A report from the Reuters news agency on Saturday claimed that the United States is “poised to launch a new phase of Venezuela-related operations in the coming days.” Four US officials, who were contacted anonymous, were named in the report. According to two of the officials, “covert operations” will likely be the first step in this “new action” against Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.
Given that more than a month ago, US President Donald Trump himself declared that he had authorized the CIA to conduct covert operations in Venezuela, which is unusual since one doesn’t typically broadcast events that are supposed to be, um, secret, one would expect this to be surprising news.
Anyway, it’s no secret that the US has been operating a massive military presence in the area, with about 15, 000 US troops stationed there under the pretense of battling “narcoterrorism.” Trump has also ordered the bombing of what he claims are drug-trafficking boats in the Caribbean Sea as a result of his prejudicial presidency in the area since early September.
The strikes have produced little other than terrifying local fishermen, which is in violation of both international and US law.
Given the numerous opportunities the entire drug-war narrative offers for wreaking havoc on the world, militarizing the Western Hemisphere, criminalizing poor Americans, and other good things, the US has never met a , “war on drugs” it didn’t love.
Never mind that US financial institutions have long enjoyed profits from the global drug trade, as a claim in an article from The New York Times website.
It should come as no surprise that the president, who fought to keep the US out of wars and promptly bombed Iran, has now found another embarrassment in the process. The justification for aggression against Venezuela is illogical, as is customary in US imperial belligerence.
For instance, the Trump administration has tried to blame Maduro for the US fentanyl crisis. However, Venezuela doesn’t even produce the synthetic opioid in question, which is a minor issue.
Venezuelan drug cartels are focused on exporting cocaine to Europe, not fentanyl to the US, as NBC News and other less radical outlets have pointed out.
However, on November 13, US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth – pardon, US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth – took to X to assure his audience that the massive US military construction off the coast of Venezuela is a mission that “defends our Homeland, removes narco-terrorists from our Hemisphere, and secures our Homeland from the drugs that are killing our people” (see pardon, by wikipedia).
Of course, this administration was the same one that threatened to starve the poor by denying them essential food assistance, which suggests that “our people’s well-being isn’t really of the utmost concern.
In a nation where mass shootings  have become a way of life, take into account the fact that Trump cut federal funding for gun violence prevention programs. Massacres in elementary schools are obviously “killing our people” in a way that is unrelated to Venezuela.
But, isn’t it much fun to blame Maduro for everything, right?
Both the domestic pharmaceutical sector and poverty itself, in America, are major culprits (forget about opioids). None of these major crises, however, have erred from the valiant defenders of the homeland in any way.
Maduro has long been a thorn in the US empire’s side, like his predecessor Hugo Chavez, and this has contributed to the current campaign to discredit him as a “narcoterrorist” and allowing for regime change. Secretary of State Marco Rubio is known for being the primary architect of Washington’s war plans in Venezuela, and he is also a favorite target. Rubio is aiming to win the presidency in three years in Florida, where there are staunchly right-leaning Venezuelan and Cuban diaspora voters.
Two of the US officials consulted told the news agency that “the options under consideration included attempting to overthrow Maduro,” according to a Reuters report on the upcoming “Venezuela-related operations.” Rubio would join the long list of US politicians who have waged deadly wars abroad in an effort to win political favors abroad if the plans are successful.
Meanwhile, The Washington Post reported on Saturday that Maduro had been pressured by the White House by suggesting that US military aircraft drop leaflets over Caracas in a psychological exercise.
Sounds like something from an old Israeli military playbook, or at least a leaflet.
And such hemispheric recklessness won’t protect neither the US homeland nor anyone else’s as the Trump administration continues to pursue its not-so-covert plans for Venezuela.
Who: Everton vs. Manchester United What: English Premier League Where: Old Trafford, Manchester When: Monday at 8pm (20:00 GMT) How to follow: We’ll have all the build-up on Al Jazeera Sport from 5pm (17:00 GMT) in advance of our live text commentary stream.
Despite drawing draws against Spurs and Nottingham Forest in their previous two games, Manchester United host Everton and hope to extend their five-game unbeaten run under Ruben Amorim.
