CIA sources, drones and blowtorches: How the US captured Maduro
Jan. 3rd, 2026 10:55 pm![[syndicated profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/feed.png){kind=small}
bbc_feedAn extraordinary mission dubbed "Operation Absolute Resolve" saw elite troops breach the Venezuelan president's compound.
bbc_feedTrump says US will 'run' Venezuela and 'fix oil infrastructure'
Jan. 3rd, 2026 09:28 pmbbc_feedThe US launched strikes on Venezuela on Saturday in which Maduro and his wife were captured by US forces.
Watch: How the US attack on Venezuela unfolded
Jan. 3rd, 2026 09:00 pmbbc_feedPresident Donald Trump has said the US will "run" Venezuela after it launched strikes on the country and captured President Nicolas Maduro.
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Jan. 1st, 2026 11:03 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
marginalianaVarious:
--As ever, my goal for the upcoming year is to not bullshit myself into having some unrealistic goal for the upcoming year. I'm not going to do any of those things people say they're going to do. Just bring joy and find joy where I can, that's all I ask of myself.
--With Yuletide reveals now past, I can admit that I am massively proud of having written a bit of shenanigans! The Wet Bandits team up with Kevin when a new pair of burglars roll into town at Christmas time. A stretch in writing skill for the action stuff, but a fun stretch and I'm happy with how it turned out.
the kid is the turf (3489 words) by marginaliana
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: Home Alone (Movies)
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Characters: Harry (Home Alone), Kevin McCallister, Marv (Home Alone)
Additional Tags: Christmas, Caper Fic
Summary:
--viaprincessofgeeks, two great links about Heated Rivalry: Anatomy of a Sex Scene: Heated Rivalry Edition and On Heated Rivalry, Sex Scenes Do the Talking. I don't even go here but the commentary on the mechanics of sex-as-storytelling is fascinating.
--As ever, my goal for the upcoming year is to not bullshit myself into having some unrealistic goal for the upcoming year. I'm not going to do any of those things people say they're going to do. Just bring joy and find joy where I can, that's all I ask of myself.
--With Yuletide reveals now past, I can admit that I am massively proud of having written a bit of shenanigans! The Wet Bandits team up with Kevin when a new pair of burglars roll into town at Christmas time. A stretch in writing skill for the action stuff, but a fun stretch and I'm happy with how it turned out.
the kid is the turf (3489 words) by marginaliana
Chapters: 1/1
Fandom: Home Alone (Movies)
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Characters: Harry (Home Alone), Kevin McCallister, Marv (Home Alone)
Additional Tags: Christmas, Caper Fic
Summary:
“I could just call the cops.”
“Sure you could. But what fun is that?"
--via
princessofgeeks, two great links about Heated Rivalry: Anatomy of a Sex Scene: Heated Rivalry Edition and On Heated Rivalry, Sex Scenes Do the Talking. I don't even go here but the commentary on the mechanics of sex-as-storytelling is fascinating.Australia v England: fifth Ashes Test, day one – live
Jan. 3rd, 2026 11:00 pmguardianworldnews_feed Over-by-over updates from the Sydney Cricket Ground
Play starts at 10.30am local time, 11.30pm GMT
Get The Spin | The Ashes top 100 | Email Tim
“Great pre-amble,” says Tom van der Gucht, sportingly. “It got me thinking whether Labuschagne or Weatherald could do a Pope and Crawley and do just enough to retain their place.” (At the risk of splitting haiirs, I thought Pope had lost his place?) “Cricket is a strangely moral sport whereby you earn your chance, become the next cab off the rank, deserve another shot etc... Bazball has been weirdly anti-Bazball by eschewing county form, yet still hanging onto hunches and giving Pope/Crawley shot after shot based on their feasts and ignoring their famine. Weirdly, Crawley has probably pencilled himself in for the rest of the year based on the paucity of scores from other batsmen. I bet Malan is fuming – never really fitting in or backed in any England regime whilst Crawley seems destined to be picked for the ODI team too.
