America is not at war with Venezuela, US secretary of state insists

Plus: Andy Burnham is Labour's best hope of keeping Farage out of No 10

Monday, January 5, 2026 Good morning and welcome to your daily news briefing from The Independent.   Marco Rubio has insisted that America is at war with drug cartels rather than with Venezuela, Andy Burnham is Labour's best hope of keeping Farage out of No 10 according to UK's top pollster, and Starmer has signalled a new plan to unpick Brexit harm. Top stories 1 | America is at war with drug cartels not Venezuela, US insists after capturing Maduro Read more 2 | Andy Burnham is Labour's best hope of keeping Farage out of No 10, according to UK's top pollster Read more 3 | Starmer signals new plan to unpick Brexit harm a decade on from EU referendum Read more 4 | Mother and daughter 'washed away' in deadly sea incident named Read more 5 | Fresh Met Office amber warnings for snow issued amid fears some areas could be cut off Read more Editors' picks From Caracas to Taiwan: How Venezuela has changed China's calculations Britain has made a huge miscalculation about AI and the job losses coming How Donald Jr could run in 2028 and keep Trump 'in power' Your Views Your Views 'A recruitment crisis is coming': Readers on teacher strike threat I've never understood why teachers agree to do so much unpaid overtime. They face abuse all day, then go home and spend the evenings marking work, planning lessons and answering questions from parents. I'm surprised there are any left.   AJames Get involved and share your views here. Don't forget to complete your registration You haven't completed your registration with The Independent. It's free, quick, and helps support our journalism while tailoring your experience. Register now to enjoy benefits including access to limited Premium articles, The Independent app, more than 20 newsletters and commenting on independent.co.uk. Complete your registration today to unlock access. WATCH  'Captured' Maduro walks DEA hallway: Official White House account releases video STAT OF THE DAY 674,000  The number of households that could receive a one-off cold weather payment as temperatures plummet across the country.  Read more QUOTE OF THE DAY "What we're not going to allow is for the oil industry in Venezuela to be controlled by adversaries of the United States."  US secretary of state Marco Rubio said denying that the US wanted Venezuela's oil. Read more Other stories you might like Inside the quest for the origin of Stonehenge's Altar Stone The climate crisis, aid cuts and deepening poverty are combining to drive a crisis in Madagascar Train worker sacked after passengers served sausage rolls taken from bin said he'd 'gone too far for the customer' Choosing The Independent as one of your preferred sources ensures that you'll see our coverage more prominently displayed in your searches. That way, you can be sure you're accessing the latest headlines from a trusted source. SOURCE PREFERENCES Don't miss today's deals on Amazon, featuring discounts on homeware, beauty, tech and more. Join the conversation and follow us Download the free Independent app Please do not reply directly to this email   You are currently registered to receive The Independent's Evening Headlines newsletter.   To unsubscribe from The Independent's Morning Headlines newsletter, or to manage your email preferences please click here.   This e-mail was sent by Independent Digital News and Media Ltd, 14-18 Finsbury Square, London EC2A 1AH. Registered in England and Wales with company number 07320345 Read our privacy policy and cookie policy