Recommended Stories
list of 4 itemsend of list
With a win, they could rise to the top four, thanks in large part to Bryan Mbeumo’s recent resurgence.
However, David Moyes will be more determined to achieve a result at his former club because Everton are only three points below Man United in a congested table.
Happy anniversary of Amorim
One year has passed since Amorim’s first game in charge, and Monday’s game at Old Trafford is no exception.
Amorim started his time as United manager with a 1-1 draw away at Ipswich, and the Portuguese boss has endured numerous disappointments as manager of the English football giants, including placing 15th in the table and failing to qualify for Europe.
However, recent results have been encouraging, and Amorim argued that consistency is essential.
“I was anticipating some issues, but I had the impression that this is the best league in the world, perhaps the best club,” he said.
The key is that it doesn’t matter what we did at the most recent games, he said, “I think we are showing]consistency.” We must remember that we suffered a lot during those games, and we must continue to play each and every game.
We are more dominant, playing better football, and more competitive overall.
Cunha attributes Brazil’s recent resurgence to the United resurgence.
Matheus Cunha, the man United forward, has credited the club’s revival under Amorim with allowing him to join Carlo Ancelotti’s Brazil squad ahead of the World Cup in North America in the coming year.
Cunha, 26, believes his fit for Amorim’s system as a hybrid attacking midfielder and forward has strengthened his case for inclusion in the World Cup.
It’s important to know that the manager [Amorim] has faith in me to play multiple positions, Caunha said.
He said, “Manchester United is a club that should always be at the top.” I’m happy to be playing for a team that delivers and excels in its matches. You must consistently demonstrate your worth at club level in order to be selected for a spot in the national team.
In the English Premier League seasons of 2025 and 2026, Cunha prospers under Amorim’s play.
Everton is currently rebuilding, according to Moyes.
Moyes’ second appointment as manager in January gave Everton a significant boost, with his side consistently rising in the table.
Moyes stated before the game against Man United that his team was working hard to find “solid ground,” but it would take time.
We’ve said it frequently that we’re attempting to reclaim the ground. With the new owners, new stadium, and last year’s stay, we’ve done that. Therefore, “we have to make sure that we stay steady,” he said.
“If anyone thought we were going to completely alter things, they’re completely off their head.”
Moyes continued, “I used to always look at the real managers from the eras before me who I look up to now – Bobby Robson, Brian Clough, Don Revie, all those players who had endured lengthy stays at their clubs, and it tended to work better that way.”
What transpired during Man United’s most recent EPL game?
In the sixth minute of a dramatic stoppage-time period, Matthijs de Ligt scored the winner for Manchester United at Tottenham Hotspur on November 8 to earn a 2-2 draw in the Premier League.
When Richarlison headed in a header in the first minute of added time, it appeared as though Tottenham would win all three points.
Before Tottenham goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario clawed the ball away, de Ligt found space at the back post and headed a header over the line.
Tottenham started the second half dominating after Mbeumo’s 32nd-minute header, and Mathys Tel’s substitute’s deflected header in the 84th gave them an equaliser.
De Ligt celebrates scoring the equalizer for Tottenham [Matthew Childs/Action Images via Reuters]
What transpired during Everton’s most recent EPL game?
Fulham fell to Everton 2-0 at home on November 8 just before the start of FIFA’s international window, putting an end to a three-game EPL winless streak that started on October 5.
In a spirited victory, Moyes’ side also had a number of goals scored for offside, including Idrissa Gueye’s first half lead, and Michael Keane’s second, which gave Everton the lead.
Everton goalkeeper Gueye celebrates scoring against Fulham [Carl Recine/Getty Images]
Last six matches in a row: head-to-head
With four victories and two draws, United have lost to Everton in their previous six games.
