Morning briefing Monday 5th January

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0:34This is the Times Morning Briefing for Monday 5th January. The Prime Minister says Britain will discuss the evolving situation in Venezuela with US counterparts this week. Sir Keir Starmer says the UK is shedding no tears about the end of the Nicolas Maduro regime. He was captured by American military personnel at the weekend. He's been held on drug charges and could appear in a New York court later today. It's reported that Delce Rodriguez, the vice president under Maduro, will now be sworn in as president. John Bonfiglio is a journalist based in Latin America. He's told Times Radio about how perceptions have changed in the country over the past few days.

1:16Everything has changed, of course, but nothing has changed as well. Maduro is gone, but everything still looks and feels the same on the face of it. Delci Rodriguez, now president, 56-year-old career technocrat. She's taken over the same structures which are in place on Friday night. What the Trump administration seems to believe, although, of course, it's difficult to tell precisely, is that they can run Venezuela by simply threatening another intervention. They keep talking about this potential second wave should Rodriguez not submit. Former pupil at a British school has now been confirmed dead after a fire at a Swiss ski resort killed 40 people and injured 119 others.

1:4815-year-old Charlotte Nidham was among the last 16 victims to have been identified by police. Two people who were running the bar in Cromontana have been put under criminal investigation. Sir Keir Starmer has said the UK should move towards closer alignment with Europe if it's in our national interest. The Prime Minister said it would be better looking to the single market rather than the customs union in order to protect trade deals with India and the US. Professor Anand Menon is a director at the UK in a Changing Europe think tank. If the last 10 years has taught us anything, it's that nothing is inevitable in our politics, which is hugely unpredictable.

2:25But the second thing I would say is we need to bear in mind in this country that just because the Prime Minister or members of his government have had a Damacy and moment where they suddenly think, yes, we want to be closer to the EU, it takes two to tango. The EU have to agree with this. And after dismissing speculation about the future of his leadership, Sakir Starmer will promise to ease the cost of living later. The Prime Minister will use a visit to Berkshire today to try and convince voters that they'll be better off under Labour. From today, mobile phones and SIM cards will be seized from migrants without needing to arrest them.

2:57as part of efforts to tackle channel crossings and people smugglers. It's hoped it will speed up investigations. It's understood that the Duke of Sussex has won his fight for armed police protection when he visits the UK. A ruling in his favour is expected in a matter of weeks. Correspondent Rupert Bell has told Times Radio that the royal family will be wary of what it could lead to. The one thing I think the royal family will be saying, right, if we're going to have a family reunion, they will probably say, we don't want it to have any sort of publicity because this shouldn't be something that is made capital of.

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