All About “RHOSLC” Star Mary Cosby's Son, Robert Cosby Jr.

Mary Cosby/Instagram ; Jason Mendez/Getty

NEED TO KNOW

• Mary Cosby and her husband, Robert Cosby Sr., welcomed their son Robert Cosby Jr. in the early 2000s

• Mary and her only child have appeared on The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City, in which Robert Jr. has opened up about his substance abuse

• Mary and her husband are the subjects of the TLC docuseries The Cult of the Real Housewife

Mary Cosby's son,Robert Cosby Jr., has been appearing alongside her onThe Real Housewives of Salt Lake Citysince its debut in 2020.

Robert Jr. is the only child of Mary and Robert Cosby Sr., both of whom lead the Faith Temple Pentecostal Church in Salt Lake City and are subjects of the TLC docuseriesThe Cult of the Real Housewife. Mary and Robert Sr. welcomed their son in 2002 after trying to start a family for four years, she revealed in a season 5 episode of the reality series.

"Robert was like the perfect child," Mary said during a confessional interview. "He was very good in school. He got straight A's all the way up until he graduated. When he set his mind to do something, he did it. He was like our prize, very smart, very advanced."

During Robert Jr.'s time on the show, he has talked about several coming-of-age experiences, including his first girlfriend and, later, his courthouse wedding. But Mary and Robert Jr. have also had other candid on-camera conversations, including when he opened up for the first time about his struggles withsubstance abuse and suicidal ideation.

Since then, Mary has stood by her son as he embarked on his sobriety journey, which she has described as "a hardcore road."

"I can just only push him, encourage him and love him. And that's what I'm doing," Mary said during a September 2025 appearance on SiriusXM'sReality Checkedradio show. "I have hope and I believe in him. ... I know he's got all the tools and he's got all the will, the willpower that he needs and the support."

Here is everything to know about Mary Cosby's son, Robert Cosby Jr.

He is an only child

Mary Cosby/Instagram

Robert Jr. is the only child born to his parents, Mary and Robert Sr. The couple wed in September 1998 and welcomed their son in the early 2000s. (Robert Sr. was previously married to Mary's grandmother.)

They named him Robert Clinton Cosby Jr. after his father, Mary revealed in a season 1 episode ofTheReal Housewives of Salt Lake City.

"I have a beautiful son," she said. "When I had my son, I went into a whole other level of love."

Mary added, "Robert Sr., he's in love with his son. He'll do anything for him. And I'm like the helicopter mom."

The family often traveled, visiting places like Dubai and Japan for Robert Jr.'s birthdays. "Anywhere that he wanted to go that he found of interest, I took him," Mary shared.

She also ensured that Robert Jr. grew up with everything that she didn't have. Notably, they moved from Utah to New York for eight years, Mary revealed atthe season 5 reunion, so that Robert Jr. could grow up in "a diverse atmosphere" with "the best education."

He lives in Salt Lake City with his parents

The Cosbys have homes in Florida, New York, Nevada and Indiana, but Robert Jr. lives at their Salt Lake City residence with his parents.

He once had ambitions to become a fashion designer, but, as of 2024, he was still living at home and being supported by his parents, Mary revealed in season 5 ofRHOSLC.

However, she took the responsibility for Robert's unemployment and revealed that she did not want him to move out of their Salt Lake City home.

"I just feel like he's very sheltered, and I feel like that's my fault," Mary said in the episode. "So that's why I don't mind him staying home."

She added, "One day I'll give him the boot, but not right now."

He secretly married in August 2022

Robert Jr.wed his girlfriend, Alexiana Arian Smokoff, in a Utah courthouse in August 2022, according toTMZ. However, he kept the nuptials a secret from his parents for nearly a year.

"Robert Jr. has a girlfriend, but everyone's telling me it's his wife," Mary said in the season 4 premiere ofRHOSLC.