The last preseason friendly between the two teams took place two weeks before the 2025-2026 English Premier League season kicked off:
Everton 2-2 at Manchester United on August 4
Manchester United 2-2 at Everton on February 2
Everton 4-0 at Manchester United on December 1
Manchester United 2-0 Everton (March 9, 2024)
Everton 0-3 Manchester United (November 26, 2023)
Manchester United 2-0 Everton (April 8, 2023)
The last five Premier League games, form guide
Manchester United: W-W-W-D-D (last result last)
Everton: W-L-L-D-W
news from United’s team
After hurting his knee before the international break, Benjamin Sesko will be out of action for a few weeks, according to Amorim on Friday.
The Slovenian international, who moved to United from RB Leipzig for 74 million pounds ($97m) in August, was injured during the 2-2 draw at Tottenham and missed Slovenia’s World Cup qualifiers.
After the Spurs drew with Harry Maguire, United will also be without the defender.
Kobbie Mainoo could face Everton, and Lisandro Martinez is making more of a comeback after spending time with the Argentina camp over the break.
Cunha also missed a Christmas lights switch-on event in Altrincham after being revealed he had an “accident in training” on Saturday, leaving doubts about his availability on Monday.
United’s starting lineup was anticipated
Lammens, Yoro, de Ligt, Shaw, Mazraoui, Casemiro, Fernandes, Dorgu, Mbeumo, Diallo, Zirkzee, and others.
Team news from Everton
The central midfielder, according to Moyes, had a hernia operation and is not expected to make a few weeks’ return.
Nathan Patterson and Jarrad Branthwaite are also missing due to groin and hamstring injuries, respectively.
Otherwise, Moyes appears to have a squad that is all-fit to choose from.
A Christian organization monitoring the incident claims that at least 50 of the more than 300 students who were kidnapped by gunmen from a Catholic school in Nigeria have escaped their captors.
In one of the largest mass kidnappings in the nation’s history, the gunmen stormed Saint Mary’s Catholic School in north-central Nigeria on Friday, bringing 303 students and 12 teachers to the school.
Recommended Stories
list of 4 itemsend of list
The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) said the 50 pupils who fled between Friday and Saturday were safe and had been reunited with their families in a statement released on Sunday.
Reverend Bulus Dauwa Yohanna, CAN’s chairman in Niger State, said in the statement, “I urge you all to continue in your prayers for the rescue and safe return of the remaining victims.”
(Al Jazeera)
Just four days prior to the Catholic school’s abduction, armed men kidnapped 25 schoolgirls and killed the vice-principal of the school in northwest Nigeria.
The incident occurred in Maga, a town in the nearby Kebbi State community, about 170 kilometers (106 miles) away from the attack on Monday. 24 more girls are still missing, compared to 24 who have since escaped and returned safely.
No one has yet claimed responsibility for the attacks, and neither party’s identity has been revealed in either case.
With police, military, and even local hunters present, regional authorities and security organizations have launched search-and-rescue operations in nearby forests and along escape routes.
The abduction of children and their educators was deemed a “brutal and grave violation of children’s rights” by the UNICEF, which called for their immediate release.
President Donald Trump has threatened military action against Nigeria over what he has described as “targeted killings of the country’s Christians,” a claim that has drawn the support of several prominent right-wing and Christian evangelical figures in the US.
US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth claimed to have met with Nigeria’s Nuhu Ribadu and his team a day prior to a social media post on Friday to discuss what Hegseth described as “the horrifying violence against Christians in their country.”
Hegseth stated that his organization is “working fervently with Nigeria to put an end to jihadist terrorists’ persecution of Christians.”
Guinea-Bissau has a number of voting locations, including one where President Umaro Sissoco Embalo is vying for a rare second term in office despite the opposition’s fierce opposition backlash, and where the government has been plagued by numerous coup attempts.
In a region where military rule has been undermined by military rulers who have taken control of the country by force over the past few years, hundreds of thousands are expected to cast ballots on Sunday.
Recommended Stories
list of 4 itemsend of list
A run-off election will be held unless the winner receives more than 50% of the votes. The 2.2 million people who live in the country are registered to vote.
The president and Fernando Dias da Costa, a less well-known 47-year-old man who is supported by former prime minister Domingos Simoes Pereira, are the two candidates who are in the running for president, according to sources.
