An emboldened U.S. President Donald Trump has hinted that he has other countries in his sights after toppling Venezuela's Nicolas Maduro, leaving the world asking: where's next?

Key Ukrainian allies were to huddle with top U.S. envoys in Paris on Tuesday to discuss security guarantees, as they press ahead on U.S.-brokered plans to end the war with Russia.

Ousted Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro pleaded not guilty to drug trafficking and other charges at a defiant appearance in a New York court Monday, two days after being snatched by U.S. forces in a stunning raid on his home in Caracas.

The Israeli military launched strikes on southern and eastern Lebanon on Monday, Lebanese state media reported, after warning it would hit what it called Hezbollah and Hamas targets in four villages.

Hundreds of tourists are stuck on the Yemeni island of Socotra after flights were halted over clashes on the mainland, two officials and a travel agency told AFP Monday.

The island's deputy governor for culture and tourism, Yahya bin Afrar, told AFP: "We have more than 400 foreign tourists... their flights have been suspended." Another local government official gave a similar figure.

The European Union said Monday that member states had made "progress" towards approving the bloc's trade deal with the South American bloc Mercosur and that it hoped to sign the agreement "soon".

Diplomats have said the EU aims for a signature on January 12. European Commission chief spokeswoman Paula Pinho did not confirm the date but insisted the EU was on the "right track" to get the deal over the line in the near future.

EU chief Ursula von der Leyen will visit Syria later this week on a first trip to the country since the fall of Bashar al-Assad, a spokeswoman said Monday.

Von der Leyen will head to Syria as part of a tour of the Middle East that will also see her visit Jordan and Lebanon, spokeswoman Paula Pinho said.

Israeli authorities have told the Supreme Court that a ban on international media access to Gaza should remain in place, arguing it is necessary for security reasons, according to a government submission filed by the public prosecutor.

"Even at this time, entry of journalists into the Gaza Strip without escort, as requested in the petition, should not be permitted," said the government submission, a copy of which was obtained by AFP. "This is for security reasons, based on the position of the defence establishment, which maintains that a security risk associated with such entry still exists."

Turkey's annual inflation slowed in December to 30.9 percent, a fourth straight month of declines and well below the 44.4 percent posted in the same month of 2024, official figures showed Monday.

Vietnam said on Monday its economy grew 8.0 percent last year, thanks to gains in services, construction and exports and despite fresh U.S. tariffs taking effect.

"GDP in 2025 is projected to grow significantly at an estimated rate of 8.02 percent compared to the previous year," the General Statistics Office said in a statement.