She later addressed the rumors head-on when she sat down with Robert Jr. and asked him if there was any truth to the rumors that he was married. The then-20-year-old admitted that he and Alexiana had snuck to the courthouse a year prior and said, "I do" — a revelation that left Mary emotional.

She then explained in a confessional how Robert Jr. and Alexiana were able to conceal their marriage from her for nearly a year, despite all three sharing a home.

"They both live in my house, but I don't see them much," she said. "We kind of have our own wings."

Mary continued, "One day, they were getting dressed, and he was rushing to go do something. And he was dressed up nice and she was dressed up nice. But they were running — like, full-blown running with all their might. But I didn't know they were running to go get married."

He revealed his struggles with substance abuse and mental health onThe Real Housewives of Salt Lake City

Robert Jr. has dealt with a years-long drug addiction, using both prescription medications and recreational drugs.

He opened up for the first time about his troubles with substance abuse in a season 5 episode ofRHOSLC, which aired in November 2024. In the candid conversation with his mother, the then-21-year-old admitted to using the anxiety medication Xanax since he was 16, after first trying it at a party.

In addition, Robert Jr. revealed he had been abusing other prescription drugs, including the ADHD medication Adderall and the opioid painkiller OxyContin, taking as many as 10 at once. "I couldn't even feel it," he recalled. "I couldn't feel it at all."

As his drug addiction worsened, Robert Jr. told Mary thathe had tried heroin. But perhaps his most honest admission came when he shared with his mother that he had "wanted to die at the time."

"I felt like a stain — I just felt like this world wasn't for me," Robert Jr. shared. "You're the only reason I didn't kill myself," he added, referencing his mother.

Mary took the news of Robert Jr.'s struggles with substance abuse and his mental health particularly hard. She placed the blame on herself, telling the cameras she felt like she had "let him down somewhere" and "missed the mark."

"If I don't blame myself, whose fault is it? I feel I'm responsible," Mary said in a later episode.

Afterward, Robert Jr.completed a month-long stay in rehab, Mary shared in a December 2024 appearance onWatch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen. His wife, Alexiana, also went to rehab.

"He completed it. He did an excellent job. He came out a new person," Mary said.

He has had multiple run-ins with the law

2025 Salt Lake County

Apart from his struggles with substance abuse, Robert Jr. has also faced legal troubles over the years.

In 2022, the reality TV personality was arrested for a DUI after police claimed he was operating a vehicle without a license and disobeyed traffic laws, PEOPLE previously reported. He later took a plea deal, where he pleaded guilty to the DUI in exchange for the other charges being dropped.

Then, in September 2025, Robert Jr. wasarrested on multiple charges, including criminal trespassing, assault, failure to stop at the command of law enforcement and three counts of violating a court order, per his booking record viewed by PEOPLE. The arrest stemmed from an incident that took place at his father-in-law's home outside of Salt Lake City, where his wife was staying at the time.

According tocourt documents, Robert Jr. allegedly attempted to climb through a dog door to break into his father-in-law's house. He was also accused of vandalizing his father-in-law's home, attacking him on his front lawn, and biting a law enforcement officer on the hand after he failed to comply with orders and had to be physically restrained. Robert Jr. reportedly needed to be tasered to be brought under control.

Mary later explained to PEOPLE that the arrest occurred after she and Robert Sr. moved Alexiana out of their house. Robert Jr. and Alexiana snuck out to be together, according to Mary's account, and, as a result, her parents had him arrested for trespassing. Though it "devastated" her at the time, Mary later shared that she felt Robert Jr.'s arrest was "a blessing in disguise."

"It was for his good," she said in November 2025. "I think he needed that. He's never encountered anything like that. ... I feel like he needed that and that he understands that that's the wrong journey."

Robert Jr. also opened up about the arrest to PEOPLE, sharing that he's "not where I want to be, but I'm certainly not where I used to be." He added, "I will get there!"