The leader of the African Party for the Independence of Guinea and Cape Verde in the 2019 presidential election, Pereira, is the leader of the opposition, but the politician and the opposition party are prohibited from participating in Sunday’s election.
Embalo, a 53-year-old former army general, has been in office since February 2020. Between November 2016 and January 2018, he served as prime minister.
Umaro Sissoco Embalo, president of Guinea-Bissau, speaks to the media after casting his ballot in a Gabu voting center [Patrick Meinhardt/AFP]
The barred opposition claims Embalo’s term should have come to an end earlier this year and that its terms should have been extended until early September. The election was postponed until November.
Embalo dissolved the parliament, which had been largely ruled by opposition candidates in 2019 and 2023 legislative elections, and has not allowed it to convene since December 2023.
He has also promised to improve the infrastructure of the tiny nation and, among other things, modernize its main airport.
The World Bank claims that Guinea-Bissau’s half-population is still considered poor, making it one of the impoverished nations in the world.
Since gaining its independence from Portugal more than 50 years ago, the nation has gone through numerous coups and attempted coups.
In Geneva, senior US officials are negotiating with Ukrainian and European diplomats about US President Donald Trump’s peace plan, which would end the nearly four-year-old conflict between Russia and Ukraine.
But the so-called 28-point plan pushed by the Trump administration has alarmed Ukraine and its European allies, who see it as a capitulation to Russian demands, particularly territorial concessions and limits on the size of Ukraine’s military.
Trump had set a November 27 deadline for Ukraine to accept his peace plan, but after European leaders complained, Washington appears to have softened its position, with Trump claiming that the plan was not an “final offer” for Ukraine.
This will likely create some wriggle room for diplomacy at the high-stakes talks in Geneva, Switzerland.
Why, then, do the draft plan’s supporters in Europe object to it? Who’s participating? What is planned for Geneva? And does the plan favour Moscow?
Before a meeting at the G20 Leaders’ Summit in Johannesburg, South Africa, on November 22, 2025, speak British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, French Prime Minister Emmanuel Macron, and Finnish President Alexander Stubb.
What’s on the agenda at the US-Ukraine talks in Geneva?
The discussions aim to achieve a balance between Kyiv and its European allies, who want Kyiv’s long-term security interests safeguarded.
Representatives from Ukraine, Germany, France, the United Kingdom, and the European Union will join top US officials, including US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, to discuss how to end the war – Europe’s deadliest since World War II. Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the president of Ukraine, has stated that there will also be Russian presence.
The talks, Al Jazeera’s Hashem Ahelbarra said, “could be the most decisive moment for Ukraine”.
According to Ahelbarra, who is based in Geneva, “the nature of the 28-plan drafted by the Americans piqued the interest of Ukrainians and Europeans a great deal.”
“The concerns are about the territorial concessions: We’re talking about Luhansk, Donetsk and Crimea, which the Ukrainians, as per the plan, have to give up in exchange for the potential of a permanent deal with Russia. Particularly in Kherson and Zaporizhia, they must freeze the front lines.
” The third element is the reduction of the capacity of the Ukrainian armed forces from 900, 000 soldiers to 600, 000, and this is widely perceived by the Ukrainians as a major concession they cannot afford to make, “Ahelbarra said.
Zelenskyy stated in a message on X on Sunday that he hopes the outcome will be “a result.”
” The bloodshed must be stopped, and we must ensure that the war is never reignited, “the Ukrainian leader said”. I’m eagerly anticipating today’s discussions’ outcomes and wishing everyone a positive day. We all need a positive outcome. “
Who is speaking at the talks?
The US’s Rubio and Witkoff are leading the Geneva talks, which will also include US Army Secretary Daniel Driscoll.
Nine Ukrainian officials, including president-elect Andriy Yermak’s representative and top envoy Rustem Umerov, who have been given the authority to deal directly with Russia by the president, are present for the discussions.
National security advisers from the E3 alliance of France, Britain and Germany will also join the discussions, alongside other officials from the EU, including Italy.
As the Trump administration calls the military alliance between the US and Western Europe into question, Mark Rutte (second from right) and Mark Rutte (second from right) meet in Washington, DC’s Oval Office on March 13, 2025.
