The attack occurred amid ongoing Israeli violations of the ceasefire agreement.

On Monday, the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) denounced that Israeli aircraft dropped unknown chemical substances on southern Lebanon, forcing the cancellation of more than ten surveillance operations near the Blue Line.

The airstrike paralyzed peacekeeping operations along a third of the border for nine hours. United Nations troops and Lebanese Armed Forces collected samples to determine toxicity and risks to civilians and peacekeepers.

UNIFIL stated that the action violates UN Security Council Resolution 1701, the basis of the ceasefire in effect since November 2024. It also noted that this is not the first Israeli chemical incursion.

The international organization warned that these tactics limit the operational capacity of peacekeeping missions, endanger public health, and threaten food security because of potential crop contamination.

The incident occurred amid ongoing Israeli violations of the ceasefire agreement, as the country continues to occupy five strategic locations in Lebanon despite the withdrawal deadline of January 26.

Beirut has lodged formal complaints with the Security Council denouncing systematic attacks. UNIFIL considers the chemical provocations “unacceptable” and aimed at undermining the recovery of southern Lebanon and perpetuating a foreign military presence.

On Monday, the Israeli occupation army also bombed Kaar Tibnit and Ain Qana, alleging that Hezbollah was using civilian buildings to store weapons. Israel had even ordered prior evacuations through messages broadcast by its Arab spokesman, Avichai Adraee.

The Lebanese National News Agency confirmed attacks on both locations, reporting no fatalities. Israel maintains that Hezbollah is using civilians as human shields, although it did not specify how it identified the targeted infrastructure.

Since the ceasefire came into effect on November 27, 2024, Israel has bombed southern Lebanon almost daily, as well as areas such as the Bekaa Valley and Beirut, alleging armed activity by Hezbollah. The Shiite group, for its part, has not attacked Israeli territory since December 2024.

A massive Navy contract vehicle, once valued at $10 billion, has ballooned to a staggering $55 billion ceiling to expedite President Donald Trump’s “mass deportation” agenda.

This $45 billion increase, published just weeks ago, converts the U.S. into a “geographic region” for expeditionary military-style detention. It signals a massive, long-term escalation in the government’s capacity to pay for detention and deportation logistics. In the world of federal contracting, it is the difference between a temporary surge and a permanent infrastructure.

Task orders allow DHS to bypass the months-long public bidding process for every new facility. When the contract says task orders are issued when "specific dates and locations are identified," it means the infrastructure is currently a "ghost" network that can be materialized anywhere in the U.S. the moment a site is picked.

MY TAKE: If Congress does nothing, DHS will continue to thrive. With three more years pre-funded, plus a U.S. Navy as a benefactor, Secretary Kristi Noem–or any potential successor–has the legal and financial runway to keep the business of creating ICE concentration camps overnight in American communities running long after any news cycle fades.

While Kennedy predicts a "long, long shutdown" for DHS, this contract vehicle suggests the department has already secured the "ceiling" it needs to operate at a massive scale regardless of the immediate budget battles in the House.

Caracas, Feb 3 (Prensa Latina) The son of Venezuela's constitutional president, Nicolás Maduro Guerra, sent an emotional message to his father, Nicolás Maduro, today, marking one month since his kidnapping along with the First Lady on January 3.

“One month without your advice, your quick response, your wisdom, your ability to always have solutions. One month without hearing from you or seeing you directly,” the National Assembly (parliament) deputy wrote on his Telegram account.

The young Venezuelan said that it has been very hard and yet, "it is a month of certainty for the people, of feeling prepared by you to face this challenge" and of feeling sad but strengthened by you, your serenity, your peace that you transmit to us at this moment.

“Here we are, Dad, with the homeland and the people united and firm,” he affirmed.

The member of the Permanent Commission on Economy, Finance and National Development of the parliament stated that when he sees his father again, “we will hug and continue the path of Bolívar and Chávez.”

So that the Venezuelan family, he said, can have a dignified, happy, full, and developed life in all fields and dimensions.

Let's go forward with strength, together with your team, together with the people and for the homeland, to continue building the dream of sovereignty and dignity, in total peace, with dialogue, inclusion and diplomacy, he expressed.

“Dad, we continue to win in the name of God and you will be among us sooner rather than later,” he assured.

Long live Venezuela! Long live the homeland! Long live Nicolás Maduro Moros and Cilia Flores! NEMG (Nicolás Ernesto Maduro Guerra) concluded the message.

On January 3, the presidential couple was kidnapped amid a US military aggression against four territories of the country, which left more than a hundred Venezuelan civilians and military personnel dead, and 32 Cuban combatants who were protecting the constitutional president.

