandUKThis year will be the second year the Manchester experience is openCredit: LaplandUK
Then, when it comes to the day of visiting, families will get to explore a snow-filled world with Elves, a frozen pond for skating and a Toy Factory.
Around the experience there will also be smells of the Lapland Bakery and the glistening of twinkling lights.
When guests arrive they will venture through “secret portals in the Whispering Woods of the UK and follow magical pathways to arrive in Lapland”.
The experience also includes performances and interactive activities such as helping out the Elves in the Toy Factory to make a toy to pop in Father Christmas’ Sleigh.
And of course, each child gets a special moment with Santa himself, who will give them a gift to take home and another surprise for Christmas Day – the specific toy they created in the Lapland Toy Factory.
March 7 (UPI) — Rep. Darrell Issa, R-Calif., announced he is retiring at the end of his term and put his support behind San Diego Supervisor Jim Desmond.
Issa issued a statement Friday on social media saying he will not be seeking re-election in this year’s midterm elections.
“This decision has been on my mind for a while and I didn’t make it lightly,” Issa wrote. “First, we built the right campaign infrastructure, support has been overwhelming — including from President Trump — and our polling was unmistakable: We would win this race. But after a quarter-century in Congress — and before that, a quarter-century in business — it”s the right time for a new chapter and new challenges.”
Issa offered his “enthusiastic endorsement” to San Diego Supervisor Jim Desmond, who filed to run for Issa’s seat on Friday.
The announcement comes after Gov. Gavin Newsom‘s ballot measure to redraw state congressional districts, which passed in November, transformed Issa’s district from safely Republican to an area more friendly to Democrats.
Issa had previously been rumored to be considering a run for Congress in Texas, but he told Fox News in December that the plan would not be going forward.
“I’m thrilled to set the record straight and here’s the truth: Texas House members and residents of that state did ask if I would consider running there following Gavin Newsom’s historically corrupt gerrymander,” he said at the time. “I appreciate the opportunity, but California is my home. I told them I’m going to stay in Congress, and I don’t need to go to Texas for that.”
Anna Elsasser, spokesperson for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, celebrated the news of Issa’s retirement in a statement.
“After over two decades of disastrous representation, Darrell Issa is once again running for the exits — and good riddance. Issa abandoning his voters now is the clearest sign yet that Republicans know he can’t win on his record of skyrocketing prices, gutting health care, and looking out for himself and wealthy special interests above all else,” Elsasser said. “Any Republican who tries to parachute into this race with the same extreme agenda will face the same fate.”
Christian Martinez, a spokesman for the National Republican Campaign Committee, praising Issa for his “decades of dedicated service” in a statement provided to Politico.
“We are optimistic that this district will continue to be represented by a Republican who will stand for common sense and reject the radical agenda and chaos that progressive Marni von Wilpert and socialist Ammar Campa-Najjar would bring,” Martinez said.
March 7 (UPI) — President Donald Trump announced at Saturday’s “Shield of the Americas” summit in Florida that a new military coalition will focus on drug trafficking and cartels.
Trump said at the Doral meeting with 12 Latin American leaders that “America’s Counter Cartel Coalition” will conduct operations against cartels across the region.
At least 17 nations have already signed on to the agreement.
“The heart of our agreement is a commitment to using lethal military force to destroy the sinister cartels and terrorist networks once and for all,” Trump said. “We’ll get rid of them. We need your help. You have to just tell us where they are.”
Trump had pledged earlier this year to hunt down drug cartels. His pledge was followed by a series of attacks on on alleged narco-terrorist vessels in the Caribbean Sea.
The president’s Saturday remarks also touched on the January capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, an operation he described as “18 minutes of pure violence.”
Trump praised Venezuela’s interim leader, Delcy Rodriguez, whose country re-established diplomatic relations with the United States earlier in the week.
“I mean, she’s doing a great job because she’s working with us,” he said. “If she wasn’t working with us, I would not say she’s doing a great job. In fact, if she wasn’t working with us, I’d say she’s doing a very poor job. Unacceptable.”
The summit was attended by Argentine President Javier Milei, Bolivian leader Rodrigo Paz, Chilean President José Antonio Kast, Costa Rican President Rodrigo Chaves, Dominican Republic President Luis Abinader, Ecuadorian President Daniel Noboa, Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele, Honduran President Tito Asfura, Guyanese President Mohamed Irfaan Ali, Panamanian President José Raúl Mulino, Paraguayan President Santiago Peña and Trinidad and Tobago President Christine Kangaloo.
The government in Havana has claimed that the 10 people on board the speedboat had planned to unleash terrorism in Cuba.
Published On 7 Mar 20267 Mar 2026
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The government of Cuba has announced that a fifth person died as a consequence of a fatal shootout last month involving a Florida-flagged speedboat that allegedly opened fire on soldiers off the island nation’s north coast.
The island’s Ministry of Interior said late on Thursday in a statement that Roberto Alvarez Avila died on March 4 as a result of his injuries.
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It added that the remaining injured detainees “continue to receive specialised medical care according to their health status”.
On February 26, authorities in Cuba said that Cuban soldiers confronted a speedboat carrying 10 people as the vessel approached the island and opened fire on the troops.
They said the passengers were armed Cubans living in the United States who were trying to infiltrate the island and “unleash terrorism”. Cuba said its soldiers killed four people and wounded six others.
“The statements made by the detainees themselves, together with a series of investigative procedures, reinforce the evidence against them,” the Cuban Interior Ministry said in its statement.
It added that “new elements are being obtained that establish the involvement of other individuals based in the US”.
Earlier this week, Cuba said it had filed terrorism charges against six suspects who were on the speedboat. The government also unveiled items it claimed to have found on the boat, including a dozen high-powered weapons, more than 12,800 pieces of ammunition and 11 pistols.
Cuban authorities have provided few details about the shooting, but they said the boat was roughly 1.6 kilometres (1 mile) northeast of Cayo Falcones, off the country’s north coast.
They also provided the boat’s registration number, but The Associated Press news agency was unable to readily verify the details because boat registrations are not public in the state of Florida.
The shooting threatened to increase tensions between US President Donald Trump and Cuban authorities.
The island’s economy was, until recently, largely kept economically afloat by Venezuela’s oil, which is now in doubt after a US military operation abducted and deposed former Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.