Why are European leaders raising concerns about Trump’s peace plan?
The current peace plan, according to Ukraine’s European allies, does not address its security concerns. They say Russia cannot be rewarded with territory for invading Ukraine.
Ursula von der Leyen, president of the European Commission, stated on Sunday that “any credible and sustainable peace plan should first and foremost stop the killing and end the war, while avoiding causing a future conflict.”
She spelled out three elements required for a just and lasting peace, stating that borders should not be changed by force, that there should not be a cap on Ukraine’s military, and that the EU should be central to securing peace for Ukraine.
Ukraine must be free to make their own decisions. They have chosen a European destiny, “von der Leyen said.
European and other Western leaders criticized Trump’s plan on the sidelines of the Group of 20 (G20) summit in Johannesburg, South Africa on Saturday, saying it needed “more work.”
” We are ready to engage in order to ensure that a future peace is sustainable. The UK, Canada, Finland, France, Spain, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, Germany, Norway, and the Republic of Ireland all agreed on the principle that borders must not be changed by force.
The statement noted that the allies were” concerned by the proposed limitations on Ukraine’s armed forces, which would leave Ukraine vulnerable to future attack”, adding that any decisions regarding NATO and the EU would require the consent of member states.
In February of this year, Russia invaded Ukraine and has since taken control of the eastern Donetsk and Luhansk regions. Moscow had annexed the Crimean Peninsula in 2014.
Crimea, Luhansk, and Donetsk will be de facto Russian territory, according to Trump’s proposed strategy. Ukrainian forces will be required to withdraw from parts of Donetsk that they currently control, while Kherson and Zaporizhia will be frozen along the line of contact.
In addition, the proposed plan would require Ukraine to reduce its military and abandon its plans to join NATO, which had previously been a major sticking point. The size of the Ukrainian armed forces will be limited to 600, 000 personnel.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz stated in a lengthy phone call with Trump that any peace process must involve Europe.
” An end to the war can only be achieved with the unconditional consent of Ukraine, “Merz said during the G20 summit briefing”. However, we still have a way to go before the outcome is satisfactory for everyone.
Von der Leyen noted that a key principle for Kyiv’s European allies was” nothing about Ukraine without Ukraine”.
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer stated in a press release before the G20 summit that “Russia consistently pretends to be serious about peace, but their actions never live up to their words.”
French President Emmanuel Macron said on Saturday that Russia would” betray “its promise and” come back “if there are no elements of deterrence and if Ukraine were to cut its army size and follow Trump’s plan.
Macron praised US efforts to end world war, but stated that the current proposal “must be strengthened” and that Ukraine must never be left vulnerable.
Macron wrote”, Everyone wants peace – except Russia, which continues to stubbornly bomb Ukraine”, adding that support for Ukraine was” decisive”.
Kaja Kallas, the EU’s foreign policy representative, said that Russia has no legal right to demand any concessions from the invader.
But US Vice President JD Vance has rebuked criticism of the peace plan.
The vice president posted on X on Saturday, “There is a fantasy that victory is possible if we just give more money, more weapons, or more sanctions.” Peace won’t be made by failed diplomats or politicians living in a fantasy land. It might be created by knowledgeable individuals who practice reality.
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy delivers a video address to the nation in Kyiv, Ukraine on November 21, 2025]Press Service Of The President Of Ukraine via AP]
What has Zelenskyy’s plan been discussed in Ukraine?
Zelenskyy said that Ukraine was trying to defend its sovereignty while retaining the support of its most important ally, the United States. If Zelenskyy rejected the proposal, Trump had said that he could “fight his little heart out.”
” Now is one of the most difficult moments of our history. One of the heaviest pressures is currently being applied to Ukraine. Now, Ukraine can face a very difficult choice — either losing dignity or risk losing a major partner, “Zelenskky said.
Zelenskyy stated in a 10-minute speech outside the presidential palace that Kyiv would be “without freedom, dignity, and justice” if his nation implements the proposed plan.
Accepting the plan, which has been widely viewed as favouring Moscow, would also mean believing” someone who has already attacked us twice”, said Zelenskyy.
