40 Dead, 119 Injured in Swiss Ski Resort Bar Fire

No fewer than 40 persons have been confirmed dead following a devastating fire outbreak at a bar in the Swiss ski resort town of Crans-Montana on New Year’s Eve, Swiss police have said.

Authorities on Sunday confirmed that the bodies of all 40 victims have now been identified.

The victims were aged between 14 and 39 years, with 15 of them under the age of 18.

The youngest victims were a 14-year-old Swiss girl and a 14-year-old French boy.

The deceased were drawn from several nationalities, including Swiss, Italian, Romanian, Turkish, Portuguese, French and Belgian citizens, as well as nationals of the United Kingdom, France and Israel, underscoring the international nature of the tragedy at the popular Alpine resort.

In addition to those killed, 119 people sustained varying degrees of injuries, most of them severe burns.

Police disclosed that six of the injured are in such critical condition that they have not yet been identified.

The fire broke out at Le Constellation bar, a venue known to be popular with young people in Crans-Montana, where the legal drinking age is 16.

A preliminary investigation indicated that sparklers attached to bottles and held too close to the ceiling may have ignited the blaze.

Swiss prosecutors have since opened a criminal investigation into the French couple who managed the bar.

The couple, identified by the media as Jacques and Jessica Moretti, are suspected of manslaughter by negligence, bodily harm by negligence and arson by negligence, according to the Valais regional prosecutor’s office.

The lead prosecutor in Valais canton, Ms Beatrice Pilloud, said investigators are examining whether the acoustic foam installed on the bar’s ceiling contributed to the rapid spread of the fire and whether it complied with existing safety regulations.

Police said no further personal details of the identified victims would be released out of respect for their families.

However, some relatives have begun to speak publicly as the scale of the tragedy sinks in.

On Saturday night, the mother of one of the victims, Ms Brodard-Sitre, announced via Facebook that her 16-year-old son, Arthur Brodard, was among those who died.

In an emotional video message, she said the family could now begin mourning, “knowing that he is in peace and in the light,” adding that her son had “left to party in paradise.”

Earlier, while Arthur was still listed as missing, his mother told local newspaper Le Temps that she had been “living a nightmare,” revealing that some of his friends had suffered burns to nearly half of their bodies.

“There are no words – they went through hell,” she said.

Italian media also identified 16-year-old junior golfer, Emanuele Galeppini, as one of the victims.

The Italian Golf Federation paid tribute to the teenager, describing him as a “young athlete who carried passion and authentic values.”

His father reportedly confirmed that the boy was at Le Constellation on the night of the incident, although Italian authorities had initially declined to confirm his death.

How US Captured Venezuela’s President Maduro in Daring Overnight Raid

United States forces have captured Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, following a highly coordinated overnight military operation in Caracas, marking one of the most dramatic US interventions in Latin America in decades.

The operation, code-named Operation Absolute Resolve, was launched late Friday after months of surveillance by US intelligence agencies, which closely monitored Maduro’s movements, residences and security arrangements.

According to US officials, the mission was finalised in early December after extensive rehearsals, including the construction of a full-scale replica of Maduro’s safe house for training.

President Donald Trump authorised the operation at 22:46 EST on Friday (03:46 GMT Saturday), shortly before midnight in Caracas, allowing US forces to operate under the cover of darkness.

The mission, lasting just over two hours, involved air, land and sea components and deployed more than 150 aircraft, including fighter jets, bombers and reconnaissance planes.

Explosions rocked Caracas around 02:00 local time as US strikes targeted key military installations, including air defence systems, La Carlota air base, Fuerte Tiuna military complex and Port La Guaira.

Large sections of the city were plunged into darkness, with Trump later claiming US forces disabled power supplies ahead of the raid.

As air strikes continued, elite US Delta Force troops moved into the city and stormed Maduro’s heavily fortified compound.

US officials said the troops encountered resistance, with one helicopter reportedly hit, though no US service member was killed.

Maduro was apprehended while attempting to reach a secure room inside the compound.

By about 04:20 local time, helicopters carrying Maduro and his wife had departed Venezuelan airspace. They are now in the custody of the US Department of Justice and are expected to be transferred to New York to face criminal charges related to drug trafficking and narco-terrorism.

The US had previously placed a $50 million reward on information leading to Maduro’s arrest.

President Trump announced the capture shortly after, hailing the operation as a major success. “Maduro and his wife will soon face the full might of American justice,” he said.

The action has drawn sharp international reactions. Brazil’s President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva condemned the raid, warning it set a “dangerous precedent” for international relations.