The Hollywood Pantages Theatre on Thursday announced its 2026-27 season, which contains a whopping seven L.A. premieres including “Maybe Happy Ending.” The hugely buzzy show about the complicated love between two humanoid helperbots was originally developed and staged in South Korea, and won six Tony Awards last year including musical, direction (Michael Arden), leading actor (Darren Criss) and book and original score (Will Aronson and Hue Park).
An early version of the show was first staged in Seoul in 2015, seven years before the rollout of ChatGPT and the ensuing AI doomsday alarm that platform sparked about the rise of hyper-intelligent robots. It will be interesting to watch “Maybe Happy Ending’s” lead robot characters, Claire and Oliver, contemplate their existence during a time when Elon Musk says his Optimus humanoid robots will be in widespread use by the end of next year.
Five shows will be staged at the Pantages before “Maybe Happy Ending,” starting with the season-opening L.A. premiere of “Water for Elephants.” Based on Sara Gruen’s 2006 novel, this musical about the dramatic life of a traveling circus performer during the Great Depression premiered on Broadway to mixed reviews in 2024 and closed after 300 performances.
Next up: The L.A. premiere of “The Outsiders,” based on S.E. Hinton’s iconic 1967 novel about the conflict between two gangs of disaffected youth. The show opened on Broadway in 2024 and was nominated for 11 Tony Awards — it ultimately won four including for musical and direction.
After that a new revival of the beloved rock opera “The Who’s Tommy” will take to the stage. Given the show’s 30-plus-year history of destroying audiences (in a good way) with its classic rock grooves, it’s sure to remain a steadfast crowd-pleaser.
Get your dancing shoes on for the L.A. premiere of “Buena Vista Social Club,” which was co-produced by John Leguizamo and opened on Broadway last year, garnering 11 Tony nominations and five wins, including a special Tony Award for the Buena Vista Social Club band. Based on the lives of musicians in Havana from the 1950s through the 1990s, and featuring plenty of infectious Latin music presented in Spanish, the show is set to launch its North American tour in Buffalo this fall before making its way to the Pantages.
The L.A. premiere of “Operation Mincemeat: A New Musical” is up next. The World War II-themed comedy about a British plan of deception premiered on Broadway last year and was nominated for four Tonys including musical.
Rounding out the L.A. premieres are a lavish production of “The Great Gatsby” and the season closer, “Death Becomes Her,” both of which are based on hot properties with plenty of audience recognition.
If you’re looking for a classic, fear not: “Hamilton” and “The Lion King” are returning next season to do what they do best: Thrill audiences and sell out shows.
I’m Arts editor Jessica Gelt contemplating a season pass. Here’s your arts and culture news for the week.
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The week ahead: A curated calendar
FRIDAY From John Doe to Lonesome Rhodes: Anti-fascism From the Archive A double bill of “Arch of Triumph” (1948), a tragic romance set in 1938 Paris starring Ingrid Bergman, Charles Boyer and Charles Laughton, and “Voice in the Wind” (1944), a low-budget B-movie with Francis Lederer as a persecuted Czech concert pianist, opens this short series of films that were restored by the the UCLA Film & Television Archive. The series continues with Saturday’s pairing of “The Burning Cross” (1947) and “Open Secret” (1948) and “A Face in the Crowd” (1957) on March 20. 7:30 p.m. Billy Wilder Theater, UCLA Hammer Museum, 10899 Wilshire Blvd., Westwood. cinema.ucla.edu
SATURDAY Nuun to Midnight A 37-film, 12-hour festival that merges music and visual arts serves as a fundraiser for curated arts presenter Middle Ear Project. Noon-midnight. Automata Theater, 504 Chung King Road, Chinatown. automatala.org
Sarah Davachi + Robert Takahashi Novak: New Commissions The Broad lobby’s unique characteristics will be utilized to create a deep listening experience for newly commissioned compositions by electroacoustic and minimalist organist Davachi and conceptual sound and contemporary electronic music artist Novak. 8 p.m. The Broad, 221 S. Grand Ave., downtown L.A. thebroad.org
The Great Wall of Los Angeles Judy Baca’s iconic mural inspired Gustavo Dudamel and Gabriela Ortiz to gather composers Juhi Bansal, Nicolás Lell Benavides, Viet Cuong, Estevan Olmos, Xavier Muzik and Nina Shekhar for this salute to the city, augmented by a video installation created director Alejandro González Iñárritu and cinematographer Emmanuel “Chivo” Lubezki. 2 p.m. Walt Disney Concert Hall, 111 S. Grand Ave., downtown L.A. laphil.com
Alexander Malofeev The young Russian pianist performs a program featuring works by Sibelius, Grieg, Rautavaara, Scriabin, Stravinsky, Arthur Lourié and Prokofiev. 7:30 p.m. Broad Stage, Santa Monica College Performing Arts Center, 1310 11th St. broadstage.org
The Opera Buffs Emerging musical artists from Southern California perform six mini-operas. 8 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Sierra Madre Playhouse, 87 W. Sierra Madre Blvd. sierramadreplayhouse.org
Wild Up The orchestral collective Wild Up performs “The Odes,” a program highlighting experimentation across the ages, featuring works by French Baroque composer Jean-Féry Rebel, English dramatist Henry Purcell and Soviet modern polystylist Alfred Schnittke, as well as modern artists. The group will be joined by guest vocalist and composer Julia Holter, students from the Herb Alpert School of Music at CalArts and special guests. 8 p.m. REDCAT, 631 W. 2nd St., downtown L.A. redcat.org
TUESDAY Beetlejuice The Broadway musical based on Tim Burton’s 1988 horror-comedy makes a local stop on its national tour. Through March 22. Hollywood Pantages Theatre, 6233 Hollywood Blvd. broadwayinhollywood.com
Malice: Stories of Injustice The Odyssey, in partnering with Mar Vista Voice and West Los Respuesta Rapida, presents a program of monologues based on the true stories of families and communities impacted by ICE, with proceeds benefiting the two charities. 8 p.m. Tuesday (in English) and Wednesday (in Spanish). Odyssey Theatre, 2055 S. Sepulveda Blvd. odysseytheatre.com
The Rilke Project Piano Spheres presents pianist Vicki Ray performing works by Bernstein, Ives and Eötvös, as well as pieces from Los Angeles-based composers Steuart Liebig, Andrew Tholl, Joseph Pereira and David Rhodes, and the poetry of Rainer Maria Rilke. 8 p.m. 2220 Arts + Archives, 2220 Beverly Blvd. pianospheres.org
Six The national tour of the Broadway musical by Toby Marlow and Lucy Moss, a modern pop take on the sextet of women who were the wives of Henry VIII. 7:30 p.m. Tuesday-March 13; 2 p.m. Saturday. Segerstrom Center for the Arts, 300 Town Center Drive, Costa Mesa. scfta.org
THURSDAY Turning Points Guest conductor Dinis Sousa leads the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra in Huang Ruo’s “Tipping Point,” Schumann’s “Violin Concerto” with solo violinist Isabelle Faust, and Mendelssohn’s “Symphony No. 4,” a.k.a. the “Italian.” 7:30 p.m. Wednesday. The Wallis, 9390 N. Santa Monica Blvd., Beverly Hills; 7:30 p.m. March 6. Colburn School, Zipper Hall, 220 S. Grand Ave., downtown L.A. laco.org
Arts anywhere
Kevin Kline and Laura Linney in the series “American Classic” on MGM+.