The president of Ukraine said, “I will present arguments, I will persuade, I will make alternatives,” adding that they would do so. He then referred to the Russian invasion in February 2022, saying:” We did not betray Ukraine then, we will not do so now. “
Zelenskyy stated on Sunday that Ukraine’s top priority is to “work as constructively as possible on the steps suggested by the United States.”
” We are working to ensure that the path toward ending the war is real and that the principled elements are put into action, “he said after a call with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney.
Does Trump’s peace strategy favor Moscow?
European leaders are concerned that Trump’s proposal heavily favours Russia, which has been seeking to control all of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions. Despite gradually gaining ground on the battlefronts, Moscow currently controls some of that territory.
A group of US senators said on Saturday that they were told by Rubio, who is also Trump’s national security adviser, that the widely leaked draft peace plan did not reflect the US position, but was a Russian” wish list”.
At a security conference in Canada, Senator Mike Rounds, a Republican from South Dakota, said, “It looked more like it was written in Russian.”
However, Rubio denied the assertions, insisting that the plan was” authored by the US “and it was” based on input “from both Russia and Ukraine.
Rounds claimed that he had been assured that “someone representing Russia” would present the plan to Witkoff, Trump’s overseas envoy. The senator continued:” It is not our recommendation. Not as our peace strategy.
Later, a US Department of State spokesperson said Rounds’s account of his conversation with Rubio was” blatantly false”.
Vladimir Putin, the president of Russia, claimed that Washington’s 28-point plan “could lay the groundwork for a final peace agreement.”
Putin also threatened to seize more territory if Ukraine does not accept the proposal, warning that the reported capture of the Ukrainian city of Kupiansk” will inevitably be repeated in other key areas of the front line”.
According to journalist Audrey MacAlpine, who spoke from Kyiv, Russia has been gaining ground in areas of Ukraine where the peace proposal would give it territory along the line of contact.
She told Al Jazeera that Moscow had carried out overnight attacks on Kherson and Zaporizhia, two regions where Russia would gain de facto control under the 28-point plan being discussed in Geneva.
No doubt that Russia is working hard to improve these particular regions, and she was right. They’ve been making slow but concerted gains. “
On March 13, 2025, US President Donald Trump and NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte meet in the White House’s Oval Office in Washington, DC.
Is Trump likely to seal the peace deal this time?
We are still unsure.
During his presidential campaign leading up to the 2024 US election, Trump claimed that he could end Russia’s war on Ukraine within a day. Despite Washington’s diplomatic pressure, a deal remained elusive.
Since returning to power for a second term in January, Trump has made resolving foreign conflicts central to US foreign policy. He claimed to have helped put an end to a number of wars, including the India-Pakistan war, the Thailand-Cambodia war, and Israel’s genocidal war against Gaza. Trump even asked for a Nobel Peace Prize for stopping wars.
Despite holding a summit with Putin in Alaska in August, he has struggled to put an end to the Russian-Ukraine conflict.
Trump’s first meeting with Zelenskyy ended in acrimony back in February. Since the White House meeting in February, the US president has made up with the Ukrainian leader. But his attempt to organise a meeting between Putin and Zelenskyy has not materialised.
Trump threatened Russia with severe consequences if Putin vowed to end the conflict in August. He even announced sanctions on Moscow to force it to end the war. He also imposed high tariffs on India for purchasing Russian oil, which he claimed was used to fund Moscow’s war effort.
As the talks were under way in Geneva on Sunday, Trump again took aim at Ukraine, saying Kyiv has not been grateful for American efforts related to the war with Russia.
Gregory Gause, a golf expert, explains what Riyadh and Washington want from Saudi Arabia.
According to political scientist Gregory Gause, professor emeritus of international affairs at Texas A&, M University, Donald Trump “looks at Saudi Arabia like a piggy bank or an ATM machine.” This is because the recent Saudi-US summit focused on deals rather than strategic regional issues like Sudan, Palestine, Iran, and Syria.
If Riyadh can secure a joint AI data center, Gause claims, “that’s the best guarantee of US security.”
