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Venezuela

The Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela is situated on the northern coast of South America. Home to an estimated population of 29.1 million, it covers around 916,445 square kilometres which includes the Andes mountains and the Amazon Basin Rainforest. Its main export is oil. Venezuela was colonized by Spain in 1522 but continued resistance led in 1811 to it becoming the first Spanish American country to declare independence. A chequered political history followed which saw dictatorships rise and fall, as well as military coups.

Capital

Caracas

Head of State

President Nicolás Maduro

Head of Government

President Nicolás Maduro

The US embassy in Havana, Cuba. Photo: EPA

Americas and the Caribbean

Cuba confirms rare Havana talks with US officials

A senior diplomat describes ‘professional’ meetings as Havana seeks an end to the US oil blockade.

21 Apr 2026 - 12:14PM

China-EU relations

Open Questions | ‘Saying you’re a geopolitical actor doesn’t make it so’: Sven Biscop on Europe

20 Apr 2026 - 10:05AMvideocam

US, Israel war on Iran

Exclusive | Iran keen on deal with US but has higher ‘pain tolerance’: think tank chief

20 Apr 2026 - 4:10AMvideocam

US-Venezuela conflict

Venezuela’s Machado says ‘no regrets’ about giving her Nobel Prize to Trump

The opposition leader called the US president a leader who ‘risked the lives of his country’s citizens’ for her nation’s freedom.

19 Apr 2026 - 4:10AM

Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado attends a rally in Madrid, Spain, on Saturday. Photo: Reuters

Cuba

Cuba’s president says island does not wish for US aggression, but ready to fight

Cuba has been bracing for a possible attack following repeated warnings from Trump after he toppled Venezuela’s leader.

17 Apr 2026 - 11:35AM

North Korea

Nuclear defiance: North Korea’s Kim signals he won’t be the next Iran

Kim Jong-un’s increased appearances at military drills show his confidence in Pyongyang’s nuclear deterrence, analysts say.

17 Apr 2026 - 8:00AMvideocam

US-Venezuela conflict

IMF, World Bank say they are resuming dealings with Venezuela

The move follows the January ouster of Nicolas Maduro and could unlock billions in frozen assets for the Rodriguez administration.

17 Apr 2026 - 10:37AM

Venezuela’s interim President Delcy Rodriguez delivers a speech during a civil-military parade in Caracas on Monday. Photo: AFP

United States

Lula blasts Trump’s fear-based rule, calls for ‘great maturity’

‘Trump has no right to wake up in the morning and threaten a country,’ Brazil’s president says.

16 Apr 2026 - 6:38PMvideocam

Asia travel

Lack of fuel reserves forces Southeast Asian flight cuts amid Hormuz crisis

Airlines are cutting flights, as dependence on Middle Eastern fuel hits operators from Pakistan to New Zealand.

14 Apr 2026 - 12:10PMvideocam

Americas and the Caribbean

Cuba’s president warns US against attacking island or trying to depose him

Miguel Diaz-Canel said an invasion of Cuba would be costly and affect regional security but should it happen, Cubans would defend themselves.

13 Apr 2026 - 2:11AMvideocam

Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel. Photo: EPA

US-Venezuela conflict

‘Eager to explore’: Chinese migrants return to Venezuela after Maduro’s capture

A large chunk of Venezuela’s Chinese community fled overseas during Maduro’s rule. Now, many are returning as they see ‘new opportunities’.

12 Apr 2026 - 10:08AMvideocam

US-China relations

Opinion | A stark clash of world views will overshadow Trump’s visit to China

As Xi and Trump prepare to meet, the divergence between their visions of global order has never been more acute.

10 Apr 2026 - 10:29AMvideocam

US-China relations

How can Beijing prepare for Trump’s ‘drunken boxing’ style before he meets Xi?

As Trump loomed large in both Iran war and subsequent pause, analysts weigh the importance of rhetoric vs results in his talks with China.

9 Apr 2026 - 10:47PMvideocam

China exports

China strengthens oversight of state-owned assets overseas amid global tensions

A new department will guide state-owned enterprises expanding overseas, as China’s firms look outwards for growth opportunities.

9 Apr 2026 - 4:00PMvideocam

Chinese investments in Venezuela have faced uncertainty since the United States’ seizure of former president Nicolas Maduro in January. Photo: Getty Images

US, Israel war on Iran

Why the US-Iran ceasefire is seen as a failure for Donald Trump

As the two sides prepare to meet in person in Pakistan, analysts identify American leader’s miscalculations leading to weaker footing.