(David Giesbrecht/MGM+)
American Classic The limited series (eight 30-minute episodes) stars Kevin Kline as an out-of-control Broadway star who returns to his Pennsylvania hometown. Featuring a fine supporting cast that includes Laura Linney, Jon Tenney, Tony Shalhoub and Len Cariou, Times TV critic Robert Lloyd calls the show “a love letter to theater, community and community theater.” Streaming on MGM+ (free 7-day trial available).
KUSC Local classical music fans know very well the treasure we have in Classical KUSC, one of the few all-classical music stations left on the planet. And, indeed, people from all over the world listen online. But what if you’re just “classical curious” and don’t know where to start? With round-the-clock programming, multiple specialized streaming channels devoted to movie scores, seasonal sounds and more, plus live concerts and knowledgeable hosts, this is the place for enjoyment, enlightenment and education. And remember, it’s listener-supported! If you can afford to give, please do. Listen at 98.7 FM and stream at kusc.org
The jacket of the book “True Color” by Kory Stamper.
(Knopf)
True Color Kory Stamper chronicles the life of I. H. Godlove, an eccentric scientist who infused the midcentury Merriam-Webster dictionary with a shockingly kaleidoscopic array of colors using only words. The worlds of color science, color psychology and color production provide a vivid backdrop for a journey across the 20th century. Knopf (March 31 release): 320 pp. $32
Culture news and the SoCal scene
People gather outside for pre-show drinks before Public Assembly theater’s show at the Women’s Twentieth Century Club on Thursday, Jan. 29, 2026, in Los Angeles.
(Carlin Stiehl / For The Times)
The roving company Public Assembly Theatre, which develops three one-act plays monthly in unconventional L.A. spaces, got an up-close look via a fascinating story by freelancer Emma Madden. Madden spent the better part of a month tracking the development process, read-throughs and final show, and tells the story of a tiny company that is making major waves with a Hollywood-weary crowd.
Freelancer Solvej Schou tells the difficult but ultimately uplifting story of an Altadena shop owner who closed twice during the last year: Once because of the Eaton fire, and again because of heavy flooding the following year. In the wake of all the trauma, the owner, Adriana Molina, hired a local muralist to paint a colorful outdoor mural of Altadena as a way to boost morale in the neighborhood.
Dalia Stasevska, a Ukranian-born conductor who is making her L.A. Opera debut with Philip Glass’ “Akhnaten,” poses for a portrait at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion.
(David Butow / For the Times)
The Ukrainian-born conductor Dalia Stasevska made her L.A. Opera debut last weekend, conducting Philip Glass’ opera “Akhnaten,” which runs through late March. Times freelancer Tim Greiving sat down with Stasevska to write an in-depth profile that delves into her early love of opera and classical music as well as her efforts to raise money for humanitarian aid in Ukraine.
Malia Mendez got the skinny on a Christie’s auction in New York that features the $1-billion guitar collection of the late businessman Jim Irsay. Items on the block included Kurt Cobain’s 1969 Fender Mustang and the Beatles drum head from the band’s legendary appearance on “The Ed Sullivan show.”
Artist Ulysses Jenkins is photographed at his studio in Inglewood on Tuesday, March 8, 2022.
(Christina House/Los Angeles Times)
Mendez also penned a lovely obituary for Ulysses Jenkins, a pioneer of Black experimental video who died last month at the age of 79.
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Chiura Obata, “Full Moon, Pasadena, California,” (1930) Verso, Asian American art
(The Huntington Library, Art Museum, and Botanical Gardens, Gift of the Obata Family)
The new theme for the fourth edition of the Getty’s PST ART has been announced. The 2030 survey will explore “the artistic and cultural exchange between Los Angeles and the Pacific Rim,” according to a news release. PST ART launched in 2011 and has since established itself as one of the region’s most timely and expansive art showcases — with participation from every corner of Southern California.
“PST ART is now an established and central part of Southern California’s cultural landscape, with each edition exploring key aspects of our past, present, and possible futures,” said Katherine E. Fleming, president and CEO of the J. Paul Getty Trust, in a statement. “With our large diasporic communities from around the Pacific Rim, Los Angeles is the perfect place to explore the far-reaching and varied impact of transpacific culture.”
Wizz Air has announced that it’s received approval to operate flights between the UK and USA with its first flights set to take off in the summer in time for the World Cup
The budget airline is better known for its Eastern European services but will soon be flying stateside(Image: Getty Images)
Budget airline Wizz Air has confirmed it now has “regulatory approval” to operate flights to the United States. The airline, who currently offer routes from the UK to destinations such as Poland, Turkey, Italy, and Romania, will offer the flights for football fans visiting the USA for the 2026 World Cup.
The airline confirmed it will now offer tailored charter flights to groups from teams to supporters and tour operators who are organising group travel to the USA. It confirmed that charter enquiries for summer travel are now open.
However, the airline also clarified that it has “no intention or plans to launch regular commercial flights to the US” but that “the new authorization represents a significant achievement and reflects months of preparation, regulatory coordination, and operational planning.”
So, while individuals won’t be able to book onto scheduled services, those who are travelling with large groups, organising a tour, or travellers looking for a private travel experience will be able to charter a transatlantic flight with Wizz Air.