In November 2025, Robert Jr. was arrested again and accused of violating a pretrial protective order. The same month, he pleaded guilty to eight of the 14 total charges he was facing: One count of felony property damage or destruction greater than or equal to $5,000; two counts of violation of a pretrial protective order (which was obtained by his wife, Alexiana), one count of assault on a peace officer, one count of violation of a jail release court order, two counts of criminal trespass on a dwelling with intent to cause annoyance, injury, or fear (all Class A misdemeanors); and one count of Class B misdemeanor assault. The remaining six misdemeanor charges were dismissed with prejudice.

Robert Jr. was booked into Salt Lake County Jail in November 2025. He will remain there without bail until his sentencing in February 2026, when a judge will determine the length of his remaining time behind bars.

His wife filed for divorce in November 2025

On Nov. 24, 2025 — two weeks after Robert Jr. was arrested for violating a protective order and one day before his pleading guilty in court — his wife, Alexiana, filed for divorce after three years of marriage.

The petitionlisted several prohibited actions for both parties, including requiring them not to "harass, intimidate or disturb the peace of the other party, by any means, including electronically."

Robert Jr.'s lawyer, Clayton Simms, provided an exclusive statement to PEOPLE after his client pleaded guilty to several of the charges he was facing in court. In it, he shared that Robert Jr. had a "difficult" time accepting that the relationship was over "based on his religion and background."

"To him, marriage is sacred and forever," Simms said. "His parents were his example and they've been married for 27 years. Robert was slow to recognize and accept his marriage was over and continued to connect with his soon-to-be ex-wife. Robert has accepted responsibility for his mistakes and has pleaded guilty to several misdemeanors."

Mary had previously expressed doubt that Robert Jr. and Alexiana's marriage was even legal.

"I still don't believe she's his wife," Mary told PEOPLE in November 2025. "I think they were out of their mind, and they maybe made up something. They said that the marriage license is in a safe, and the safe is locked, and they have to bust it open because they lost the key."

Mary refers to him as her "everything"

Rich Polk/Bravo via Getty

Throughout Robert Jr.'s sobriety journey and the difficulties in his personal life, Mary has ensured her son knows he is loved and supported.

When Robert Jr. opened up to his mother about his drug addiction, Mary responded by telling him that he is "the only thing" that ever brought her happiness.

"You have to know I love you more than anything," she said. "You're my friend, you're my son, you're my gift. God gave you to me. You're the only thing that ever made me happy. Before I had you, I was never happy. You came, and you were so real. It was everything I hoped for in a person."

In the same conversation, Robert Jr. admitted to Mary that he "felt like a stain," a moment that she later reflected on at the season 5 reunion.

"You don't want to hear your child say that when they're not," she said. "He's everything."

If you or someone you know is struggling with substance abuse, please contact the SAMHSA helpline at 1-800-662-HELP.

If you are experiencing domestic violence, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233, or go tothehotline.org. All calls are toll-free and confidential. The hotline is available 24/7 in more than 170 languages.

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All About “RHOSLC” Star Mary Cosby's Son, Robert Cosby Jr.

Mary Cosby/Instagram ; Jason Mendez/Getty NEED TO KNOW Mary Cosby and her husband, Robert Cosby Sr., welcomed their son Robert Cosby Jr. ...

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Gwyneth Paltrow recalls 'tense' filming of “Glee” musical number 'Singing in the Rain/Umbrella'

TheGleeteam threwGwyneth Paltrowinto the eye of the storm onher very first episode— or at least into the rain.

TheShakespeare in LoveOscar winner joined the hit musical dramedy in season 2 for three episodes as substitute teacher Holly Holliday. Her work on the series won her the 2011 Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy, but filming didn't come without its challenges.

In her first of episode, "The Substitute," Paltrow performed Cee-Lo Green's "Forget You" with the New Directions glee club and "Nowadays/Hot Honey Rag" fromChicagowithLea Michele's Rachel Berry. But it was the finale — "Singing in the Rain" from the hit musical of the same name mashed up with Rihanna's "Umbrella" — that proved most stressful.

