Venezuela’s vice president in Russia after U.S. operation

"Venezuela’s Vice President Delcy Rodríguez is currently in Russia following a U.S. attack on

Venezuela, Reuters reported, citing four sources familiar with her movements.
Three additional sources said her brother, Jorge Rodríguez, the head of Venezuela’s National Assembly, remains in the capital, Caracas.
Reuters noted that earlier on Jan. 3 — the same day reports emerged about Delcy Rodríguez’s presence in Russia — she appeared on state television calling for proof that President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, were alive. Jorge Rodríguez has not appeared publicly since the attack." NV

America’s Rivals Quietly Impressed By US Military After Maduro Capture

"In a striking on-air assessment that cut against the network’s usual tone, CNN reported that America’s top global rivals are quietly taking note of the U.S. military’s capabilities following the dramatic capture of Venezuelan strongman Nicolás Maduro.

During a segment on CNN, senior military analyst James Stavridis argued that while adversaries will loudly condemn the operation in public, the reality behind closed doors is far different.
“All three predictably will deplore this kind of activity publicly,” Stavridis said, referring to Russia, China, and Iran. “Privately, they will be impressed with the military capability here. I would argue none of those three militaries could have executed an operation like this.”
Stavridis added that this realization is not insignificant on the world stage. “That’s not a bad thought to pop up in Beijing, Moscow, and Tehran these days,” he said." TP

Venezuela will be governed by US until 'safe, proper, and judicious transition,' Trump says, as Maduro arrives at detention center

"Maduro arrived at a military base in New York around 5:30 p.m. local time and arrived at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn around 9 p.m.. He is being charged with narcoterrorism conspiracy, cocaine importation conspiracy, and possession of machineguns and destructive devices against the United States.
In a press conference on Jan. 3, Trump said that Venezuela will be governed by the U.S. until a "safe, proper, and judicious transition" could take place.

He noted that a second and "much larger" attack wave could take place and had been planned out, but likely won't have to happen anymore following the operation's success.
"All political and military figures in Venezuela should understand that what happened to Maduro can happen to them, and it will happen to them, if they aren't just, fair, and even to their people," Trump warned.
Venezuela’s Supreme Court late on Jan. 3 appointed Maduro's Vice President Delcy Rodriguez as the country's acting president.
Trump said that U.S. oil companies plan to now spend billions of dollars in Venezuela in order to fix the "badly broken" oil infrastructure and start making money for the country, with the eventual goal of selling "large amounts of oil" to other governments.
The administration's foreign policy decision in Venezuela were referred to by Trump as an example of following the Monroe Doctrine strategy and asserting U.S. dominance in the Western Hemisphere.
"Under the now deposed dictator Maduro, Venezuela was increasingly hosting foreign adversaries in our region and acquiring menacing offensive weapons that could threaten U.S. interests and lives, " Trump said.
"These actions were in violation of the core principles of American foreign policy dating back more than two centuries, from the Monroe Doctrine. They now call it the Donroe Doctrine." KI

5.0 Earthquake - Solomon Sea, 201 km southeast of Lolobau Island, Papua New Guinea

"A strong magnitude 5.0 earthquake occurred in the Solomon Sea 94 km (58 mi) from Papua
New Guinea in the morning at 8.25 am local time (GMT +10). The depth of the quake could not be determined, but is assumed to be shallow.

The quake was not felt (or at least not reported so)." VD

211 clashes along frontline

"211 combat clashes took place between Ukraine’s Defense Forces and Russian troops.
Air strikes targeted the settlements of Zaliznychne, Sviatopetrivka, Staroukrainka, Huliaipole, Varvarivka, Rizdvianka and Bilohiria in the Zaporizhzhia region.
Aircraft, missile troops and artillery of Ukraine’s Defense Forces struck three enemy concentration areas.
In the Northern Slobozhanshchyna and Kursk sectors, Russian forces carried out 72 shelling attacks on settlements and positions of Ukrainian troops.

In the Southern Slobozhanshchyna sector, the enemy attacked Ukrainian defensive positions 19 times near the settlements of Vovchansk, Starytsia, Prylipky, and toward Izbytske.
In the Kupiansk sector, Russian troops launched 14 attacks on the Ukrainian Defense Forces positions near Synkivka, Nova Kruhliakivka, and toward Kupiansk, Petropavlivka, Hlushkivka, Bohuslavka, Kucherivka and Kurylivka.
In the Lyman sector, the Russian invaders attacked 22 times, attempting to breach the defenses near Novoselivka, Myrne, Zarichne, Yampil, and toward the settlements of Olhivka, Ozerne, Drobysheve and Stavky.
In the Sloviansk sector, Ukrainian forces repelled four enemy offensive actions near the settlement of Dronivka and toward Zakitne and Nykyforivka.
In the Kramatorsk sector, the enemy did not conduct any offensive operations since the start of the day, the General Staff noted.
In the Kostiantynivka sector, Russian forces carried out 18 attacks near the settlements of Oleksandro-Shultyne, Pleshchiivka, Kleban-Byk, Shcherbynivka, Rusyn Yar, Sofiivka, and toward Ivanopillia, Berestok and Stepanivka.
In the Pokrovsk sector, Ukrainian defenders repelled 40 Russian assault actions near the settlements of Rodynske, Pokrovsk, Myrnohrad, Kotlyne, Udachne, Zatyshok, Filiia, and toward Bilytske, Serhiivka and Kucheriv Yar.
In the Oleksandrivka sector, Russian troops carried out 21 attacks near the settlements of Yalta, Vorone, Vyshneve, Solodke, Zlahoda, Rybne, as well as toward Sosnivka and Andriivka-Klevtsove.
In the Huliaipole sector, Ukrainian defenders stopped 36 enemy attempts to advance near the settlements of Huliaipole, Uspenivka and Dorozhnianka, as well as toward Dobropillia and Zelene.
In the Orikhiv sector, Russian forces attacked Ukrainian positions twice near Stepove and Novoandriivka.
In the Prydniprovske sector, Ukraine’s Defense Forces repelled two Russian attacks toward the Antonivskyi Bridge." Ukrin