Yvonne Moynihan, Managing Director of Wizz Air UK, said in a statement: “This is a proud and exciting day for everyone at our airline,” said . “Receiving approval to operate between the UK and the United States is a huge milestone for our company. It opens the door to incredible opportunities, particularly for European football teams and supporters travelling across the Atlantic this summer.
“We are ready to deliver exceptional charter experiences and bring fans closer to the action in the United States.”
England’s first fixture is set for June 17 at Dallas Stadium in Arlington, meaning many football fans are likely to descend on the Texas city to watch the big game. Its other group games are England vs Ghana, set for June 23 in Boston, and Panama vs England on June 27 in New York.
Scotland’s World Cup fixtures are set for June 14 when they take on Haiti in Boston, followed by another match in the city against Morocco on June 19. The team will then head to Miami for Scotland vs Brazil on June 24.
Wales and Northern Ireland are yet to secure their places in the World Cup as both teams are still in the qualifying stages. In addition to fixtures across the USA, some matches will also be held in Canada and Mexico who are joint hosts.
However, seeing the matches in person is likely to be an expensive undertaking. Tickets for group stage games range from $100 to $575 (about £75 to £431), although FIFA has announced a very limited number of £45 tickets to each game. A seat at the July 19 final, which will take place in New Jersey, will be especially costly. Tickets bought at face value range from $2,030 to $6,370, about £1,500 to £4,800, with resellers no doubt charging even more.
Have a story you want to share? Email us at webtravel@reachplc.com
Rodríguez and Burgum gave a joint press conference in Miraflores Palace. (AFP)
Caracas, March 5, 2026 (venezuelanalysis.com) – Venezuelan Acting President Delcy Rodríguez met Wednesday with US Interior Secretary Doug Burgum at the Miraflores Presidential Palace in Caracas to discuss a bilateral agenda focused on energy and mining.
Senior officials from both countries also attended a closed-door meeting, including US Chargé d’Affaires Laura Dogu and Venezuelan Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello. Rodríguez and Burgum later gave a joint press conference.
“We welcomed Burgum to address important aspects related to metallic, non-metallic, strategic and non-strategic minerals,” the acting president told reporters. “We want the Venezuelan people to see the advantage of having good relations with the world and with the United States.”
Rodríguez said that her economic team will soon present a proposal to the National Assembly to “expand” Venezuela’s Mining Law, urging lawmakers to reform it “swiftly” in order to showcase “investment and development opportunities in the mining sector” to both domestic and international business groups.
Venezuela’s current mining legislation was approved in 1999. Rodríguez noted that the government intends to replicate the “win-win formula” of the recent hydrocarbon reform approved on January 29, which introduced wide-reaching benefits for foreign capital in the oil sector.
Under the overhauled legislation, private operators get expanded control over operations, with limited parliamentary oversight and a reduced tax burden.
Rodríguez also thanked US President Donald Trump for a social media post praising the Venezuelan acting president for “doing a great job.” The Venezuelan leader highlighted the US government’s “kind disposition” to work on a “mutually beneficial” cooperation agenda.
For his part, Burgum said that Venezuela is “an extraordinarily rich nation” in oil, gas, and critical minerals, adding that the opportunities for collaboration between the two countries “have no limits.” He serves as chair of the US National Energy Dominance Council as well.
According to the senior White House official, who holds the natural resources portfolio, the potential cooperation could deliver something “truly remarkable” for both the Venezuelan and American people. Burgum’s delegation included representatives from over 20 US and Canadian mining companies, some of them with a past presence in Venezuela.
“These companies are ready to begin,” he said. “I know that [Acting President] Rodríguez, like President Trump, wants to cut bureaucratic red tape so this capital investment can start flowing.”
Among the companies represented in the visit were US firms Peabody Energy—the world’s largest private coal company—Hartree Partners, Orion CMC, Paulson & Co., and Caterpillar Inc., along with Canada’s Lundin Mining Corp and Singapore-based commodities trader Trafigura.
Canadian miner Gold Reserve also announced plans to return to the Caribbean nation and disclosed a 30-day US Treasury license to negotiate with Caracas.
According to Axios, US officials additionally negotiated a multimillion-dollar agreement with Venezuela’s state mining company Minerven to sell up to one metric ton of gold to the US market, currently valued at roughly $165 million.
The deal would require Minerven to supply between 650 and 1,000 kilograms of doré gold bars—a crude alloy of gold and silver with 50 to 90 percent purity—to Trafigura, which would transport the metal to US refineries. The transaction details were not disclosed, including whether Trafigura will deposit payment in US-run accounts in an arrangement similar to the one the Trump administration has imposed for Venezuelan oil exports.
Burgum is the fourth senior US official to visit Venezuela since the January 3 US military strikes and kidnapping of President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, National Assembly deputy Cilia Flores.
Earlier visits included US Southern Command chief Francis Donovan, CIA Director John Ratcliffe, and US Energy Secretary Chris Wright.
Venezuela possesses vast unexplored and proven mineral reserves, including significant gold, iron, bauxite, diamonds, nickel, and copper deposits. Coltan reserves have likewise been touted in recent years.
According to the International Center for Productive Investment (CIIP)—an agency attached to the Venezuelan vice presidency—the country holds the eighth-largest iron reserves in the world, estimated at 14.7 billion metric tons, as well as more than 321 million tons of bauxite, the raw material used to produce aluminum.
Regarding gold, the CIIP estimates that Venezuela may hold between 2,200 and 8,000 metric tons, which would place the country among the largest gold reserves globally.
Analysts have also highlighted the possibility of finding rare earth deposits in the South American country. The 17 elements have diverse applications in cutting-edge technology and advanced weapons systems. Washington is currently highly dependent on rare earth imports from China.
Death in Paradise detective Mervin Wilson was kidnapped in a cliffhanger after travelling to Antigua to visit his brother Solomon
Has Mervin Wilson been kidnapped?(Image: BBC)
In the latest episode of Death in Paradise, Detective Mervin Wilson (portrayed by Don Gilet) revealed he was taking a temporary leave from Saint Marie.
After cracking another case with his team, Mervin decided to take his colleague Naomi Thomas’s (played by Shantol Jackson) advice and travel to Antigua to visit his brother, Solomon (Daniel Ward).