"I remember it was tense, because something was wrong with the water that day," theMarty Supremeactress tells host Gerrad Hall onEntertainment Weekly'sThe Awardistpodcast. "There were bubbles. They were trying to get bubbles out of the water. There was some technical thing they were trying to figure out."

That said, "I had the best time doing that number," she affirms. It was so much fun. I just was drilling down on all the choreography. And then of course, it was a TV show, so it was like we did that whole thing and then it was like, 'Okay, lunch!' and we're done with that entirely, whereas if it was a movie, it would be the whole week. So it was like a whirlwind."

Returning twice more before the end of the season, Paltrow performed a handful of songs, including Prince and the Revolution's "Kiss" withMatthew Morrison's Will Schuester, the Chicks' version of Fleetwood Mac's "Landslide" withNaya Rivera's Santana andHeather Morris' Brittany, and Adele's "Turning Tables."

Check out more from EW'sThe Awardist,featuring exclusive interviews, analysis, and ourpodcastdiving into all the highlights from the year's best in TV.

She also returned toGleein 2014 for the show's 100th episode, but still most fondly recalls her first few days on the series: "That episode is, to me, one of the best things I've ever gotten to partake in — just in terms of the cleverness and the innovation."

Listen to Paltrow's full interview onThe Awardistabove.

Read the original article onEntertainment Weekly

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Gwyneth Paltrow recalls 'tense' filming of “Glee” musical number 'Singing in the Rain/Umbrella'

TheGleeteam threwGwyneth Paltrowinto the eye of the storm onher very first episode— or at least into the rain. TheShakespeare in LoveOscar...

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Man Owns 11,000 Snow Globes — See His Incredible Collection, Including a Taylor Swift-Inspired Piece

Kevin Mazur/Getty

NEED TO KNOW

• A German man owns a staggering 11,000 snow globes

• Josef Kardinal first claimed the Guinness World Record for the largest collection of snow globes in 2002 and has since nearly doubled the size of his collection

• He shared a tour of his collection, highlighting favorite pieces

The phrase "Let it snow!" has a whole new meaning for one German man.

Josef Kardinal's Nuremberg home is a veritable winter wonderland, thanks to his glittery collection of 11,000 snow globes. Kardinal holds the Guinness World Record for the largest snow globe collection, according toGuinness.

He first claimed the record in 2002 with 6,100 pieces. But since then, his collection has nearly doubled in size.

Explaining his fascination for the novelty item, he said, "I love the romance of snow globes and how beautiful they are when you shake them up and the snow falls down."

"People love snow globes as they encapsulate a perfect world," Kardinal added. "Obviously one that is not realistic, and that is why we gravitate towards them."

In a video tour of his collection with a Guinness adjudicator, Kardinal shared some of the stories behind his snow globes, which are lined up on shelves filling multiple rooms of the basement of his home. He even has his snow globe "museum" organized by theme — from unicorns toStar WarsandLord of the Rings.

During the tour, Kardinal highlighted some of his favorite snow globes, ranging from a Santa Claus helicopter complete with lights and rotating blades to a Harley-Davidson-themed piece that makes a motorcycle sound as it spins.

Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE's free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

The smallest snow globe in his collection is "about the size of a fingernail" and doubles as a pin that can be worn on clothes. The oldest — a Paris scene with the Eiffel Tower inside — dates back to 1889. His largest piece is a life-size lamppost.

Kardinal also has a Titanic ship replica that's depicted "sinking" by a large iceberg and — keeping up with pop-culture trends — aTaylor Swift-inspired snow globe featuring a typewriter atop two books in a nod to the pop star's 2024The Tortured Poets Departmentalbum.