“One of the pleasures and unique idiosyncracies of the sport I suppose, like looking at how many incredible Aussie batters never got the chance in the test team due to its strength and consistency: Bevan, Hodge, Law, Love... Even Glenn Maxwell... How the hell has he not been backed as a game changer in Tests?
Continue reading...Venezuelan leader Maduro lands in New York after capture by US troops – live
Jan. 3rd, 2026 10:59 pmguardianworldnews_feedDonald Trump says the US will ‘run’ Venezuela and put Maduro on trial after audacious military operation in Caracas
Full report: Trump says US will ‘run’ Venezuela
Explained: Is there legal justification for the US attack on Venezuela?
Reaction: Global outcry after US strikes Venezuela
The Reuters news agency says it has been told by a US official, speaking on the condition of anonymity, that the US carried out strikes inside Venezuela on Saturday.
The unnamed official did not provide details. As mentioned earlier, the White House and Pentagon did not immediately respond to request for comment on Saturday morning.
Continue reading...Missing worker found dead after roof collapse deep underground at Queensland coalmine
Jan. 3rd, 2026 10:47 pmguardianworldnews_feedEmergency team were unable to save man trapped in the Curragh mine following the collapse on Friday
Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcast
Searchers have found a missing Queensland coalmine worker dead a day after he became trapped in a roof collapse.
The man was inside the Curragh mine in central Queensland when the collapse happened about 3pm on Friday. There were fears he was as deep as 1km underground.
Continue reading...European football: David’s failed Panenka costs Juventus against Lecce
Jan. 3rd, 2026 10:34 pmguardianworldnews_feedMcKennie equalises in 1-1 draw but Juve’s title bid hit
Barcelona score two late goals to beat Espanyol
Juventus’s Serie A title hopes were dealt a blow as they were held to a 1-1 draw at home by relegation-battling Lecce on Saturday, with the hosts coming from behind but failing to win after Jonathan David had a Panenka-style penalty saved.
Continue reading...Paranoia and Mali get the better of timid, tetchy Tunisia
Jan. 3rd, 2026 10:28 pmguardianworldnews_feedMali 1 Tunisia 1 (aet; Mali win 3-2 on penalties)
North Africans fail to take the game to 10 men
There is perhaps no nation on earth whose football is as paranoid as that of Tunisia, and with so little reason. They qualified for a third successive World Cup with ease and forced a draw in a friendly against Brazil in November, yet their football is infected with fear. To watch them play is to experience a dystopian world in which imagination has been outlawed. In the end, they went out of the Cup of Nations on Saturday because their self-doubt proved an even stronger than Malian self-destructiveness.
The Mali goalkeeper Djigui Diarra took the plaudits but this was a game Tunisia should never have lost. For over an hour and half they played against 10. They took the lead in the 89th minute. Twice they led in the shootout. And somehow they still lost, undermined by their own unwillingness to take the game on. If they had only played, they would surely have won but as so often before, Tunisia did not just play. They squabbled and spoiled, feigned injury and moaned, and every so often forgot themselves, played a handful of passes and looked the decent side that they really should be.
Continue reading...Various Links 12/28 - 1/3
Jan. 3rd, 2026 05:03 pmsenmutOkay so my kids were here ALL week, and I am shocked I know what today is.
~Gregory Peck in Spellbound - gif set
~Children of Blood and Bone - link to wiki about the upcoming film
~I am a Librarian - Evie Carnahan art
~Stephanie Brown Art - Picture
~Better than Waffles - Six of Crows art
~Crochet Ghost Crew - photo
~Moments of Whimsy - Screencaps of text posts
~Het to Yaoi to Yuri - text and pics of an animation couple
~Sneaky Engagement - video, sapphic
~Zelazny's Amber A-Z poem - text
~The end of MTV - Link to the reddit post, video for a song, text
~Gregory Peck in Spellbound - gif set
~Children of Blood and Bone - link to wiki about the upcoming film
~I am a Librarian - Evie Carnahan art
~Stephanie Brown Art - Picture
~Better than Waffles - Six of Crows art
~Crochet Ghost Crew - photo
~Moments of Whimsy - Screencaps of text posts
~Het to Yaoi to Yuri - text and pics of an animation couple
~Sneaky Engagement - video, sapphic
~Zelazny's Amber A-Z poem - text
~The end of MTV - Link to the reddit post, video for a song, text
The Professor!