Mervin’s relationship with his brother got off on the wrong foot when Solomon raided his shack and nicked his belongings. Following this incident, Solomon returned to Antigua, leaving Mervin uncertain if they would ever cross paths again.
However, towards the end of Friday’s episode, Mervin informed Naomi that he wouldn’t be at work the next day as he was heading for Antigua.
“DS Thomas, I am just letting you know I won’t be coming in tomorrow,” Mervin announced over the phone, reports the Express.
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“I am actually taking your advice as it goes, I am going to see Sol. Yeah, well, I mean, I don’t even know if he wants to see me, but hey, what is the worst that could happen?”
Immediately after, Naomi rushed to inform her colleagues, expressing worry about the detective.
“Sir,” Naomi said urgently, to which the Commissioner (Don Warrington) responded, “DS Thomas, what is it?”
“I think something has happened to the inspector,” she added.
The episode ended on a cliffhanger, with Mervin bound and kidnapped by an unknown assailant – but who could be responsible?
“What the hell is going on?” The detective demanded as he attempted to escape.
As he glanced up, it seemed Mervin recognised who his abductor was as he raged, “You!”
Death in Paradise is available to stream on BBCiPlayer.
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The Channel 4 show first kicked off in 2023 with Paddy McGuinness fronting the series.
19:35, 24 Feb 2026Updated 19:39, 24 Feb 2026
The Channel 4 show is returning(Image: 7+ Image)
There’s good news for fans of the smash-hit reality series Tempting Fortune as Channel 4 has announced a third instalment is on the way.
The series first started in 2023 and saw host Paddy McGuinness welcome 12 people to the remote wilderness as they embarked on an 18-day trek aiming to divide the £300,000 prize fund.
Along the way, their willpower will be put to the test as they’ll constantly be offered luxurious comforts, including mouth-watering treats, comfy beds and once-in-a-lifetime experiences.
Now, a fresh batch of contestants will have to trek through the Malaysian jungle armed with nothing but basic supplies and their own willpower.
The third series will be fronted by comedian Rob Beckett, who is taking over from the previous host, Paddy McGuinness.
Speaking about joining the show, Rob said: “Put people in the jungle, take away everything nice, then tempt them with hot showers and burgers. It’s hilarious.
“Everyone thinks they can resist temptation until they’re hot and filthy, and suddenly morals go out the window. I’m very happy to be hosting this show, especially from the comfort of a lovely crew hotel.”
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A synopsis for the series reads: “With big brands lining up to transport their products to the jungle to offer up comforting tastes of home, the temptations on offer are more tempting and more emotionally evocative than ever before.
“This new series promises more extreme conditions, more enticing temptations, and some dramatic new twists that will put even greater pressure on the shared cash pot.”
It’s not yet been announced when the third series will air.
Since the show began three years ago, it’s received nothing but praise from fans as one person on X said: “This is amazing #TemptingFortune.”
Someone else wrote: “Thoroughly enjoyed #TemptingFortune, what a great series and SO well made. Easily some of the best tv I’ve watched this year so far. From the brilliant cast, epic set builds and incredible filmmaking feats of the crew, production and producers on the ground.”
Series 1 & 2 of Tempting Fortune is available to watch on Channel 4.
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Mexican security forces have killed Nemesio Ruben Oseguera Cervantes, the notorious drug lord widely known as “El Mencho”, in a major military operation, the country’s Secretariat of National Defence confirmed.
The Mexican government said that seven members of Oseguera’s Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG) were killed in the raid in Tapalpa on Sunday.
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Reports of road blocking and violence by drug cartels emerged in Jalisco and other states after news of the operation became public.
“At this time, elements of the Mexican National Guard and Mexican Army troops from the centre of the country and states neighbouring Jalisco are mobilising to reinforce the security of this state,” the Defence Secretariat said in a statement.
“With these actions, the Secretariat of National Defence reaffirms its commitment to contributing to the strengthening of Mexico’s security.”
Oseguera, the leader of the powerful CJNG, one of Mexico’s most violent and dominant criminal organisations, spent decades evading justice.
Washington, which had a $15m reward for information leading to Oseguera’s arrest, was quick to laud the raid.
“I’ve just been informed that Mexican security forces have killed ‘El Mencho,’ one of the bloodiest and most ruthless drug kingpins,” US Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau said in a post on X, calling the operation “a great development for Mexico, the US, Latin America, and the world”.
Of the seven cartel members killed on Sunday, four had been injured but later succumbed to their wounds. Three others were arrested, according to the Secretariat of National Defence.
Three military personnel were wounded during the operation and hospitalised, according to the statement.
As news of the killing spread, cartel-linked violence erupted in response, with reports of roadblocks, burning vehicles, and other acts of intimidation in Jalisco and surrounding areas – tactics the CJNG has used in the past to disrupt security operations.
President Claudia Sheinbaum said her government was responding to the unrest, stressing that in the “vast majority of the national territory, activities are proceeding with complete normality”.
“There is absolute coordination with the governments of all states; we must remain informed and calm,” Sheinbaum wrote on X.
According to The New York Times, the violence erupted in at least five Mexican states, and the Spanish newspaper El Pais also reported “blockades” in central Mexico.
An Al Jazeera witness shared photos of a burned-out bus on a major highway in Guadalajara, the capital of Jalisco, which will host several matches in the upcoming FIFA World Cup.
The US Embassy in Mexico warned American citizens in Jalisco and other central states to stay at home until further notice due “to ongoing security operations, associated roadblocks and related criminal activity”.
Landau, the US diplomat, also expressed concern about the events. “It’s not surprising that the bad guys are responding with terror. But we must never lose our nerve,” he said.
While airports across Mexico remain operational, the US embassy later noted that “some domestic and international flights cancelled” in Guadalajara and Puerto Vallarta, a coastal city in Jalisco.
The Reuters news agency reported that several major airlines, including Air Canada and United, have temporarily halted flights to Puerto Vallarta.
Oseguera’s fall was a priority target for the US, and is the biggest blow to drug trafficking in recent years.
Oseguera had built an aura of mystery around himself, drawing on the overwhelming power of the CJNG and his limited media presence: All photos of him were decades old, according to Al Pais.
A damaged truck appears on a major highway in Guadalajara, February 22 [Al Jazeera]
Oseguera crossed over the border in the US several times in the late 80s, and lived illegally in San Francisco.
