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Venezuela, US Talk ‘Transition’ Post-Maduro

This handout picture released by the Venezuelan Presidency shows Venezuela's interim President Delcy Rodriguez (R) talking with the new head of the United States diplomatic mission for Venezuela Laura Dogu during meeting at the Miraflores Presidential Palace in Caracas on February 2, 2026. (Daniela Millan / Venezuelan Presidency / AFP)
This handout picture released by the Venezuelan Presidency shows Venezuela's interim President Delcy Rodriguez (R) talking with the new head of the United States diplomatic mission for Venezuela Laura Dogu during meeting at the Miraflores Presidential Palace in Caracas on February 2, 2026. (Daniela Millan / Venezuelan Presidency / AFP)
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Venezuela, US Talk ‘Transition’ Post-Maduro

This handout picture released by the Venezuelan Presidency shows Venezuela's interim President Delcy Rodriguez (R) talking with the new head of the United States diplomatic mission for Venezuela Laura Dogu during meeting at the Miraflores Presidential Palace in Caracas on February 2, 2026. (Daniela Millan / Venezuelan Presidency / AFP)
This handout picture released by the Venezuelan Presidency shows Venezuela's interim President Delcy Rodriguez (R) talking with the new head of the United States diplomatic mission for Venezuela Laura Dogu during meeting at the Miraflores Presidential Palace in Caracas on February 2, 2026. (Daniela Millan / Venezuelan Presidency / AFP)

Venezuela's interim president Delcy Rodriguez solidified her new government Monday, appointing several cabinet members and meeting with Washington's new top diplomat in Caracas to address the country's "transition" after the ouster of Nicolas Maduro.

Laura Dogu, Washington's charge d'affaires in Venezuela, said on X she spoke with Rodriguez about US plans for "stabilization, economic recovery, reconciliation and transition."

It was not immediately clear what Dogu meant by a "transition." Maduro had been in power since 2013 until US forces raided the country and captured him, but much of his government remains in place.

Venezuela's Foreign Minister Yvan Gil said after the meeting the diplomatic focus going forward would involve "addressing the differences and historical controversies between the United States and Venezuela."

"We reviewed the common agenda, especially on energy, trade, and politics," he added.

- Staffing up cabinet -

In addition to meeting with Dogu, Rodriguez made several key appointments to her presidential cabinet, including tapping former foreign minister Felix Plasencia to lead Venezuela's diplomatic mission in the United States.

"Very soon we'll have our diplomatic representative, Felix Plasencia, in Washington to accelerate diplomatic work, political work, and the work of developing our common agenda," Gil said.

Plasencia's appointment marks a pivotal change in diplomatic relations between Caracas and Washington, which were severed in 2019 after the United States refused to recognize Maduro's reelection and instead supported a parallel government led by then-opposition leader Juan Guaido.

Rodriguez also appointed Daniella Cabello -- the daughter of Venezuela's powerful interior minister, Diosdado Cabello -- as her cabinet's tourism minister.

The elder Cabello was widely considered to be Venezuela's second-most powerful figure after Maduro, and his backing for Rodriguez's government is seen as critical.

Cabello pledged the police's support for Rodriguez when she became country's leader after Maduro was ousted in a deadly US military operation last month and whisked away to New York to stand trial on drug charges.

The appointments come weeks after Rodriguez, formerly the vice president, cleared ranks among the country's top military brass, appointing 12 senior officers to regional commands.

Among those she dismissed was businessman Alex Saab, the minister of industry under Maduro and a close ally of the former president.

Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado meanwhile told reporters during a video call Monday that she would be willing to meet with Rodriguez "if it's necessary" in order to establish a "transition timeline."

"If it's necessary to exchange ideas in a meeting to define a transition timeline, it will happen," she said according to a transcript.

However, she added that Rodriguez's interim government "is still the mafia. They may have another name, but they are the mafia."

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World

Moscow: Russian Soldiers Helped to Repel Niger Airport Attack

A drone picture shows the main street of a suburb following the attack on the international airport in Niamey, Niger January 30, 2026. REUTERS/ Mahamadou Hamidou
A drone picture shows the main street of a suburb following the attack on the international airport in Niamey, Niger January 30, 2026. REUTERS/ Mahamadou Hamidou
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Moscow: Russian Soldiers Helped to Repel Niger Airport Attack

A drone picture shows the main street of a suburb following the attack on the international airport in Niamey, Niger January 30, 2026. REUTERS/ Mahamadou Hamidou
A drone picture shows the main street of a suburb following the attack on the international airport in Niamey, Niger January 30, 2026. REUTERS/ Mahamadou Hamidou

Russian soldiers helped to repel an attack on Niger's main airport in the capital Niamey last week which was claimed by the ISIS group, Moscow said on Monday.

Niger's ruling junta earlier said "Russian partners" helped to fend off the rare assault on the capital, which saw 20 attackers killed and four army soldiers wounded, AFP.

"The attack was repelled through the joint efforts of the Russian Ministry of Defense's African Corps and the Nigerien armed forces," the Russian Foreign Ministry said.