Another highlight is a red Coca-Cola telephone that rings. Kardinal even has several COVID-19 finds, including a snow globe with a roll of toilet paper inside and another featuring a snowman wearing a face mask.

Kardinal's collection first started in 1984 when he received a single snow globe as a gift, per Guinness. Friends continued to buy them for him, and then he eventually realized he could just purchase them for himself, and that's when the collection really took off. He and his wife, Emma, have traveled the world to hunt for new finds for his ever-growing collection.

When Kardinal reached the milestone of 10,000 items, a German snow globe maker made him a custom piece featuring a photo of himself inside. The collector also has a snow globe depicting his house.

While Kardinal is surrounded by "snow" at home, Emma said he actually isn't a big fan of the cold.

"Ironically, Josef's favourite weather is sun, but he does explain that they don't get much snow here in Nuremberg, so the most snow he sees is in his snow globes," she told Guinness.

Emma also shared how her husband's enthusiasm for collecting snow globes has run into a practical problem that will need to be addressed. "Josef is running out of space, and he reckons the maximum amount of snow globes he can fit in his house is 12,000, so there's not that many left to collect," she said.

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Man Owns 11,000 Snow Globes — See His Incredible Collection, Including a Taylor Swift-Inspired Piece

Kevin Mazur/Getty NEED TO KNOW A German man owns a staggering 11,000 snow globes Josef Kardinal first claimed the Guinness World Record f...

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Trump's plan to seize and revitalize Venezuela's oil industry faces major hurdles

President Donald Trump's plan to take control of Venezuela's oil industry and ask American companies to revitalize it aftercapturing President Nicolás Maduro in a raidisn't likely to have a significant immediate impact on oil prices.

Venezuela's oil industry is in disrepair after years of neglect and international sanctions, so it could take years and major investments before production can increase dramatically. But some analysts are optimistic that Venezuela could double or triple its current output of about 1.1 million barrels of oil a day to return to historic levels fairly quickly.

"While many are reporting Venezuela's oil infrastructure was unharmed by U.S. military actions, it has been decaying for many many years and will take time to rebuild," said Patrick De Haan, who is the lead petroleum analyst at gasoline price tracker GasBuddy.

American oil companies will want a stable regime in the country before they are willing to invest heavily, and thepolitical picture remained uncertainSaturday with Trump saying that the United States is in charge, while the current Venezuelan vice president argued, before Venezuela's high court ordered her to assume the role of interim president, that Maduro should be restored to power.

"But if it seems like the U.S. is successful in running the country for the next 24 hours, I would say there would be a lot of optimism that U.S. energy companies could come in and revitalize the Venezuelan oil industry fairly quickly," said Phil Flynn, a senior market analyst at the Price Futures Group.

And if Venezuela can grow into an oil production powerhouse, Flynn said "that could cement lower prices for the longer term" and put morepressure on Russia.

Oil isn't traded over the weekend, so there wasn't an immediate impact on prices. But a major shift in prices isn't expected when the market does reopen. Venezuela is a member of OPEC so its production is already accounted for there. And there is currently a surplus of oil on the global market.

Proven reserves

Venezuela is known to have the world's largest proven crude oil reserves of approximately 303 billion barrels, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. That accounts for roughly 17% of all global oil reserves.

So international oil companies have reason to be interested in Venezuela. Leading companies, including Exxon Mobil and Chevron, didn't immediately respond to requests for comment Saturday. ConocoPhillips spokesperson Dennis Nuss said by email that the company "is monitoring developments in Venezuela and their potential implications for global energy supply and stability. It would be premature to speculate on any future business activities or investments."

Chevronis the only one with significant operations in Venezuela, where it produces about 250,000 barrels a day. Chevron, which first invested in Venezuela in the 1920s, does business in the country through joint ventures with the state-owned company Petróleos de Venezuela S.A., commonly known as PDVSA.