Sergey Lavrov condemns Washington’s measures in call with Cuban FM Rodriguez.

During a phone call on Monday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov reaffirmed to Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez his country’s full support for Cuba in the face of new aggressions by Washington.

Lavrov stressed that the measures threaten to worsen the humanitarian situation for the Cuban people and expressed Russia’s firm willingness to provide political and material support needed to counter the economic siege. Both diplomats discussed priority issues on the bilateral agenda and coordinated the schedule for upcoming high-level contacts between the two countries.

The call came in direct response to U.S. President Donald Trump’s executive order threatening additional tariffs on any country that supplies oil to Cuba, on the grounds that the island poses a threat to U.S. national security.

Lavrov said Moscow will not allow extreme living conditions to be imposed on Cuba through financial coercion, reinforcing the strategic alliance between Russia and the Caribbean nation in defense of sovereignty.

For his part, Rodriguez denounced U.S. actions as a brutal act of aggression that intensifies the longest-running economic blockade in history, in place for more than 65 years.

He thanked Russia for its solidarity at a critical moment, saying Washington is using tariff blackmail in an attempt to break the will of a free people.

Earlier, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova strongly rejected Washington’s new measures against Cuba, describing them as a deliberate attempt at economic strangulation.

Russia said the unilateral sanctions are categorically unacceptable because they were adopted outside the framework of the United Nations and violate international law.

Zakharova said the latest episode of “maximum pressure” seeks to suffocate Cuba’s economy, but she added that the Caribbean nation will continue to maintain effective foreign economic ties despite illegitimate obstacles imposed by the Trump administration.

Zakharova also mentioned that a White House document labels Russia a “hostile and malicious state” because of its relationship with Havana, a characterization that hampers any bilateral dialogue and discredits U.S. mediation efforts in other regions.

She insisted that comprehensive cooperation between Moscow and Cuba has deep roots and solid sociopolitical backing and is not directed against third countries.

In response to Trump’s threats of possible intervention to destroy the island, Russia reaffirmed that its special historical ties with the Cuban people are unbreakable and will not be affected by tariff blackmail or diplomatic coercion.

Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel said Cuba is a free nation that does not attack others but has been attacked for 66 years. The White House’s new threats follow the kidnapping of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, which signals an escalation of U.S. hostility in the region.

Against this backdrop, the Cuban government said it is prepared to defend the homeland to the last drop of blood, with the backing of strategic allies that reject Washington’s hegemony and interventionism.

Top general warns of overwhelming response as Washington deploys forces near Iranian waters. On Monday, Gen. Abdolrahim Mousavi, the Chief of Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces, announced a shift toward an offensive military doctrine amid escalating tensions with the United States.

“After the 12-day war and the continuation of insidious U.S.-Zionist actions, we reviewed our defense doctrine, replacing it with an offensive doctrine based on lightning-fast and wide-ranging operations,” he said during an inspection of one of the armed forces units.

By adopting military strategies that are “disjointed and crushing, our action will be rapid, decisive and beyond the calculations of the United States,” Mousavi explained.

“The slightest mistake will give us full freedom of action. The world will see a different face of a strong Iran. Then no American will be safe, and the fire of the region will consume the United States and its allies,” he warned.

Mousavi’s remarks come amid rising tensions after the United States deployed the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln, three guided-missile destroyers and thousands of additional troops near Iranian waters in the Persian Gulf.

Previously, U.S. President Donald Trump has threatened Iran with launching an attack if it fails to reach an agreement with Washington over its nuclear program.

Despite these threats, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Ismail Baghaei said on Monday that Tehran is defining the details of a diplomatic process with the United States and expects to make an announcement in the coming days.

In this context, Iranian news agencies Tasnim and Fars, both linked to Iran’s Revolutionary Guard, reported that talks between Tehran and Washington will begin in the coming days after the Iranian government has given its approval.

“So far, the location and date of this meeting have not been decided, and it is likely that the talks will be held between Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and U.S. special envoy for the Middle East Steve Witkoff,” Tasnim reported.

The United States and Iran held negotiations last year toward a nuclear agreement, but those talks collapsed with the outbreak of the war launched by Israel against Iran in June, in which the United States took part by bombing three Iranian nuclear facilities.

Buenos Aires, Feb 3 (Prensa Latina) Faced with a lack of employment or low wages, an increasing number of Argentinians, mainly young people, are now moving to Brazil to work. “I’ve never seen an exodus like this,” described a mayor from Misiones, quoted by the press of that border province.

The news was released by the news portal Misiones OnLine, which quoted Bruno Beck, mayor of the Misiones town of Andresito, who specified that more than 1,200 people migrated in six months, not counting those who go and return daily or weekly.