At the age of 19, he was arrested for the first time by local police for stolen property and carrying a loaded gun.
In 1989, he was arrested again and deported to Mexico. But he re-entered the US and was again arrested on drug charges in 1992 . He was prosecuted and sentenced to five years in prison after pleading guilty.
After spending three years in a federal US prison, El Mencho was released on parole and deported to Mexico, where he joined the local police.
A former police officer and avocado farmer, he rose through the ranks of the Milenio Cartel before founding the CJNG.
The FBI has described him as one of the most wanted fugitives in Mexico, and the CJNG as one of the most violent cartels in the country.
“It has been assessed to have the highest cocaine, heroin, and methamphetamine trafficking capacity in Mexico, and over the past few years, includes the trafficking of fentanyl into the United States,” the FBI said in a 2024 statement.
“Under Oseguera Cervantes’ leadership, CJNG has been responsible for many homicides against rival trafficking groups and Mexican law enforcement officers.”
WASHINGTON — President Trump on Friday lashed out at Supreme Court justices who struck down his tariffs agenda, calling them “fools” who made a “terrible, defective decision” that he plans to circumvent by imposing new levies in a different way.
In a defiant appearance at the White House, Trump told reporters that his administration will impose new tariffs by using alternative legal means. He cast the ruling as a technical, not permanent setback, for his trade policy, insisting that the “end result is going to get us more money.”
The president said he would instead impose an across-the-board 10% tariff on imports on global trade partners through an executive order.
The sharp response underscores how central tariffs have been to Trump’s economic and political identity. He portrayed the ruling as another example of institutional resistance to his “America First” agenda and pledged to continue fighting to hold on to his trade authority despite the ruling from the nation’s highest court.
Trump, however, said the ruling was “deeply disappointing” and called the justices who voted against his policy — including Justices Neil M. Gorsuch and Amy Coney Barrett, whom he nominated to the court — “fools” and “lap dogs.”
“I am ashamed of certain members of the court,” Trump told reporters. “Absolutely ashamed for not having the courage to do what’s right for our country.”
For years, Trump has insisted his tariffs policy is making the United States wealthier and giving his administration leverage to force better trade deals, even though the economic burden has often fallen on U.S. companies and consumers. On the campaign trail, he has turned to them again and again, casting sweeping levies as the economic engine for his administration’s second-term agenda.
Now, in the heat of an election year, the court’s decision scrambles that message.
The ruling from the nation’s highest court is a rude awakening for Trump at a time when his trade policies have already caused fractures among some Republicans and public polling shows a majority of Americans are increasingly concerned with the state of the economy.
Ahead of the November elections, Republicans have urged Trump to stay focused on an economic message to help them keep control of Congress. The president tried to do that on Thursday, telling a crowd in northwest Georgia that “without tariffs, this country would be in so much trouble.”
As Trump attacked the court, Democrats across the country celebrated the ruling — with some arguing there should be a mechanism in place to allow Americans to recoup money lost by the president’s trade policy.
“No Supreme Court decision can undo the massive damage that Trump’s chaotic tariffs have caused,” Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) wrote in a post on X. “The American people paid for these tariffs and the American people should get their money back.”
California Gov. Gavin Newsom called Trump’s tariffs an “illegal cash grab that drove up prices, hurt working families and wrecked longstanding global alliances.”
“Every dollar your administration unlawfully took needs to be immediately refunded — with interest,” Newsom, who is eyeing a 2028 presidential bid, wrote in a post on X addressed to Trump.
The president’s signature economic policy has long languished in the polls, and by a wide margin. Six in 10 Americans surveyed in a Pew Research poll this month said they do not support the tariff increases. Of that group, about 40% strongly disapproved. Just 37% surveyed said they supported the measures — 13% of whom expressed strong approval.
A majority of voters have opposed the policy since April, when Trump unveiled the far-reaching trade agenda, according to Pew.
The court decision lands as more than a policy setback to Trump’ s economic agenda.
It is also a rebuke of the governing style embraced by the president that has often treated Congress less as a partner and more as a body that can be bypassed by executive authority.
Trump has long tested the bounds of his executive authority, particularly on foreign policies, where he has heavily leaned on emergency and national security powers to impose tariffs and acts of war without congressional approval. In the court ruling, even some of his allies drew a bright line through that approach.
Gorsuch sided with the court’s liberals in striking down the tariffs policy. He wrote that while “it can be tempting to bypass Congress when some pressing problems arise,” the legislative branch should be taken into account with major policies, particularly those involving taxes and tariffs.
“In all, the legislative process helps ensure each of us has a stake in the laws that govern us and in the Nation’s future,” Gorsuch wrote. “For some today, the weight of those virtues is apparent. For others, it may not seem so obvious.”
He added: “But if history is any guide, the tables will turn and the day will come when those disappointed by today’s result will appreciate the legislative process for the bulwark of liberty it is.”
Trump said the court ruling prompted him to use his trade powers in different ways.
In December, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent asserted has the administration can replicate the tariff structure, or a similar structure, through alternative legal methods in the 1974 Trade Act and 1962 Trade Expansion Act.
“Now the court has given me the unquestioned right to ban all sort of things from coming into our country, to destroy foreign countries,” Trump said, as he lamented the court constraining his ability to “charge a fee.”
Donald Trump announces pledges to a Gaza reconstruction fund during the first meeting of his Board of Peace.
Donald Trump has told the first meeting of his Board of Peace that nine member nations have pledged $7bn to a reconstruction fund for the Gaza Strip, with five countries agreeing to deploy troops to an international stabilisation force for the Palestinian territory.
Addressing the board in a meeting in Washington, DC, on Thursday, the United States president said the US will make a contribution of $10bn to the Board of Peace, although he didn’t specify what the money will be used for.
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Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, the United Arab Emirates, Morocco, Bahrain, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Uzbekistan and Kuwait have raised an initial down payment for Gaza reconstruction, Trump said.
“Every dollar spent is an investment in stability and the hope of a new and harmonious [region],” said Trump. He added, “The Board of Peace is showing how a better future can be built right here in this room.”
The funds pledged, while significant, represent a fraction of the estimated $70bn needed to rebuild the Palestinian territory that has been decimated after more than two years of Israel’s genocidal war.