Jan. 3rd, 2026 05:52 pmshireboundHappy birthday, sir. Your memory and inspiration go ever on and on.
"Courage is found in unlikely places. Be of good hope!"
Gildor, The Fellowship of the Ring
"Courage is found in unlikely places. Be of good hope!"
Gildor, The Fellowship of the Ring
Bookmarks Housecleaning
Jan. 3rd, 2026 02:43 pmlovelyangelGoogle Chrome is my primary browser – and I certainly have mixed feelings about my dependencies on the Google ecosystem. But I also have mixed feelings about Apple and Amazon, and I have a lot to think about regarding what platforms I use. However, that’s a topic for another time.
For now, all my bookmarks are in Chrome. And while there is a modicum of hierarchy in my bookmarks, a lot of cruft has accumulated over the years. In recent weeks, I’ve occasionally stopped to clean up a folder of bookmarks related to my current task.
Cleaning up a folder is a process of clicking on every link in the folder – and sometimes moving down the folder hierarchy if I have the time and inclination.
Mainly, the first level of cleanup is deleting any bookmark that is a dead URL. That’s easy.
The next test is to see if the site I’ve accessed is active/current. A lot of old Wordpress blogs are still out there but haven’t received any new posts in five or 10 (or 20) years. I then have to make a decision. If I go there intending to see current information, then I’ll probably delete the bookmark.
Sometimes, though, the old content at the site is still worth reading. Depending on the topic/content/nostalgia, I may keep the bookmark for reference. I’m starting to file into separate folders for Active Blogs/Sites and Old Blogs/Sites.
One example of an old blog that I’m keeping the bookmark for is Sequential Noir. Jennifer is a Black Canary / Birds of Prey fan like I am, and she generously has archived her posts for us. I had followed her blog more actively during the Gail Simone / Ed Benes years, and I will always treasure the content. Bookmark – Keeper.
There are a lot of anime blogs I used to follow, and most stopped adding new posts years ago. I’ve ended up deleting all those bookmarks. The situation is similar for some tech sites. The bookmarks cleanup is slow but satisfying. Whenever this all is finished, I still will have way too many bookmarks. But they don’t weigh much and don’t get in my way – so what’s the harm?
Google Chrome does make it pretty easy for me to manage bookmarks. (You can drag and drop in the Bookmarks Manager.) Here’s just a sample of my workarea:
For now, all my bookmarks are in Chrome. And while there is a modicum of hierarchy in my bookmarks, a lot of cruft has accumulated over the years. In recent weeks, I’ve occasionally stopped to clean up a folder of bookmarks related to my current task.
Cleaning up a folder is a process of clicking on every link in the folder – and sometimes moving down the folder hierarchy if I have the time and inclination.
Mainly, the first level of cleanup is deleting any bookmark that is a dead URL. That’s easy.
The next test is to see if the site I’ve accessed is active/current. A lot of old Wordpress blogs are still out there but haven’t received any new posts in five or 10 (or 20) years. I then have to make a decision. If I go there intending to see current information, then I’ll probably delete the bookmark.
Sometimes, though, the old content at the site is still worth reading. Depending on the topic/content/nostalgia, I may keep the bookmark for reference. I’m starting to file into separate folders for Active Blogs/Sites and Old Blogs/Sites.
One example of an old blog that I’m keeping the bookmark for is Sequential Noir. Jennifer is a Black Canary / Birds of Prey fan like I am, and she generously has archived her posts for us. I had followed her blog more actively during the Gail Simone / Ed Benes years, and I will always treasure the content. Bookmark – Keeper.