In the US, some lawmakers criticised the administration for not seeking congressional authorisation before launching the operation.

Despite the controversy, US officials defended the secrecy and timing of the mission, insisting that prior disclosure could have compromised its success.

The arrest of Maduro, who has ruled Venezuela since 2013, is expected to have far-reaching political and security implications across the region.

Taxation and the Nigerian Diaspora

For Nigerians in the diaspora, taxation has recently taken on a renewed urgency, shaped by Nigeria’s evolving fiscal reforms and global policy shifts that increasingly touch lives beyond the country’s borders. From London to Atlanta, Toronto to Berlin, conversations among Nigerians abroad are no longer just about exchange rates or remittance channels, but about what the newly introduced tax reforms at home truly mean for them.

Nigeria’s latest tax reforms, scheduled to take effect from January 2026, are among the most ambitious fiscal overhauls in decades. Driven by the need to boost non-oil revenue, the Federal Government has made clear its intention to widen the tax base and improve compliance rather than raise blanket tax rates. According to official data, Nigeria’s tax-to-GDP ratio remains below 11 per cent, far lower than the African average of about 16 per cent. This gap has pushed policymakers to rethink how revenue is generated, especially in an economy grappling with subsidy removal, currency reforms and rising public debt.

For Nigerians living abroad, the immediate concern was whether these reforms would extend Nigeria’s tax reach to foreign-earned income or remittances. That fear was amplified by online speculation and misinformation. However, the government has repeatedly clarified that foreign income earned by non-resident Nigerians remains exempt from Nigerian taxation. Residency remains the key determinant. Under the revised framework, an individual becomes tax-resident only if they spend 183 days or more in Nigeria within a 12-month period. For the vast majority of Nigerians in the diaspora, this condition does not apply.

Equally important is the clarification on remittances. Nigeria received approximately 20.5 billion dollars in diaspora remittances in 2023, according to World Bank estimates, making it one of the largest recipients globally. These inflows support millions of households and often serve as informal social security. The government has stated unequivocally that personal remittances sent to families are not subject to taxation. This reassurance, publicly restated by the Presidential Committee on Fiscal Policy and Tax Reforms, was crucial in calming fears of an erosion of diaspora support for families and communities back home.

That said, the reforms do affect Nigerians abroad who maintain economic ties with Nigeria. Rental income from properties, dividends from Nigerian companies, business profits and capital gains derived within Nigeria remain taxable. What has changed is the effort to streamline rates and enforcement. Under the new structure, individuals earning up to ₦800,000 annually in Nigeria are exempt from personal income tax, while higher income brackets attract progressive rates of up to 25 per cent. For diaspora investors, this clarity offers both reassurance and responsibility.

Yet taxation for Nigerians abroad is not shaped by Nigeria alone. Developments in host countries also matter. In the United States, for example, proposed legislation to impose an excise tax on outbound remittances has raised concerns among immigrant communities, including Nigerians. While still under debate, such proposals highlight how diaspora Nigerians can face additional financial pressure even when Nigeria itself does not tax remittances. These external policies complicate the already delicate balance between supporting home and meeting obligations abroad.

Beyond the figures and laws lies a deeper emotional dimension. Many Nigerians in the diaspora already shoulder what feels like an unspoken tax through remittances, school fees for relatives, medical bills and community obligations. When new fiscal policies are announced, the question is rarely about refusal to contribute but about trust. Diaspora Nigerians want assurance that taxation is tied to accountability, improved infrastructure and governance reforms that justify continued engagement.

Tax policy also influences long-term decisions. Uncertainty or perceived hostility can discourage diaspora investment, while transparent and predictable systems can attract it. Nigeria’s diaspora population is estimated at over 15 million people, with significant skills, capital and global networks. How taxation is framed and implemented will shape whether this community feels like partners in national development or distant revenue targets.

For second-generation Nigerians born abroad, the issue is even more symbolic. Their connection to Nigeria is often cultural rather than administrative. If engagement with the country is defined largely by obligations without visible benefits, the risk is gradual disengagement. Taxation, therefore, becomes a measure of how Nigeria defines citizenship in a globalised world.

In the end, the newly introduced tax reforms present both reassurance and reflection for Nigerians in the diaspora. They confirm that foreign-earned income and personal remittances remain protected, while reinforcing the principle that income generated in Nigeria carries responsibility. More importantly, they reopen a broader conversation about trust, inclusion and mutual benefit. For Nigerians abroad, tax is no longer just a line in a policy document; it is a mirror of how connected they remain to the country they still call home.