Proposed stabilisation force
Meanwhile, Indonesia, Morocco, Kazakhstan, Kosovo and Albania have pledged to send troops for the Gaza stabilisation force, part of Trump’s 20-point plan to end Israel’s war on Gaza. Egypt and Jordan have committed to training police officers.
Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto announced his country would contribute up to 8,000 troops to the proposed force “to make this peace work”.
The force, led by a US general with an Indonesian deputy, will start in the Israeli-controlled city of Rafah and train a new police force, eventually aiming to prepare 12,000 police and have 20,000 troops.
While the disarmament of Hamas was a part of Trump’s 20-point plan for Gaza, the group has been reluctant to hand over weaponry as Israel continues to carry out daily attacks on Gaza.
Hamas spokesperson Hazem Qassem said any international force must “monitor the ceasefire and prevent the [Israeli] occupation from continuing its aggression.” Disarmament could be discussed, he said, without directly committing to it.
Trump first proposed the board last September as part of his plan to end the war. But since the October “ceasefire”, Trump’s vision for the board has morphed, and he wants it to have an even more ambitious remit to tackle other conflicts worldwide.
The board has faced criticism for including Israeli representatives but not Palestinians.
Reporting from Gaza City, Al Jazeera’s Hani Mahmoud said that Palestinians want to see concrete solutions rather than pledges.
“Past experiences with conferences, with regard to reconstruction, with regard to the peace process, all ended up with large needs for funding that were delayed or [plans] that were not implemented,” he said.
“Palestinians don’t want to see this again; they don’t want to see the Board of Peace as another international body that falls into the category of crisis management rather than finding a tangible solution to this longstanding problem, the Palestinian problem,” Mahmoud noted.
More than 40 countries and the European Union confirmed they were sending officials to Thursday’s meeting. Germany, Italy, Norway, Switzerland and the United Kingdom are among more than a dozen countries that have not joined the board, but are taking part as observers.
Brendan Carr, the chair of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in the United States, has confirmed that the agency launched an investigation against ABC’s daytime talk show The View over a recent appearance by a politician.
In comments to reporters on Wednesday, Carr indicated the probe would examine whether The View violated a new interpretation of an “equal time” rule implemented under President Donald Trump.
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Fox News had been the first to report on the investigation in early February. The segment in question involves an appearance from Texas state Representative James Talarico, a Democrat who is vying for the US Senate.
The confirmation comes as Carr attempted to shut down claims that the government censored an interview between Talarico and late-night talk show host Stephen Colbert.
“There was no censorship here at all,” Carr said.
“Every single broadcaster in this country has an obligation to be responsible for the programming that they choose to air, and they’re responsible whether it complies with FCC rules or not, and it doesn’t, and those individual broadcasters are also going to have a potential liability.”
The controversy with Colbert likewise stems from the Trump administration’s decision to shift definitions under the “equal time” rule.
What is the ‘equal time’ rule?
The rule is part of section 315 of the 1934 Communications Act. Under that law, if a broadcaster allows one candidate for public office to use its facilities, it is required to “afford equal opportunities” to all other candidates in the same race.
But the law includes exceptions for “bona fide newscasts” and “bona fide news interviews”.
For nearly 20 years, talk shows and late-night comedy programmes were included in those categories.
In January, however, the FCC issued new guidance (PDF) that significantly narrows how it interprets the “bona fide news” exemption. In a memo, it described daytime talk shows and late-night comedy as “entertainment programs” that fall outside the exception.
“The FCC has not been presented with any evidence that the interview portion of any late night or daytime television talk show program on air presently would qualify for the bona fide news exemption,” the memo reads.
The commission also suggested that many such programmes are “motivated by partisan purposes” and are therefore not “bona fide” news.
The new interpretation of the “equal time” rule, the FCC argued, is designed to “ensure that no legally qualified candidate for office is unfairly given less access to the public airwaves than their opponent.”
Controversy with Colbert
That new interpretation came roaring into the spotlight on Monday, after a broadcast of the CBS comedy programme The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.
In one of his opening segments, Colbert alleged that the network lawyers barred him from airing a planned interview that night with Talarico.
“Let’s just call it what it is,” Colbert told his audience. “Donald Trump’s administration wants to silence anyone who says anything bad about Trump on TV, because all Trump does is watch TV. OK? He’s like a toddler with too much screen time.”
Trump has previously criticised both Colbert’s show and The View for what he considers a left-wing slant.
Instead of broadcasting his interview with Talarico on network television, Colbert instead posted the segment on the programme’s YouTube page, where it has gained more than 6 million views as of 3:30pm Eastern Time (20:30 GMT) on Wednesday.
According to Carr, Colbert’s show could have aired the Talarico interview if it had complied with the equal time rule.
That would have involved allowing other candidates in Texas vying for the Senate seat to come on the show. Carr also suggested that another solution could have been to restrict the broadcast in Texas.
But the FCC has continued to face criticisms for its actions. In Tuesday’s broadcast, Colbert addressed the issue a second time.
He read aloud a statement from his broadcast channel that read, in part, that The Late Show “was not prohibited by CBS from broadcasting the interview” and that it was instead “provided legal guidance that the broadcast could trigger the FCC equal-time rule”.
CBS added, in the statement, that Colbert could have invited onto the show Talarico’s rivals, including fellow Democrat Jasmine Crockett.
“I am well aware that we can book other guests,” Colbert responded. “I didn’t need to be presented with that option. I’ve had Jasmine Crockett on my show twice. I could prove that to you, but the network won’t let me show you her picture without including her opponents.”
Colbert has been a vocal critic of CBS’s parent company, Paramount Global, particularly after it settled a lawsuit last year with the Trump administration for $16m in the run-up to a critical merger for which it needed government approval.
Talarico, meanwhile, accused the FCC of censoring his interviews. Nevertheless, on Wednesday, he noted that the uptick in media attention from the scandal has helped him gather donations.
“Our campaign raised $2.5 million in 24 hours after the FCC banned our Colbert interview,” he wrote on social media.
Announcement follows multiple impeachment complaints against the vice president over allegations of corruption.
Published On 18 Feb 202618 Feb 2026
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Philippine Vice President Sara Duterte has said she intends to run for president in the upcoming 2028 election, following in the footsteps of her notorious father, ex-President Rodrigo Duterte, who is currently on trial at the International Criminal Court (ICC) for crimes against humanity.
“It took me 47 years to understand that my life was never meant to be only mine,” Sara Duterte said on Wednesday.