9 Apr 2026 - 12:59AMvideocam

Iranians wave national flags beneath a large billboard in Tehran’s Revolution Square on Wednesday, following the announcement that the United States and Iran have agreed to a two-week ceasefire. Photo: AFP

US, Israel war on Iran

Madness or bluster? Trump’s apocalyptic language raises key questions

A last-minute ceasefire halts threat to wipe out Iranian civilisation, but fuels questions about Trump’s negotiating style and mental state.

8 Apr 2026 - 2:47PMvideocam

Americas and the Caribbean

Peru set to choose from a bewildering array of 35 presidential hopefuls

Right-wing candidate Keiko Fujimori holds first place ⁠in the polls ⁠one week before Peru’s presidential election.

8 Apr 2026 - 5:00PM

Asean

Most in Asean prefer China over US in survey, Trump cited as biggest concern

Support for China was stronger in Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and Singapore, according to the ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute survey.

7 Apr 2026 - 6:08PM

US President Donald Trump greets Chinese President Xi Jinping before a bilateral meeting at the Gimhae International Airport terminal in South Korea in October. Photo: Daniel Torok/White House/dpa

Gun violence in the US

Video sheds light on Minnesota ICE shooting after charges against men collapsed

Authorities initially accused 2 Venezuelan men of beating an ICE officer during a chase and scuffle in Minneapolis in January.

7 Apr 2026 - 5:53AMvideocam

US-Venezuela conflict

Venezuela’s government, opposition may cooperate to safeguard US assets

Lawyers for both sides have requested a 45-day pause in the US asset seizure case as Venezuela seeks ⁠to protect holdings from creditors.

7 Apr 2026 - 12:08PM

Taiwan

How lessons from Iran war could shape mainland China’s Taiwan calculus

US strengths and strains offer Beijing a playbook, but key differences limit how far the conflict can guide future military strategy.

7 Apr 2026 - 2:20AMvideocam

My Take

My Take | Why Beijing is now the only true partner of Africa and Latin America

In contrast to friendly China, the United States has weaponised foreign aid on one continent and returned to gunboat diplomacy in the western hemisphere.

5 Apr 2026 - 11:05PM

A section of the Chinese-built Nairobi Expressway in Nairobi, Kenya. Photo: Xinhua

Banking & finance

Opinion | From the US to Hong Kong, there’s no excuse for insider trading

Far from a victimless crime, insider trading steals from the rest of us by unfairly using knowledge that is available only to the privileged.

3 Apr 2026 - 5:30AM

US-Venezuela conflict

US lifts sanctions on Venezuela’s acting president, who praises Trump

The US continues to gradually ease measures on Caracas after its military captured leader Nicolas Maduro on January 3.

2 Apr 2026 - 1:13PM

US-China trade war

US lawmakers call for major crackdown on China’s alleged sanctioned oil imports

Bipartisan panel argues sanctions have concentrated discounted oil in Beijing's hands – charges the Chinese government denies.

2 Apr 2026 - 11:59AM

This aerial picture taken on October 1, 2025 off the coast of the western France port of Saint-Nazaire shows the tanker Boracay from one of Russia’s “shadow fleets”. Photo: AFP

US-China relations

Letters | Unfinished business: the delay of Trump’s China visit

Readers discuss the postponement of the US president’s visit to Beijing, and the underlying impulse behind American military action.

31 Mar 2026 - 11:30AM

US President Donald Trump greets Chinese President Xi Jinping ahead of a bilateral meeting at Gimhae Air Base on October 30, 2025, in Busan, South Korea. Photo: Getty Images

US-Venezuela conflict

US reopens embassy in Venezuela months after military operation to remove Maduro

The State Department said normal operations had resumed at the Caracas embassy after a 7-year closure that began during Trump’s first term.

31 Mar 2026 - 3:45AM

US-Iran tensions

Why Trump needs a short-term win in Iran before he visits Xi in China

A surge in US service members in the Middle East suggests the makings of a protracted and low-intensity conflict, analysts say.

30 Mar 2026 - 9:51PMvideocam

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Venezuela

Cuba confirms rare Havana talks with US officials

A senior diplomat describes ‘professional’ meetings as Havana seeks an end to the US oil blockade.

.css-19im5qg{color:#c79a00;}Open Questions | ‘Saying you’re a geopolitical actor doesn’t make it so’: Sven Biscop on Europe

Exclusive | Iran keen on deal with US but has higher ‘pain tolerance’: think tank chief

Venezuela’s Machado says ‘no regrets’ about giving her Nobel Prize to Trump

The opposition leader called the US president a leader who ‘risked the lives of his country’s citizens’ for her nation’s freedom.

