4 d. ago Maduro vows to declare a ‘republic in arms’ if US forces attack Venezuela

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro on Monday said he “would constitutionally declare a republic in arms” if the South American country were attacked by forces that the United States government has deployed to the Caribbean. His comments during a news conference come as the US government this week is set to boost its maritime force in the waters off Venezuela to combat threats from Latin American drug cartels. The US has not signalled any planned land incursion by the thousands of staff being...

Events

4 d. ago US naval buildup in Caribbean draws fiery response from Venezuela’s Maduro

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro on Monday said he “would constitutionally declare a republic in arms” if the South American country were attacked by forces that the United States government has deployed to the Caribbean. His comments during a news conference come as the US government this week was set to boost its maritime force in the waters off Venezuela to combat threats from Latin American drug cartels. The US has not signaled any planned land incursion by the thousands of personnel...

Politics

1 week ago Venezuela boosts border security amid Rubio’s ‘extremism’, US ship deployment

Venezuela has vowed to reinforce security along its border with Colombia as President Donald Trump’s administration sends US warships to the southern Caribbean. President Nicolas Maduro used his weekly television show to confirm he ordered the deployment of 15,000 “well armed and trained” men and women to the states of Zulia and Tachira. He also singled out Trump’s top diplomat, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, warning the US move risked becoming a debacle. “Unfortunately this gentleman, with his...

Events

2 w. ago Trump orders black paint for border wall to make it hotter and deter migrants

US President Donald Trump has ordered the entire southern border wall to be painted black to stop migrants from crossing because it will be too hot to touch, according to Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem. Speaking near the border in New Mexico on Tuesday, Noem said crews have begun painting sections of the 9-metre (30-foot) steel bollards that make up the barriers. She said the directive came directly from Trump, under the expectation that the dark paint will extend the steel’s lifespan...

Politics

2 w. ago China confirms Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit at end of month

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi has confirmed that Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit China at the end of the month for the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit. His comments, made during talks on the two countries’ border dispute with Indian national security adviser Ajit Doval on Tuesday, came in the wake of a series of reports in Indian media that the visit would go ahead. It will be Modi’s first trip to China in seven years and raises expectations he will meet Chinese...

Politics

2 w. ago Japan deploys large drone over Senkakus Islands amid China ship intrusions

Japan deploys large drone over Senkakus Islands amid China ship intrusions  english.kyodonews.net

Events

2 w. ago ‘Still quite large’: South Korea’s birth rate battles erode its military might

As South Korea’s troop numbers dwindle to levels unseen in decades, fears are growing that the country’s ability to deter Pyongyang and secure its heavily fortified border with the nuclear-armed North may be slipping at a moment of heightened regional uncertainty. According to a Defence Ministry report released last Sunday, the South Korean military has shrunk by 20 per cent over the past six years, with active-duty personnel now numbering around 450,000 – down from about 690,000 soldiers in the...

Events