U.S. President Donald Trump invited Colombian President Gustavo Petro to the White House after previously accusing him of sending cocaine to the U.S. Petro told CBS News he would go to the White House to "stop a world war" following the U.S. operation in Venezuela.

Washington

Colombian President Gustavo Petro has announced his intention to visit the White House, emphasizing that his primary goal is to prevent a world war. In an interview, Petro discussed his recent conversation with former President Trump, who invited him to Washington and expressed shared concerns about misinformation and regional instability. 

Petro clarified that while he has engaged with Venezuelan leaders and recognizes opposition figure Maria Corina Machado's influence, he does not plan to mediate directly between Venezuela and the United States. He also expressed reservations about U.S. intentions regarding Venezuelan oil, though he and Trump reportedly agree on the need for shared governance in Venezuela.

Colombia president says he'll go to White House "to stop a world war"

Tell me more about what President Trump told you. He let me talk for 40 of the 55 minutes. He told me, they've told as many lies about you as they have about me. Were you ever afraid of President Trump coming after you? What I'm most afraid of, and I'm not going to say that I'm not afraid to be threatened when I see images of helicopters flying in and missiles when we don't even have an air defense system, but what scares me is the reaction in Colombia, which would be different than in Venezuela. During the call, President Trump invited President Petro to the White House. What is your goal? Why are you going to the White House? Is this about stopping a war in Latin America? To stop a world war. President Petro invited Venezuela's acting president, Delsi Rodriguez, whom he calls a friend, to his own presidential palace, but he says he's not planning to mediate between her and Trump. Do you trust President Trump's intentions in Venezuela? I think he believes in shared governance, but not separate from the idea of retaining control of the oil. While President Petro doesn't condone the Trump administration's plans with Venezuelan oil, he believes they share a vision on who should run Venezuela. You're suggesting a shared government between the Delsi regime-aligned side and the opposition? What do you think about Maria Corina Machado? So you wouldn't trust her or support her as a leader? I invited her once, and she didn't want to come. I was obviously surprised that Trump thought the same thing as me. Whether Petro likes Maria Corina Machado or not, the reality is that she is absolutely the leader of the opposition. When there was a primary, she won, within Venezuela, that primary of people supporting the opposition by more than 90 percent of the vote. And even when she was banned and chose a proxy candidate to run for her, he, Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia, won the election in Venezuela in 2024 by 70 percent of the vote. Vlad? All right, Lilia Luciano with some insightful reporting from Bogota, Colombia. Thank you very much.

Thousands of demonstrators gathered in Minneapolis and several other US cities as anger mounts following a shooting involving a Federal Immigration Agent. The Trump administration says it's carrying out the largest immigration enforcement operation in U.S history.

Minneapolis

‘Abolish ICE’: Thousands across U.S protest killing

Iran's army is threatening to join the crackdown on protesters as demonstrations against the regime grow and the death toll mounts. Huge crowds have taken to the streets across the Islamic Republic. Iran's Revolutionary Guard calls them "terrorists." Haley Ott has more details.

Tehran

Iran's army threatens to join crackdown against protesters

President Trump said, "We are going to do something on Greenland, whether they like it or not," earlier this week. But Greenland, a territory of Denmark and a NATO ally, is rejecting the threats.

Nuuk

Greenland rejects Trump's threats

Trump, who often cites national security interests as the reason for taking Greenland, said that if the US does not do something, 'Russia or China will take over Greenland'.

Trump says U.S will act on Greenland, 'whether they like it or not'

Protests across the U.S., including in Minneapolis, Philadelphia and Miami, are taking place following the fatal shooting of 37-year-old Renee Good by an ICE agent in Minneapolis. Police declared the demonstrations in downtown Minneapolis an 'unlawful assembly'.

Philadelphia

Protests spread across the U.S. over ICE shooting of woman

Internet and phone lines in Iran have been cut off as anti-government protests enter their second week. Reports say at least 65 people have been killed and more than 2,300 others detained. U.S. President Donald Trump has warned of a possible U.S. response to the government crackdown.

Internet blackout in Iran enters second day as protests intensify

Rescue workers are trying to find dozens of people trapped under a collapsed landfill in the Philippines. At least four people have been confirmed dead. The incident took place on Thursday, with more than 100 workers on site at the time.

Cebu City

Philippines: Dozens still missing in landfill collapse

BRICS nations have launched joint naval exercises off the South African coast. Supporters say the drills will strengthen co-operation among emerging economies.  But critics warn they could deepen global divisions.

Simon's Town

South Africa hosts Russia, Iran and China for military exercise

Iran's Revolutionary Guards warned on Saturday that safeguarding security was a "red line" and the military vowed to protect public property, as the clerical establishment stepped up efforts to quell the most widespread protests in years.

