The briefing for Monday, January 5.

Deposed Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro is set to make his first appearance Monday in Manhattan federal court on narco-terrorism charges, following his capture in a dramatic U.S. military operation early Saturday morning. The raid, dubbed 'Operation Absolute Resolve,' saw U.S. forces strike multiple targets in Caracas before extracting Maduro and his wife from their compound at Fuerte Tiuna military base. The couple now face drug trafficking and weapons charges that could result in life imprisonment. Cuba reported that 32 of its military and police officers were killed during the operation, which the Cuban government said violated international law.

The political situation in Venezuela remains uncertain despite Trump's assertion that the U.S. would 'run' the country temporarily. Venezuela's high court ordered Vice President Delcy Rodríguez to assume the role of interim president. While Trump initially said Rodríguez was 'gracious' and willing to cooperate, she later gave a televised address condemning the operation and maintaining Maduro's legitimacy. By Sunday, however, Rodríguez posted a conciliatory message on social media expressing hope to build 'respectful relations' with Trump. Secretary of State Marco Rubio clarified that the U.S. would not govern Venezuela day-to-day but would use control over the country's oil industry to press for policy changes.

The operation raises significant legal and constitutional questions. Maduro's lawyers are expected to argue he has immunity as a sovereign head of state, though legal experts note the U.S. doesn't recognize him as Venezuela's legitimate leader after disputed 2024 elections. Trump acted without congressional authorization, drawing criticism from some lawmakers who called it an 'act of war.' The president warned of additional strikes if interim President Rodríguez 'doesn't do what's right,' and suggested other nations in the region—including Colombia and Cuba—should 'watch out.' Opposition leader María Corina Machado, who won the Nobel Peace Prize for her pro-democracy work, declared 'the hour of freedom has arrived,' though Trump said she lacked the support to lead the country.

Protests sparked by Iran's collapsing economy have spread to over 170 locations across 25 of the country's 31 provinces, according to the U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency. At least 15 people have been killed and more than 580 arrested as demonstrations that began with merchants in Tehran have evolved into broader anti-government rallies. The unrest comes as Iran's rial currency has plummeted to approximately 1.4 million to the dollar, while annual inflation hovers around 40 percent. Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei responded Saturday by saying 'rioters must be put in their place.'

The economic crisis has been compounded by the return of U.N. sanctions in September following a devastating 12-day war with Israel in June that saw the U.S. bomb Iranian nuclear sites. Iran's network of regional allies—the so-called 'Axis of Resistance'—has been decimated, with Hamas crushed in Gaza, Hezbollah leadership eliminated in Lebanon, Syrian President Bashar Assad overthrown, and Yemen's Houthi rebels pounded by airstrikes. The protests began in December after Iran introduced higher prices for subsidized gasoline and announced plans to review fuel prices quarterly going forward.

President Donald Trump issued a stark warning to Tehran, stating that if Iran 'violently kills peaceful protesters,' the U.S. 'will come to their rescue'—a threat that took on new meaning after American forces captured Maduro. Iran has been enriching uranium to near weapons-grade levels and officials have increasingly threatened to pursue nuclear weapons, though Tehran insists its nuclear program is peaceful. The scope of the demonstrations remains difficult to assess due to limited reporting access and sparse state media coverage, but activists say the protests show no signs of stopping.

European and allied national security advisers visited Kyiv Saturday to discuss security guarantees and economic support ahead of crucial peace talks scheduled for this week in Paris. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said work on peace proposals can now accelerate after Ukraine shared all documents under discussion with 18 national security advisers. The meetings come as diplomatic efforts to end the nearly four-year war intensify under U.S. leadership, with representatives from Ukraine's General Staff and military sector set to meet Monday in Paris, followed by a Tuesday meeting of European leaders where Zelenskyy hopes security guarantee documents will be finalized.

The diplomatic push continues against a backdrop of ongoing violence. One person was killed and two others wounded, including a young child, when a Ukrainian drone struck a car in Russia's Belgorod border region on Sunday. In Ukraine, three people were wounded in drone strikes overnight in the Kharkiv region, while the death toll from a Russian missile attack on Kharkiv on Friday rose to four after two additional bodies were found under rubble. The latest attacks underscore the urgency of the peace negotiations, which will also include meetings with U.S. representatives in Paris, according to Zelenskyy.

South Korean President Lee Jae Myung arrived in Beijing Sunday for a pivotal meeting with Chinese leader Xi Jinping, marking the first visit by a South Korean leader since 2019. The summit, scheduled for Monday, aims to reset frayed relations with South Korea's largest trading partner and address regional security concerns, including Beijing's unofficial ban on Korean pop culture. Lee will attend a banquet hosted by Xi before meeting with Premier Li Qiang and parliament chairman Zhao Leji, followed by a trip to Shanghai where he plans to hold a memorial service for Korean independence activists who fought against Japanese colonial rule.

The timing of Lee's visit is significant as China and Japan remain locked in a diplomatic dispute over Taiwan. China escalated tensions after Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi suggested Tokyo could deploy its self-defense force if China attacked Taiwan, putting Seoul—a key U.S. ally—in an awkward diplomatic position. Experts say Lee is seeking assurances that China won't weaponize their economic relationship amid political tensions. South Korea's national security director Wi Sung-lac told reporters Friday that Seoul 'respects the One China policy,' while Lee emphasized that China is 'a very important cooperative partner in moving toward peace and unification on the Korean Peninsula.'

The visit also represents Xi's effort to find regional allies amid pressure from multiple fronts, according to analysts. Lee's predecessor, impeached ex-president Yoon Suk Yeol, had been highly critical of China, souring relations. While Lee plans to visit Japan later this month to meet Prime Minister Takaichi, he faces the challenge of balancing relationships with both Beijing and Tokyo—a diplomatic tightrope Seoul has long walked. North Korea fired ballistic missiles off its east coast Sunday, and Pyongyang's state news agency said Monday that the country test-fired hypersonic missiles following the U.S. capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, highlighting the complex security dynamics Lee must navigate.

Syrian government officials held talks Sunday with the commander of the main Kurdish-led force over plans to merge it with the national army, but state media reported no 'tangible results' were achieved. The meeting in Damascus included a delegation led by Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) commander Mazloum Abdi and addressed implementation of a March agreement requiring the SDF to merge with Syria's military. A major sticking point remains whether the SDF, which has tens of thousands of fighters and controls much of northeastern Syria, would remain a cohesive unit in the new army or be dissolved with members individually absorbed. The sides agreed to hold further meetings at a later date.

The March deal also stipulates that all border crossings with Iraq and Turkey, airports, and oil fields in the northeast would come under central government control, along with prisons holding approximately 9,000 suspected Islamic State members. However, Turkey—which enjoys wide influence in Syria—has opposed the SDF joining the army as a single unit. Ankara considers the SDF a terrorist organization due to its association with the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), though a peace process is now underway between Turkey and the PKK. Late December clashes erupted between security forces and SDF fighters in Aleppo during a visit by Turkey's foreign minister, highlighting ongoing tensions.

The negotiations occurred hours after three rockets struck a western Damascus neighborhood Sunday, damaging a mosque and a telecommunications center without causing casualties. State media called the attack 'random' without providing details on the source or responsibility. The lack of progress in Sunday's talks underscores the challenges facing interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa's government as it attempts to integrate various armed factions following decades of civil war and fragmented control across Syrian territory.