Cuba’s president says island does not wish for US aggression, but ready to fight

Cuba has been bracing for a possible attack following repeated warnings from Trump after he toppled Venezuela’s leader.

Nuclear defiance: North Korea’s Kim signals he won’t be the next Iran

Kim Jong-un’s increased appearances at military drills show his confidence in Pyongyang’s nuclear deterrence, analysts say.

IMF, World Bank say they are resuming dealings with Venezuela

The move follows the January ouster of Nicolas Maduro and could unlock billions in frozen assets for the Rodriguez administration.

Lula blasts Trump’s fear-based rule, calls for ‘great maturity’

‘Trump has no right to wake up in the morning and threaten a country,’ Brazil’s president says.

Lack of fuel reserves forces Southeast Asian flight cuts amid Hormuz crisis

Airlines are cutting flights, as dependence on Middle Eastern fuel hits operators from Pakistan to New Zealand.

Cuba’s president warns US against attacking island or trying to depose him

Miguel Diaz-Canel said an invasion of Cuba would be costly and affect regional security but should it happen, Cubans would defend themselves.

‘Eager to explore’: Chinese migrants return to Venezuela after Maduro’s capture

A large chunk of Venezuela’s Chinese community fled overseas during Maduro’s rule. Now, many are returning as they see ‘new opportunities’.

.css-1pcrwvc{color:#2aa191;}Opinion | A stark clash of world views will overshadow Trump’s visit to China

As Xi and Trump prepare to meet, the divergence between their visions of global order has never been more acute.

How can Beijing prepare for Trump’s ‘drunken boxing’ style before he meets Xi?

As Trump loomed large in both Iran war and subsequent pause, analysts weigh the importance of rhetoric vs results in his talks with China.

China strengthens oversight of state-owned assets overseas amid global tensions

A new department will guide state-owned enterprises expanding overseas, as China’s firms look outwards for growth opportunities.

Why the US-Iran ceasefire is seen as a failure for Donald Trump

As the two sides prepare to meet in person in Pakistan, analysts identify American leader’s miscalculations leading to weaker footing.

Madness or bluster? Trump’s apocalyptic language raises key questions

A last-minute ceasefire halts threat to wipe out Iranian civilisation, but fuels questions about Trump’s negotiating style and mental state.

Peru set to choose from a bewildering array of 35 presidential hopefuls

Right-wing candidate Keiko Fujimori holds first place ⁠in the polls ⁠one week before Peru’s presidential election.

Most in Asean prefer China over US in survey, Trump cited as biggest concern

Support for China was stronger in Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and Singapore, according to the ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute survey.

Video sheds light on Minnesota ICE shooting after charges against men collapsed

Authorities initially accused 2 Venezuelan men of beating an ICE officer during a chase and scuffle in Minneapolis in January.

Venezuela’s government, opposition may cooperate to safeguard US assets

Lawyers for both sides have requested a 45-day pause in the US asset seizure case as Venezuela seeks ⁠to protect holdings from creditors.

How lessons from Iran war could shape mainland China’s Taiwan calculus

US strengths and strains offer Beijing a playbook, but key differences limit how far the conflict can guide future military strategy.

My Take | Why Beijing is now the only true partner of Africa and Latin America

In contrast to friendly China, the United States has weaponised foreign aid on one continent and returned to gunboat diplomacy in the western hemisphere.

Opinion | From the US to Hong Kong, there’s no excuse for insider trading

Far from a victimless crime, insider trading steals from the rest of us by unfairly using knowledge that is available only to the privileged.

US lifts sanctions on Venezuela’s acting president, who praises Trump

The US continues to gradually ease measures on Caracas after its military captured leader Nicolas Maduro on January 3.

US lawmakers call for major crackdown on China’s alleged sanctioned oil imports

Bipartisan panel argues sanctions have concentrated discounted oil in Beijing's hands – charges the Chinese government denies.

Letters | Unfinished business: the delay of Trump’s China visit

Readers discuss the postponement of the US president’s visit to Beijing, and the underlying impulse behind American military action.

US reopens embassy in Venezuela months after military operation to remove Maduro

The State Department said normal operations had resumed at the Caracas embassy after a 7-year closure that began during Trump’s first term.

Why Trump needs a short-term win in Iran before he visits Xi in China

A surge in US service members in the Middle East suggests the makings of a protracted and low-intensity conflict, analysts say.

Open Questions | ‘Saying you’re a geopolitical actor doesn’t make it so’: Sven Biscop on Europe

Opinion | A stark clash of world views will overshadow Trump’s visit to China