Al Majalla covered the major news of the US capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro over the weekend. Michael Hirsh explains how Trump sets a devastating precedent in Venezuela with the effective kidnapping of its leader. For her part, Stefanie Butendieck Hijerra profiles Venezuela’s longest-serving president. Meanwhile, Con Coughlin profiles Maria Corina Machado, a Venezuelan opposition figure who won the Nobel Peace Prize late last year. However, in a press conference on 3 January, Trump seemed to downplay her possible role in any future Venezuelan administration when he said: "I think it would be very tough for her to be the leader. She doesn't have the support within or the respect within the country."

Al Majalla also put together a comprehensive wrap-up of major events and trends of 2025 as well as prospects for 2026 across politics, business and culture. Christopher Phillips examined the past 25 years of global political change, while Robert Ford focused on US policy in the Middle East. For his part, Amr Emam explained why Egypt braces for tough regional tests in 2026. Meanwhile, Ibrahim Hamidi interviews veteran US diplomat Richard N. Haass, who looks at recent conflicts in the world and the Middle East and analyses them through the lens of America’s recalibrated role in a changing world order.

And Elie Kossaifi delves into the Trump-Netanyahu meeting at Mar-a-Lago, Florida, last week, where he finds gaps between the two leaders despite their show of solidarity and alignment. Read his article to know what those differences are. For his part, Brian Katulis asks, Will the Gaza ceasefire make it to phase two?, concluding that “Israel’s ongoing violations of the truce and Trump’s apathy over Palestinian grievances give little room for optimism.” On Yemen, Anwar al-Ansi explains Why South Yemen secession isn’t a real possibility, pointing to the fact that no single party in Yemen can impose dominance over the other through military force, nor can any side get the upper hand by relying on external actors.

Switching to Syria, Haid Haid looks at the renewal of Alawite protests in Syria, but unlike before, these turned deadly, killing four. He explains that the shift to violence reveals the limits of containment, the cost of postponing accountability, and the risks of trading short-term calm for durable legitimacy. For her part, Lina Shamy writes on Syria's dangerous Assadism-Alawite conflation, asserting that the problem Syrians face isn't Alawites, it's Assadism. 

Meanwhile, Khalil Sweileh captivates with his piece titled The history of Damascus pulses through Marjeh Square. “If anywhere encapsulates the Syrian capital in recent decades, it is this enigmatic and iconic public space, which has seen more than its fair share of changes,” he writes. And last but not least, Abeer Younis writes on Manar Abu Dhabi: a dance between light and nature, with the exhibition’s artistic director, Japanese artist Khai Hori, explaining: “The exhibit explores how artists interpret the sea, light, and natural elements, offering distinct visual and sensory experiences.”