Iran authorities signal intensified crackdown as unrest grows

Luigi Mangione was back in court on Friday, where his lawyers worked to block the Justice Department from seeking the death penalty in his federal trial for the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson. Mangione pleaded not guilty in April 2025.

New York

Luigi Mangione's lawyers fight to block death penalty

Fire crews battle spreading blazes while communities face evacuations and power cuts.

Victoria

Thousands of firefighters deployed to fight bushfires in Australia

The protest comes amid wider rallies against US immigration enforcement and over the fatal shooting of the 37-year-old Renee Nicole Good.

Several arrested in Minneapolis during anti-ICE protest

Trump says U.S. will act on Greenland, 'whether they like it or not'

U.S. President Donald Trump began a meeting to discuss Venezuela with executives from some of the world's largest oil companies at the White House, saying he wants them to invest $100 billion in the country to vastly expand its production.

Venezuela Strikes

Trump urges U.S. oil giants to repair Venezuela's energy industry

The U.S. seized another oil tanker linked to Venezuela in the Caribbean, U.S. Southern Command confirmed on Friday (January 9). The seizure of the vessel comes as President Donald Trump prepares to meet with oil company executives at the White House.

U.S. seizes fifth tanker linked to Venezuela

U.S. President Donald Trump is reiterating his threats against Iran's regime if violence and deaths continue during protests. CBS News' Imtiaz Tyab has more.

Trump: U.S. to hit Iran 'very hard' if violence continues at protests

Russia fired a powerful hypersonic missile overnight at a target in Ukraine near the border with NATO-member Poland, in what Kyiv's European allies described as an attempt to intimidate them from supporting Ukraine.

Kyiv

Ukraine Invasion

Russia fires hypersonic missile at Ukraine target near NATO border

A majority of European Union countries have agreed to sign a trade deal with the South American trading bloc, Mercosur. It'll be the EU's biggest free-trade pact and comes after decades of negotiations.

Brussels

EU approves Mercosur trade deal despite protests

The Trump administration is pulling the U.S. out of dozens of international organizations, including key UN agencies and the treaty underpinning global climate talks, marking a deepening retreat from multilateral cooperation.

Trump admin. withdraws from dozens of international organizations

The brother of Venezuela's interim president, Delcy Rodriguez, and head of the country’s national assembly has announced the release of a wide raft of political prisoners. It's being viewed as a gesture to seek peace less than a week after the capture of President Nicolas Maduro by U.S. forces.

Cúcuta

Venezuela releases political prisoners

Residents in Portland, Oregon, protested Thursday after officials say two people were shot by Border Patrol agents. Gwen Baumgardner has more on how the shooting unfolded.

Portland

Two shot by border patrol agents in Portland

Russia launched a massive attack in Ukraine using drones and missiles, including a nuclear-capable Oreshnik missile. Michael Bociurkiw, nonresident senior fellow at the Atlantic Council's Eurasia Center, joins CBS News with more.

Odesa

Russia strikes Ukraine with hypersonic missile

Four crew members aboard the International Space Station will be brought home more than a month early in the coming days as NASA cuts its mission short due to health concerns.

NASA cutting current International Space Station mission short

Iran's supreme leader has condemned anti-government protests, denouncing demonstrators as vandals and saboteurs. Iran has shut down the internet and cut off international calls and is promising decisive punishment.

Iran's Supreme Leader defiant as protests grow

The U.S. Senate advanced a resolution that would bar President Donald Trump from further military action against Venezuela without congressional authorization, a rare rebuke of the Republican leader.

U.S. Senate advances measure curbing Trump's Venezuela war powers

U.S. officials have discussed sending lump sum payments to Greenlanders as part of a bid to convince them to secede from Denmark and potentially join the United States, according to four sources familiar with the matter.

Trump administration mulls paying Greenlanders to join U.S.

Iran’s connectivity drops sharply nationwide – As authorities tighten controls amid growing protests over the economy. NetBlocks says the apparent blackout follows ‘a series of escalating digital censorship measures targeting protests’.

Iran experiencing nationwide internet blackout as protests intensify

The Senate on Thursday voted to advance a resolution that could limit President Trump's ability to continue military action in Venezuela without congressional approval. It comes as the president told the New York Times that he could see the U.S. having direct oversight of Venezuela for years.

Caracas

Trump says U.S. could have direct oversight in Venezuela for years

The crew at the International Space Station will return home early because of what NASA is calling a medical concern with a crew member. CBS News space consultant Bill Harwood has more details.

Texas

ISS crew returning due to medical issue for first time in NASA history

President Trump plans to meet with Colombian President Gustavo Petro after Mr. Trump issued threats following the U.S. operation in Venezuela that led to the capture of Nicolás Maduro. CBS News' Lilia Luciano reports from Bogotá.

Breakdown