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“For a long time, I questioned the weight of responsibility to my family, to my country, to everyone who called on me,” Duterte said in a livestreamed address.
“I am Sara Duterte, and I am running for president in the Philippines,” she said.
Duterte also asked her followers for their “forgiveness” over her previous support for incumbent President Ferdinand Marcos Jr during the last presidential election.
The Philippines continues to struggle with rampant problems, from corruption to poverty and a cost-of-living crisis, she said.
“I cannot kneel before each and every Filipino to beg for forgiveness. Instead, I offer my life, my strength, and my future in the service of our nation,” she added.
Despite throwing her support behind Marcos’s election bid five years ago, Duterte and the president have since become bitter rivals, particularly following the launch of a corruption inquiry in 2024 into Duterte’s misuse of government funds.
Their relationship then soured further last year when Marcos signed off on the arrest of her father by the Philippine National Police and Interpol, acting on behalf of the ICC.
Duterte’s candidacy announcement comes during a difficult week for the vice president and her family. She is facing multiple impeachment complaints in the House of Representatives for alleged corruption and making a death threat against President Marcos.
Her father is also due to receive the confirmation of charges against him in The Hague, where he is accused of committing crimes against humanity as part of his so-called “war on drugs” while president of the Philippines between 2016 and 2022.
Cleve Arguelles, political scientist and CEO of the public opinion company WR Numero Research, said her father’s trial in The Hague has raised the stakes for the vice president and her family.
Arguelles said the announcement was likely designed to “freeze panic inside” her political faction “before it prematurely unravels”.
“When legal risk rises, so does the temptation to defect early to save one’s own skin,” Arguelles said.
“When the boat starts taking in water, some passengers look for lifeboats; others start pushing people overboard,” he said.
Trump made remarks about Venezuela on Friday outside the White House. (AFP)
Caracas, February 15, 2026 (venezuelanalysis.com) – US President Donald Trump is considering a visit to Venezuela, though he did not specify when the trip might take place or what agenda it would entail.
“I’m going to make a visit to Venezuela,” Trump told reporters outside the White House on Friday.
The US President addressed the press ahead of a trip to Fort Bragg, North Carolina, to meet soldiers who participated in the January 3 military attacks against Venezuela and the kidnapping of President Nicolás Maduro and First Lady Cilia Flores.
Questioned by a journalist, Trump stated that Washington recognizes the Venezuelan government led by Acting President Delcy Rodríguez as the country’s legitimate authority.
“We are dealing with them, and they have done a great job,” he stated. The White House refused comment on whether the recognition was the administration’s official stance.
In 2019, the first Trump administration recognized the self-proclaimed “interim government” headed by Juan Guaidó as the country’s legitimate authority, prompting the Maduro government to sever diplomatic ties. The US later transferred its recognition to the defunct opposition-controlled National Assembly whose term expired in January 2021.
Since the January 3 attacks, Caracas and Washington have fast-tracked a diplomatic rapprochement, with US Chargé d’Affaires Laura Dogu arriving in the Caribbean nation in early February. An official recognition of the Rodríguez acting government could pave the way for the restructuring of Venezuela’s sizable foreign debt.
In his Friday press remarks, Trump further described relations with Venezuelan leaders as being “as good as one could hope for,” and added that “the relationship with Venezuela today is a 10.”
Trump additionally highlighted progress in Venezuela’s oil sector.
“Oil is flowing, and other nations are paying a lot of money for it, and we are handling it. We are refining it,” he said. Since January, the White House has imposed control of Venezuelan oil exports, with proceeds deposited in bank accounts in Qatar before being partly rerouted to Caracas under US-set conditions.
Earlier last week, Venezuelan Acting President Delcy Rodríguez emphasized in an NBC interview that Maduro remains the country’s legitimate president. She also disclosed that she has spoken twice with Trump and has had “more frequent” contact with Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and expressed “gratitude” for the “respectful and courteous” nature of the talks.
Venezuela’s acting president went on to announce that she has likewise been invited to visit the US. “We are considering going once we establish cooperation and can move forward with everything,” she said.
The invitation reportedly arose during a recent visit to Caracas by US Energy Secretary Chris Wright, who was hosted by Rodríguez at Miraflores Palace on Wednesday.
Wright and Rodríguez later toured the Petroindependencia crude upgrader, a mixed venture between Venezuela’s state-owned PDVSA and Chevron, in the Orinoco Oil Belt.
The Trump administration official announced that Chevron would invest US $100 million to modernize operational facilities, with the goal of “doubling [Petroindependencia’s] productive capacity within 12 to 18 months and quintupling it within five years.” Petroindependencia has a current output of 40,000 barrels per day (bpd).
US issues new oil licenses
Following Wright’s Venezuela visit, the US Treasury Department issued two general licenses, 49 and 50, aimed at boosting conditions for Western multinational corporations to operate in Venezuela’s energy sector.
The first license allows for the negotiation and signing of future investment contracts, contingent upon the potential issuance of a specific license. The second waiver authorizes Chevron, BP, Eni, Shell, and Repsol to conduct transactions and operations related to hydrocarbon projects with PDVSA or any other Venezuelan public entity.
Repsol (Spain) and Eni (Italy), like Chevron, participate in oil and gas joint ventures in the South American country, whereas the UK-headquartered Shell and BP are set to lead offshore natural gas projects alongside Trinidad and Tobago’s National Gas Company (NGC) in Venezuelan waters.
However, GL50 requires that any contracts fall under US jurisdiction and mandates that all payments to “blocked” entities—as sanctions against PDVSA and Venezuela’s banking system remain in place—be made to accounts designated by the US Treasury.
It also explicitly prohibits transactions involving any person or entity linked to Russia, Iran, North Korea, Cuba, or China, as well as vessels sanctioned by Washington.
The Trump administration has loosened restrictions against the Venezuelan energy sector, including allowing the import of US diluents, inputs and technology, following a recent pro-business overhaul of the country’s Hydrocarbon Law. The reform granted expanded benefits for private corporations, including reduced fiscal responsibilities and expanded control over operations and sales.
Upon leaving Caracas, Energy Secretary Wright claimed that “structural reforms” would continue in Venezuela, with changes to “labor laws, the court system and the banking system.”
Edited and with additional reporting by Ricardo Vaz from Caracas.
