THE OIL TRADE: As the government in Venezuela cracks down on dissent, arrests journalists, and independent armed militia patrol the streets, President Trump announced on his Truth Social last night that, “I am pleased to announce that the Interim Authorities in …

RUNNING MAN: Deposed Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores appeared in federal court in Manhattan yesterday and pleaded not guilty to narco-terrorism and other crimes just two days after they were scooped out of their country in a US …

RUNNING MAN: Two days after the precision military snatch and grab that brought Venezuela’s President Nicolás Maduro and his wife to the US on charges of terrorism and narco-trafficking, there’s little coherent word on what comes next for Venezuela.   Maduro is being held …

MADURO TOPPLED: US forces swept into Venezuela overnight, captured its President Nicolás Maduro, and flew him out of the country, President Trump announced. Maduro’s wife also was captured.   Video shows helicopters in the night sky and explosions on the ground in Caracas. …

NEW YEAR’S FIRE: About 40 people are believed to be dead and 115 injured after a rapidly spreading fire at a crowded bar in the popular Swiss ski resort town of Crans-Montana overnight on New Year’s Eve. Burn victims were flown …

MINNESOTA FREEZEOUT: The Trump administration announced that it is cutting off $185 million in childcare payments to Minnesota in the midst of a burgeoning corruption scandal rooted in the Somali immigrant community of that state. This comes just days after a …

THE WAR ROOM: The Russians say they are going to get tougher with Ukraine after an attempted drone attack on one of Vladimir Putin’s residences, which the Ukrainians deny. Ukraine accused Russia of inventing a pretext to avoid reaching a peace …

THE WAR ROOM: President Trump came away from a meeting in Florida yesterday with Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelensky reporting progress on a peace deal for the Ukraine war but admitting that “thorny issues” remain. He even said he would be willing to …

CHRISTMAS GIFTS: We are back:    President Trump went to war in Nigeria on Christmas day, sending US forces to bomb Islamic state targets to defend Christians he claims have been getting slaughtered by the Islamic militants. Trump posted on his Truth …

MERRY CHRISTMAS: It’s Christmas week and we’re off celebrating at least until Friday. Here’s a brief review for this morning. THE NEWSROOM: Some of the staff at CBS News’ “60 Minutes” is in an uproar after the networks new editorial boss yesterday …