A PDVSA worker of the state-owned oil company carries a cutout of former President Nicolas Maduro dressed as an oil worker during a rally, January 29, 2026
THOUSANDS marched in Caracas on Thursday demanding the return of the country’s kidnapped president and his wife.
President Nicolas Maduro and First Lady Cilia Flores were abducted by US forces on January 3 in an overnight raid that saw 83 people, 32 of them Cuban soldiers, killed.
The demonstration, called by the ruling United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV), called for “respect for our sovereignty and the immediate release of the presidential couple.”
It followed a briefing to the US Senate by Washington’s Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Wednesday, in which he threatened Venezuela with further attacks should it defy US instructions.
PSUV mobilisation secretary Nahum Fernandez declared: “We denounce their vile kidnapping and tell the world: we want them back! Maduro, hold on! The people support you!”
Mr Fernandez said the PSUV was consulting “social movements, political organisations, grassroots leaders and the people” with an aim toward “permanent mobilisation” against external threats.
Donald Fuhrump says that Amerikkka doesn’t bother with crimes or charges anymore, not being 100% Amerikkkan and opposing his real estate intentions is enough.Elon Musk urges you to be a Fascist like him, says that you can ignore facts and reality then.
This work by Middle East Monitor is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
Flags of Israel and Saudi Arabia
Defense and intelligence officials from Israel and Saudi Arabia are visiting the US this week to discuss Iran amid a US military buildup in the region, Axios reported Thursday, citing sources.
Gen. Shlomi Binder, the head of Israel’s military intelligence, conducted a series of high-level consultations on Tuesday and Wednesday with top leadership at the Pentagon, the CIA, and the White House, according to two American officials.
The general’s visit was said to be centered on delivering specific intelligence requested by the Trump administration, including data on potential strike targets within Iran.
In contrast, Saudi Defense Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman is expected to emphasize diplomatic avenues during his Thursday and Friday meetings with Secretary of State Marco Rubio, envoy Steve Witkoff and Defense Department officials.
Saudi Arabia, who have been passing messages between Washington and Tehran, said earlier it would not allow the US to use its airspace in any attack.
The diplomatic friction occurs as the USS Abraham Lincoln carrier strike group arrives to finalize a naval “armada” that President Donald Trump recently claimed is “bigger than” the force previously deployed toward Venezuela.
“The directive at the moment is to prepare,” a US official noted, suggesting that the president is rapidly approaching a final decision regarding military action.
Neither sides has provided a public information regarding the ongoing meetings reported by the news outlet.
Trump has called on Iran to make a deal on its nuclear program before it is too late, warning that this time the attack would be “far worse.” The US had bombed three Iranian nuclear sites in June 2025 during Tehran’s 12-day war with Israel.
Iran says its civil nuclear program is for peaceful purposes, but the West argues it is developing a nuclear weapon. The US has also expressed concerns over Iran’s ballistic missile program.
The developments come amid recent unrest and protests in Iran over worsening economic conditions due to a sharp depreciation in the local currency.
This work by Middle East Monitor is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
Genocide denier and Current UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer is quoted that he supports Zionism without qualification. He also confirms that UK air force support has been essential in Israel’s mass-murdering genocide. Includes URLs https://www.declassifieduk.org/keir-starmers-100-spy-flights-over-gaza-in-support-of-israel/ and https://youtu.be/O74hZCKKdpAKeir Starmer objects to criticism of the IDF. He asks how could anyone object to them starving people to death, forced marches like the Nazis did, bombing Gaza’s hospitals and universities, mass-murdering journalists, healthworkers and starving people queuing for food, killing and raping prisoners and murdering children. He calls for people to stop obstructing his genocide for Israel.Orcas discuss Genocide-supporting and complicit Zionists. Donald Trump, Keith Starmer, David Lammy, Rachel Reeves, Angela Rayner and Wes Streeting are acknowledged as evil genocide-complicit and supporting cnuts.
This work by Middle East Monitor is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
A view of a street as displaced Palestinians struggle to maintain their daily lives amid the rubble left behind by Israeli attacks in Gaza City, Gaza on January 26, 2026. [Saeed M. M. T. Jaras – Anadolu Agency]
The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) warned on Tuesday that despite a modest increase in humanitarian assistance, humanitarian conditions in the Gaza Strip remain dire for hundreds of thousands of families in need.
OCHA said more than one million people urgently need shelter support due to widespread destruction and a severe lack of basic resources.
The office stressed the need for sustainable solutions to meet people’s needs, including tools to repair damaged homes, materials to set up shared heated shelters, and equipment to remove rubble.
“The office and its humanitarian partners reached more than 7,500 families with tents, tarpaulins, sealing-off kits, mattresses and blankets, and child protection partners delivered winter clothes to some 1,400 children across the strip,” OCHA said.
The UN office added the United Nations and its partners provide daily bread to at least 43 per cent of Gaza’s population, either free of charge or at subsidised prices of less than one US dollar for a two-kilogram pack. This support is provided alongside monthly wheat flour distributions, with food assistance this month reaching about 1.2 million people.