"Moscow strongly condemns this latest extremist attack," it added.

ISIS said it staged the attack and released a video of events through its propaganda agency Amaq. The video shows several dozen attackers with assault rifles firing near a hangar and setting ablaze one plane before leaving on motorbikes.

Niger's junta accused Benin, France and Ivory Coast of sponsoring the attack on the airport, which also houses a military base.

Junta chief Abdourahamane Tiani visited the Russian military base to express "personal gratitude for a high level of professionalism", the ministry said.

Russia rarely comments on its military activity in the Sahel region, where Moscow has been increasing its influence in a region that has seen a series of coups.

Facing isolation since its invasion of Ukraine, Russia has tried to build new military and political partnerships in Africa.

Apart from Niger, Russian troops or military instructors have been reported to be deployed in Burkina Faso, Equatorial Guinea, the Central African Republic and Libya.

Russia's African Corps has taken over from the Wagner paramilitary group across the continent.

According to Moscow, the corps helps "fighting terrorists" and "strengthening regional stability" in the Sahel.

Niger's authorities have been fighting the Al-Qaeda-linked Group and the Islamic State in the Sahel (EIS) for the past decade.

World

Shamkhani: Iran Does Not Seek Nuclear Weapons

Ali Shamkhani, advisor to Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei (AFP)
Ali Shamkhani, advisor to Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei (AFP)
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Shamkhani: Iran Does Not Seek Nuclear Weapons

Ali Shamkhani, advisor to Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei (AFP)
Ali Shamkhani, advisor to Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei (AFP)

Ali Shamkhani, adviser to Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, spoke on the nuclear issue late Monday saying that Iran does not seek nuclear weapons and suggesting that if the talks with the US happened, they would be indirect at the beginning, then moving to direct talks if a deal appeared to be attainable.

The pan-Arab satellite channel Al Mayadeen, which is politically allied with the Iranian-backed Lebanese militant group Hezbollah, aired the interview with Shamkhani.

He also said that the US “must offer something in return” if Iran were to reduce the level of enrichment.

Shamkhani, who now sits on the country’s Supreme National Security Council and who in the 1980s led Iran's navy, wore a naval uniform as he spoke.

He suggested if the talks happened, they would be indirect at the beginning, then moving to direct talks if a deal appeared to be attainable.

Direct talks with the US long have been a highly charged political issue within Iran's theocracy, with reformists like President Masoud Pezeshkian pushing for them and hard-liners dismissing them.

The talks would solely focus on nuclear issues, he added.

Asked about whether Russia could take Iran's enriched uranium like it did in Tehran's 2015 nuclear deal with world powers, Shamkhani dismissed the idea, saying there was “no reason” to do so. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov on Monday said Russia had “long offered these services as a possible option that would alleviate certain irritants for a number of countries.”

“Iran does not seek nuclear weapons, will not seek a nuclear weapon and will never stockpile nuclear weapons, but the other side must pay a price in return for this," he said.

Iran had been enriching uranium up to 60% purity, a short, technical step away from weapons-grade levels. The International Atomic Energy Agency had said Iran was the only country in the world to enrich to that level that wasn't armed with the bomb.

Iran has been refusing requests by the IAEA to inspect the sites bombed in the June war.

“The quantity of enriched uranium remains unknown, because part of the stockpile is under rubble, and there is no initiative yet to extract it, as it is extremely dangerous," Shamkhani said.

World

Almost 140 Foreigners Arrested in Central Iran over Protests

Iranians walk in a street in Tehran, Iran, 02 February 2026. EPA/ABEDIN TAHERKENAREH
Iranians walk in a street in Tehran, Iran, 02 February 2026. EPA/ABEDIN TAHERKENAREH
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Almost 140 Foreigners Arrested in Central Iran over Protests

Iranians walk in a street in Tehran, Iran, 02 February 2026. EPA/ABEDIN TAHERKENAREH
Iranians walk in a street in Tehran, Iran, 02 February 2026. EPA/ABEDIN TAHERKENAREH

Iranian authorities arrested 139 foreign nationals in central parts of the country during recent anti-government protests, local media reported Tuesday.

Iran's Tasnim news agency quoted the police chief in the city of Yazd as saying those arrested were involved "in organizing, inciting and directing riotous actions, and in some cases were in contact with networks outside the country".

The nationalities of those held were not specified, AFP reported.

"During the review of cases related to the recent rioters, it was determined that 139 of those arrested in these disturbances were foreign nationals," police chief Ahmad Negahban said.

Protests against the rising cost of living broke out in Iran on December 28 before morphing into nationwide anti-government demonstrations.

Tehran has acknowledged that more than 3,000 deaths occurred during the unrest, but insists that most were members of the security forces and innocent bystanders, attributing the violence to "terrorist acts".

The Human Rights Activists News Agency, a US-based NGO, says it has confirmed 6,854 deaths, mostly protesters killed by security forces, with other rights groups warning the figure is likely far higher.

Iranian authorities have said the rallies began as peaceful demonstrations before turning into "riots" involving killings and vandalism that were inflamed by arch-foes the United States and Israel.