US Kidnaps Venezuelan President And Wife

At 11:46 PM local time on Friday (03:46 GMT on Saturday), US President Donald Trump gave the green light to bomb Venezuela and kidnap President Nicolás Maduro (and his wife). 

Operation Absolute Resolve, carefully rehearsed for months, supposedly involved about 150 aircraft, taking off from 20 different airbases across the Western Hemisphere. US forces disabled Venezuela’s air defence systems, with Trump saying the “lights of Caracas were largely turned off due to a certain expertise that we have”, without elaborating. The Venezuelan government reported that US strikes hit Caracas as well as the states of Miranda, Aragua and La Guaira. 

US helicopters were said to have touched down at Maduro’s compound in the capital at 02:01 AM (06:01 GMT) on Saturday, and the president and his wife were forcibly taken. At 04:29 AM (08:29 GMT), just two and a half hours later, they were put on board the USS Iwo Jima, en route to New York. Trump later posted a photograph of the Venezuelan leader on his Truth Social social media platform, blindfolded, wearing a grey tracksuit.

While official casualty counts have yet to be released, a Venezuelan official told The New York Times newspaper on condition of anonymity that at least 40 people had been killed in the US attacks. 

Following Maduro's abduction, Trump says the US will run the country, including taking care of the country's oil infrastructure. 

[Note: It is unclear how Trump plans to oversee Venezuela. US forces have no control over the country itself, and Maduro's government appear not only to still be in charge but to have no appetite for cooperating with Washington].  

The latest episode has shown the US to brazenly disregard a country's sovereignty, blatantly dismiss international law, brashly violate the UN charter and boldly engage in “hegemonic acts”. This evil empire wreaks havoc around the world at will. And Trump is Sauron, the Dark Lord of Mordor! 

In fact, Armed Conflict Location & Event Data (or ACLED), the nonpartisan conflict monitor had asserted that the US carried out – or been a partner to – more than 622 overseas bombings in all, using drones or aircraft, since January 20, 2025, when Trump took office. The attacks contrast with his promise to voters to end US involvement in foreign conflicts. 

In 2025, the US had carried out military attacks against a total of seven countries, i.e., Nigeria, Somalia, Syria, Iran, Yemen, Iraq and of course, Venezuela.

A win against Fulham was Liverpool's sole objective yesterday. And they couldn't even manage that but instead, they produced a 2-2 draw and sharing the spoils in the Premier League. 

Former Liverpool man Harry Wilson fired Cottagers in front in the 17th minute. The Reds had to wait until the 57th minute before Florian Wirtz scored his second goal for the club from Conor Bradley‘s pass, despite looking offside. 

Liverpool thought they’d won it in stoppage time when Cody Gakpo netted at the back post, but Fulham rifled in an equaliser in the seventh minute of added time. 

Liverpool are now nine games unbeaten in all competitions, but they have not been convincing and the performances have been very uninspiring. During that run, the Reds have failed to beat Sunderland, Leeds (twice) and Fulham. 

Up next, a trip to the Emirates to face league leaders Arsenal on Thursday. If you must know, I don't have expectations.