But even with those massive reserves, Venezuela has been producing less than 1% of the world's crude oil supply. Corruption, mismanagement and U.S. economic sanctions saw production steadily decline from the 3.5 million barrels per day pumped in 1999 to today's levels.

The problem isn't finding the oil. It's a question of the political environment and whether companies can count on the government to live up to their contracts. Back in 2007, then PresidentHugo Cháveznationalized much of the oil production and forced major players like ExxonMobil and ConocoPhillips out.

"The issue is not just that the infrastructure is in bad shape, but it's mostly about how do you get foreign companies to start pouring money in before they have a clear perspective on the political stability, the contract situation and the like," said Francisco Monaldi, who is the director of the Latin American energy program at Rice University.

But the infrastructure does need significant investment.

"The estimate is that in order for Venezuela to increase from one million barrels per day — that is what it produces today — to four million barrels, it will take about a decade and about a hundred billion dollars of investment," Monaldi said.

Strong demand

Venezuela produces the kind of heavy crude oil that's needed for diesel fuel, asphalt and other fuels for heavy equipment. Diesel is in short supply around the world because of the sanctions on oil from Venezuela and Russia and because America's lighter crude oil can't easily replace it.

Years ago, American refineries on the Gulf Coast were optimized to handle that kind of heavy crude at a time when U.S. oil production was falling and Venezuelan and Mexican crude was plentiful. So refineries would love to have more access to Venezuela's crude because it would help them operate more efficiently, and it tends to be a little cheaper.

Boosting Venezuelan production could also make it easier to put pressure on Russia because Europe and the rest of the world could get more of the diesel and heavy oil they need from Venezuela and stop buying from Russia.

"There's been a big benefit for Russia to see Venezuela's oil industry collapse. And the reason is because they were a competitor on the global stage for that oil market," Flynn said.

Complicated legal picture

But Matthew Waxman, a Columbia University law professor who was a national security official in the George W. Bush administration, said seizing control of Venezuela's resources opens upadditional legal issues.

"For example, a big issue will be who really owns Venezuela's oil?" Waxman wrote in an email. "An occupying military power can't enrich itself by taking another state's resources, but the Trump administration will probably claim that the Venezuelan government never rightfully held them."

But Waxman, who served in the State and Defense departments and on the National Security Council under Bush, noted that "we've seen the administration talk very dismissively about international law when it comes to Venezuela."

Associated Press writers Matt O'Brien and Ben Finley contributed to this report.

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Trump's plan to seize and revitalize Venezuela's oil industry faces major hurdles

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Gunmen raid village in northern Nigeria, killing at least 30 people and abducting others

MINNA, Nigeria (AP) — At least 30 villagers have been killed while several others were abducted by gunmen who raided a village in northernNigeria'sNiger state, police said Sunday, the latest in a cycle of deadly violence in the conflict-hit region.

The gunmen stormed the Kasuwan-Daji village in Niger state's Borgu local government area on Saturday evening and opened fire on residents. They also razed down the local market and several houses, Niger state police spokesman Wasiu Abiodun said in a statement.

At least two residents put the death toll at 37 and said it could be much higher as some people remained missing as of Sunday. Residents also said security forces are yet to arrive in the area, contradicting the police' claim that they have deployed officers to search for those kidnapped.

Rev. Fr. Stephen Kabirat, spokesman for the Catholic Church of Kontagora Diocese where the attack happened, told local media that the gunmen killed more than 40 people and that some of those abducted were children.

The gunmen had been lurking around nearby communities for about a week before the attack, according to a resident who asked not to be named for fear of his safety. Now survivors are too afraid to go recover the bodies.

"The bodies are there (in Kasuwan-Daji village). If we don't see any security, how can we go there?" the resident said, adding that the attack lasted for up to three hours.

Such attacks are common in Nigeria,Africa's most populous country, where dozens of rogue gangs seeking control often target remote communities with limited security and government presence.

Saturday's attack in Kasuwan-Daji village happened near the Papiri community, where more than 300 schoolchildren and their teacherswere kidnapped from a Catholic schoolin November.