There are a lot of anime blogs I used to follow, and most stopped adding new posts years ago. I’ve ended up deleting all those bookmarks. The situation is similar for some tech sites. The bookmarks cleanup is slow but satisfying. Whenever this all is finished, I still will have way too many bookmarks. But they don’t weigh much and don’t get in my way – so what’s the harm?
Google Chrome does make it pretty easy for me to manage bookmarks. (You can drag and drop in the Bookmarks Manager.) Here’s just a sample of my workarea:
 |
Match of the Day
Jan. 3rd, 2026 11:32 pmbbc_feedHighlights of four games on the first Saturday of 2026, including Bournemouth v Arsenal.
Amorim refuses to explain cryptic transfer comment
Jan. 3rd, 2026 10:30 pmbbc_feedManchester United boss Ruben Amorim refuses to explain a cryptic comment about the club's transfer plans - hinting at friction behind the scenes.
Littler masterclass seals back-to-back world darts titles
Jan. 3rd, 2026 09:46 pmbbc_feedLuke Littler produces a stunning display to thrash Gian van Veen 7-1 and win the PDC World Championship for the second year running.
Venezuela could now define Trump's legacy - and America's place in the world
Jan. 3rd, 2026 09:11 pmbbc_feedRemoving a leader and pledging to rebuild a country represents a major shift in Trump's America First vision, writes Anthony Zurcher.
A survey of dynamic array structures.
Jan. 2nd, 2026 11:57 pmdotaturls_feed- 2026‑01‑02 - A survey of dynamic array structures.
- https://azmr.uk/dyn/
- redirect https://dotat.at/:/KMIDU
- blurb https://dotat.at/:/KMIDU.html
- atom entry https://dotat.at/:/KMIDU.atom
- web.archive.org archive.today
Australia v England: fifth Ashes Test, day one – live
Jan. 3rd, 2026 10:29 pmguardianworldnews_feed Over-by-over updates from the Sydney Cricket Ground
Play starts at 10.30am local time, 11.30pm GMT
Get The Spin | The Ashes top 100 | Email Tim
Barney Ronay has been listening to Ben Stokes, who is beginning to sound like William Goldman. “We all play a good game,” Stokes tells the media, “by looking like we know what we’re doing when we’re looking at the wicket.”
Hello everyone and welcome to the final act of this drama. It should have been a cliffhanger, and could well have been if England hadn’t fluffed their lines on the second day in Perth. It should have been an epic, and might have been had the pitches in Perth and Melbourne not come straight from a seamer’s dream. The long and the short of it is that it’s been both long and short at the same time.
Continue reading...Mali 1-1 Tunisia (Mali 3-2 on pens): Africa Cup of Nations last 16 – live
Jan. 3rd, 2026 10:20 pmguardianworldnews_feedThe 10 men of Mali stunned Tunisia in the Casablanca rain with a dramatic victory via penalty kicks
3 mins: I’d suggest, even though it’s very early in this game, that Mali are going to have to do plenty of defending this evening.
Sami Trabelsi waves and points on the sidelines – the Tunisian boss must be happy with this start, as Mali’s Mahamadou Doumbia is booked already.
Continue reading...Luke Littler thrashes Gian van Veen to retain PDC World Darts Championship
Jan. 3rd, 2026 10:20 pmguardianworldnews_feedTeenager beats Dutchman 7-1 in one-sided final
Littler clicks into gear after losing opening set
The winning moment seemed to drain all the strength from his body. He leaned against the drinks table and let it take all his weight, clasped his face in his hands, cried a little. As if only just feeling the shape and hue of the unspeakable thing he had just done. As if some great act of violence had just left his hands. Perhaps it had.
And before the double world champion, before the social media phenomenon, before the commercial giant, before the global icon, there was Luke Littler the darts obsessive. A kid steeped and stewed in the heritage of the game, fully aware of the landmarks he is now chasing, the tapestry of greatness into which he is now indelibly woven.
Continue reading...