International
US Charges Venezuela’s President Nicolás Maduro With Narco-Terrorism
US Charges Venezuela’s President Nicolás Maduro With Narco-Terrorism
The United States Department of Justice has formally charged Venezuela’s President Nicolás Maduro with narco-terrorism, cocaine trafficking, and illegal possession of machineguns and destructive devices against the United States, following his reported arrest in a military-backed operation ordered by US President Donald Trump.
In a statement posted on X on Saturday, US Attorney-General Pamela Bondi announced that Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, had been indicted in the Southern District of New York. Bondi said the suspects would be brought to the United States to face trial, praising President Trump for insisting on accountability and commending US forces involved in the operation.
Earlier, President Trump disclosed on his Truth Social account that US forces had captured Maduro and removed him from Venezuela after what he described as a large-scale US strike.
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“The United States of America has successfully carried out a large-scale strike against Venezuela and its leader, President Nicolás Maduro, who has been, along with his wife, captured and flown out of the country,” Trump wrote, adding that the mission was conducted alongside US law enforcement agencies.
Trump’s announcement followed reports of multiple explosions in Caracas and other parts of Venezuela in the early hours of Saturday. CNN reported that several blasts were heard around 1:50 a.m. local time, accompanied by power outages and the sound of aircraft overhead.
Reacting, the Venezuelan government accused the United States of carrying out a “grave military aggression” against Caracas and the states of Miranda, Aragua and La Guaira. Authorities said President Maduro had signed a state of emergency declaration and ordered the activation of national defence plans.
The government also announced plans to file complaints before the United Nations Security Council and other international bodies, seeking global condemnation of the alleged attack.
The development comes amid a recent increase in US military presence in the Caribbean, part of Washington’s broader efforts targeting alleged drug trafficking networks linked to Venezuela.
US Charges Venezuela’s President Nicolás Maduro With Narco-Terrorism
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International
Trump Tells Supporters to ‘Cheat Like Hell’ Ahead of US Election
Trump Tells Supporters to ‘Cheat Like Hell’ Ahead of US Election
US President Donald Trump has made an unusual appeal to his supporters ahead of the November 3 election, telling them to turn out with their families and friends while declaring that he would “cheat like hell.”
Trump made the comments during a Republican gathering in Dallas, Texas, where he led attendees through a mock pledge intended to encourage them to support him and participate in the election.
After asking the crowd to raise their right hands and repeat after him, Trump urged his supporters to help bring their relatives and friends to the polls.
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He then made the controversial remark while discussing voter registration, saying he was unconcerned about whether he was registered and accusing his political opponents of being bigger “cheaters.”
Trump went on to encourage supporters to vote either on November 3 or before election day, ending the pledge with an appeal to God.
The president also joked that supporters who failed to vote could face divine punishment, telling the crowd they would “go to hell” if they did not turn out.
The remarks came as Trump sought to energise Republican voters ahead of the election, in which control of Congress is also at stake.
His comments are likely to attract attention because of the language he used during an event aimed at mobilising voters, particularly his reference to cheating and his claims about the conduct of his opponents.
Trump Tells Supporters to ‘Cheat Like Hell’ Ahead of US Election
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International
France Train Derailment Injures 44, 18-Year-Old Woman in Critical Condition
France Train Derailment Injures 44, 18-Year-Old Woman in Critical Condition
At least 44 people were injured after a passenger train carrying 186 people derailed in northwestern France on Friday evening, with an 18-year-old woman among those injured and reported to be in critical condition.
The Rouen-Caen regional train derailed at about 7:45 p.m. local time near Cléon, in the Seine-Maritime department of Normandy, while travelling between the cities of Rouen and Caen.
The incident triggered a major emergency response, with authorities deploying about 130 firefighters, five medical teams and 80 emergency vehicles to the scene.
A mass-casualty emergency plan was activated to coordinate the rescue operation and treatment of those injured.
According to Rouen prosecutor Sébastien Gallois, 44 passengers were injured in the France train derailment, including the 18-year-old woman who was airlifted to Rouen University Hospital in critical condition.
The other 43 injured passengers were treated for less serious injuries.
The initial estimate of the number of injured passengers was lower, but the figure was revised to 44 after emergency teams completed their assessment of passengers at the scene.
Transport Minister Philippe Tabarot said the train was travelling between Rouen and Caen when the accident occurred.
A passenger identified as 24-year-old Louis described the moments before the train accident in France as frightening.
He said the train first experienced several jolts before the movement became increasingly violent.
“Suddenly there were a few jolts, and then after about three seconds it got stronger and stronger,” he told ICI Normandie radio.
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“I couldn’t stay in my seat any more. The windows partially shattered; the stones from the track came into the carriage. It was really shocking. I’m still shaking,” he said.
A police source said the train may have struck an unidentified object shortly before it derailed. However, authorities have not established whether the object was responsible for the accident.
The cause of the Cléon train derailment therefore remains under investigation.
The Rouen prosecutor said drug and alcohol tests conducted on the train driver were negative.
Police and railway investigators have begun examining the train, the railway infrastructure and the circumstances surrounding the derailment to determine what caused the accident.
The railway operator, SNCF Réseau, suspended traffic on the affected line and switched off electricity to the tracks to allow emergency workers to operate safely.
“The priority is to care for the passengers and then to restore safe operating conditions,” SNCF Réseau said.
The disruption affected rail services along the Rouen-Caen route, while other services connecting Caen with Le Havre were also affected.
Rail authorities worked to arrange alternative transport for passengers whose journeys were disrupted while emergency and investigative operations continued at the accident scene.
Passengers who were not seriously injured were moved away from the crash site as emergency teams attended to those requiring medical attention.
The prefecture urged members of the public to stay away from the affected area to allow rescue workers and investigators to carry out their duties.
The accident caused significant disruption to rail services across the region, with authorities prioritising the safety of passengers and the restoration of the affected railway line.
The investigation is expected to establish whether the train’s contact with the unidentified object, a problem with the railway infrastructure or another factor contributed to the derailment.
As of the latest reports, there were no fatalities recorded in the accident, while the 18-year-old woman remained in critical condition and the other injured passengers were receiving medical attention.
Authorities said investigations into the France train accident were continuing.
France Train Derailment Injures 44, 18-Year-Old Woman in Critical Condition
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International
Five Dead After Coach Carrying Dutch Tourists Overturns in Switzerland
Five Dead After Coach Carrying Dutch Tourists Overturns in Switzerland
A holiday trip in Switzerland has ended in tragedy after a coach carrying 45 Dutch adults overturned in the eastern part of the country, killing five people and injuring the remaining passengers.
The crash occurred on Thursday afternoon on the road linking Susch and Zernez in the Graubünden region. Police said the vehicle went off the roadway while passing through an area where construction work was taking place before overturning.

Three of those injured are in serious condition, while another 37 people sustained less severe injuries. The driver, who is also Dutch, survived the crash but was among those taken for medical treatment.
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Authorities have begun investigating the incident and are working to establish what caused the coach to leave the road.
Tour operator Oad said the company was devastated by the deaths and described the incident as a deeply shocking tragedy.
The crash took place close to Zernez, a popular gateway to Switzerland’s National Park, a large Alpine nature reserve in the Engadine valley.
Five Dead After Coach Carrying Dutch Tourists Overturns in Switzerland
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