The attackers who raided Kasuwan-Daji arrived from the National Park Forest along Kabe district, according to the police, pointing to a usual trend where abandoned expansive forest reserves act as hideouts for armed gangs.

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Gunmen raid village in northern Nigeria, killing at least 30 people and abducting others

MINNA, Nigeria (AP) — At least 30 villagers have been killed while several others were abducted by gunmen who raided a vi...

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Maduro capture live updates: Why did the US strike Venezuela, seize leader?

Venezuelan leaderNicolás Maduroand his wife,Cilia Flores, awoke early Saturday morning to U.S. special forcescapturing themfrom their capital city compound, and by the end of the day they were in federal custody in New York.

Over the span of a few hours on Saturday, U.S. strikes targeted air defenses and other sites in Caracas and three other Venezuelan states,whisking awayboth Maduro and Flores and transporting them thousands of miles over sea and air to the United States.

The operation marked a dramatic escalation of PresidentDonald Trump's stance toward Venezuela aftermonths of rising tensions, threats and oil tanker seizures.

Maduro and his wife have beenindicted on federal drug and weapons charges, and are expected to attend an arraignment in New York City as early as Monday, according to multiple media reports.

As globalreverberationscontinue to be felt, many questions remain unanswered, including those regarding the future ofU.S.-Venezuela relationsand how the South American nation will move forward.

Trump: 'We are going to run' Venezuela until transition

Hours after his administration struck Venezuela and deposed its president, Trump said at a Saturday news conference that the U.S. plans to run the country until a transition in leadership can take place.

"We're going to run the country until such time as we can do a safe, proper and judicious transition," Trump said.

Trump said, "It has to be judicious, because that's what we are all about."

The president did not immediately provide additional details on how the U.S. planned to manage the sovereign nation.

During an interview on Fox News' "Fox & Friends" earlier in the day, Trump declined to say whether he would back Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado, thewinner of the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize, for the presidency.

−Francesca Chambers

Reactions to the United States' bombing of Venezuela and capture of the country's president Nicolás Maduro ranged across the world. Some celebrated the operation while others rebuked Trump's intervention in the South American country. See the reactions in photos, beginning here with Venezuelans living in Chile celebrating in Santiago on January 3, 2026.

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See reactions after US explosions in Venezuela, Maduro capture

Reactions to theUnited States' bombing of Venezuela and capture of the country's president Nicolás Maduroranged across the world. Some celebrated the operation while others rebuked Trump's intervention in the South American country. See the reactions in photos, beginning here with Venezuelans living in Chile celebrating in Santiago on January 3, 2026.

Maduro's journey to NY: Ships, planes and helicopters

Maduro and Flores landed in Brooklyn before heading to the Metropolitan Detention Center the evening of Jan. 3.

By then, they had been on multiple types of aircraft, plus a massive warship, in a journey spanning at least three nations and two time zones.

After the couple was taken from their Caracas home, they were loaded onto a helicopter, where the raid force had to fight its way out of Venezuelan airspace, according to Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Gen. Dan "Razin" Caine.

More:'A lot of gunfire': Here's how the US raid to capture Maduro unfolded

They were then loaded onto the USS Iwo Jima, a U.S. Navy amphibious assault ship, and sailed across the Caribbean Sea to the U.S military base in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

Next, they were transferred to a plane to fly the final stretch to New York, landing shortly before sunset Eastern time at Stewart Air National Guard Base about 50 miles north of Manhattan. Once embarked, they were placed in helicopters and flown to Westside Heliport in Manhattan, then finally on to the Brooklyn detention facility.

A 'soul full of concern'

Pope Leo said on Sunday he was following developments in Venezuela after the United States' toppling of Maduro a day earlier with a "soul full of concern."

Leo, the first U.S. pope, called for Venezuela to remain an independent country and respect of human rights.

Maduro walked down hallway in new footage

In the first clear video of the Venezuelan leader since he arrived on U.S. soil Saturday evening, Maduro was seen being walked down a hallway by federal agents.

The 12-second clip was posted to X by Fox News ContributorPaul Mauro and shared by the White House. In the video, Maduro is seen clutching a bottle of water and dressed in black pants, a black hoodie and hat.

His hands appear to be restrained, while three agents walk him down a hallway with a carpet that reads "DEA." He is overheard saying, "goodnight" and "happy New Year" before walking out of the video frame.

Venezuela Supreme Court orders VP become interim president

The Constitutional Chamber of Venezuela's Supreme Court ordered on Saturday that Vice President Delcy Rodríguez assume the role of acting president of the country.

The court ruling said that Rodríguez would assume "the office of President of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, in order to guarantee administrative continuity and the comprehensive defense of the Nation."

The ruling added that the court will debate the matter in order to "determine the applicable legal framework to guarantee the continuity of the State, the administration of government, and the defense of sovereignty in the face of the forced absence of the President of the Republic."

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Maduro capture live updates. Why did US hit Venezuela, seize leader?

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January 04, 2026

Maduro capture live updates: Why did the US strike Venezuela, seize leader?

Venezuelan leaderNicolás Maduroand his wife,Cilia Flores, awoke early Saturday morning to U.S. special forcescapturing th...

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On this day in history: The Beatles ‘Let It Be’ with their last studio session

January 4, 1970, marks a quiet but emotionally charged moment in music history: the last time more than one Beatle worked together in the recording studio. On that day, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr gathered at EMI Studios—better known as Abbey Road—to record overdubs for the song "Let It Be." John Lennon was notably absent, making the session a symbolic turning point that underscored the band's impending end.

By the start of 1970, the Beatles were already fractured. Creative tensions, business disputes, and clashing personalities had strained the group throughout the late 1960s. While the band had publicly presented a united front, the reality behind the scenes was far more complicated. In September 1969, John Lennon had privately told the others that he wanted to leave the Beatles, though the decision was kept secret to avoid disrupting ongoing business negotiations.

The January 4 sessionwas part of the troubledGet Backproject, which would eventually be released as the albumLet It Be. Originally conceived as a back-to-basics return to live recording, the project had devolved into frustration, lengthy rehearsals, and uncomfortable filmed sessions that captured the band's internal strain. Much of the material had already been recorded in 1969, but final touches were still needed.

At Abbey Road, McCartney, Harrison, and Starr focused on overdubs—additional layers added to an existing recording. For "Let It Be," this included refinements to instrumentation that would shape the song into its final form. The atmosphere was professional but subdued, lacking the collaborative spark that once defined the band's work. Lennon's absence was officially explained as a holiday in Denmark, but insiders understood it as further evidence of the group's unraveling.

This session would be the last time any combination of more than one Beatle recorded together. While individual members would continue to work on Beatles-related material in isolation, the collective creative process was effectively over. Just weeks later, producer Phil Spector would be brought in to assemble theLet It Bealbum, adding orchestral elements that proved controversial—particularly with McCartney.

WhenLet It Bewas finally released inMay 1970, it arrived after Paul McCartney had publicly announced his departure from the Beatles, making the album feel more like an epitaph than a reunion. For many fans, the knowledge that the band was already broken by the time the music was completed added a bittersweet layer to its legacy.

January 4, 1970, doesn't come with the drama of a public breakup or a farewell concert. Instead, its significance lies in its quiet finality. Three Beatles in a studio, finishing a song about acceptance and resolve, while the fourth had already moved on. It was the end of an era, not with a bang, but with a carefully recorded overdub.

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January 04, 2026

On this day in history: The Beatles ‘Let It Be’ with their last studio session

January 4, 1970, marks a quiet but emotionally charged moment in music history: the last time more than one Beatle worked together in the r...

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