“Many come and go, but just as many settle down. Many people travel daily and return, but there are many who have to go farther and stay for extended periods,” he noted. Misiones OnLine illustrated the report with very telling photos of the exodus.

Furthermore, he asserted that the departure of municipal employees and rural workers is driving the mechanization of yerba mate production and generating significant social, familial, and production-related conflicts that the municipality must manage. Other border municipalities are experiencing the same problem.

“I’ve never seen an exodus like this,” Beck said, describing the situation of young people—and entire families—crossing into Brazil to work, given the crisis in the province. Images of the exodus went viral in recent days, a story echoed by other Argentine media outlets.

The mayor explained that the problem has accelerated in recent months, the movement has left vacancies, even in the local council, reconfigured the yerba mate harvest and opened a front of social conflicts that are becoming increasingly pronounced and that the local government must address.

This situation worsened during Javier Milei's administration, who promised during the election campaign to create jobs primarily for young people so that they would not have to emigrate in search of employment; however, two years after arriving at the Casa Rosada, "the exodus in Misiones is tremendous," the mayor stated.

“The situation is truly worrying, but it is also an alternative that people have to survive,” he stated.

Brasilia, Feb 2 (Prensa Latina) Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva today defended democracy and supported the actions of the Judiciary in the face of coup attempts and political pressure.

The president made these remarks while speaking at the solemn opening session of the 2026 work at the Supreme Federal Court (STF), where he stated that the country begins the new judicial cycle with "renewed confidence and hope" because the State institutions "fulfilled their role".

In this way, Lula referred to the trial that led to the conviction of those involved in the coup plot of January 2023, including former president Jair Bolsonaro, sentenced to 27 years in prison.

The dignitary declared that “Brazil proved to be much greater than any coup plotter or traitor to the homeland,” and stressed that the South American giant responded to destabilization attempts with international law, the strength of its institutions, and the legitimacy conferred by the people.

During his speech, Lula stressed that the STF acted in strict compliance with its constitutional powers, rejecting that the court had sought political prominence or usurped functions of other branches of government.

"In acting in accordance with the law, the justices of this Supreme Court have faced all kinds of pressure and even death threats. Even so, they have not shied away from their constitutional commitment," he recalled.

He also maintained that the conviction of the coup plotters sent a clear message: "those responsible for any future attempt at a democratic breakdown will again be punished to the full extent of the law."

At another point in his message, Lula pointed out the risks of disinformation and digital manipulation in the context of the upcoming October elections, including the misuse of algorithms, fake news, and technological tools to create “parallel realities” that could influence the popular will.

The president also highlighted the collaboration between the government and the judiciary in the fight against organized crime, emphasizing the Federal Police's role in various investigations.

The Bolivarian National Armed Forces reaffirm loyalty to her. On Sunday, Venezuelan Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino Lopez reaffirmed the support of the Bolivarian National Armed Forces for the constitutional legitimacy of Acting President Delcy Rodriguez.

Rodriguez assumed leadership of the country after Jan. 3, following a U.S. incursion into Venezuelan territory to kidnap President Nicolas Maduro and first lady Cilia Flores in an illegal operation that left more than 100 people dead.

“The legitimacy of origin of President Delcy Rodriguez is unquestionable. She has had to assume this challenge due to the ‘forced absence’ of President Nicolas Maduro, whom she accompanied as executive vice president during the previous presidential term and in the campaign that led to the electoral victory of July 28, 2024. She was ratified at the start of the current constitutional term,” Padrino Lopez said.

“In a short time, she has earned unquestionable legitimacy through performance by governing effectively, preserving the country’s peace with her democratic and conciliatory leadership, focusing her efforts on economic recovery and, moreover, by understanding with great judgment and stature the geopolitical dynamics that inevitably influence Venezuela’s destiny,” he added.

“Yesterday, from the Bolivarian National Armed Forces and the state security agencies, we solemnly recognized her as our commander in chief and reaffirmed our loyalty and patriotic commitment to her,” Padrino Lopez said.

“Despite the threats against Venezuela and the attack suffered on Jan. 3, I reaffirm what I expressed on several occasions to my fellow service members at the end of last year: I see 2026 with great optimism. Let’s go,” he concluded.

Brasilia, Feb 2 (Prensa Latina) The Brazilian government confirmed today that it formally submitted to the United Nations (UN), along with Chile and Mexico, the candidacy of Michelle Bachelet for the position of Secretary General of the multilateral organization.

In a statement released this Monday, the Brazilian Foreign Ministry highlighted the experience of the former president of Chile (2006-2010 and 2014-2018), who has also served as United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and Executive Director of UN Women.

According to the statement, this candidacy reflects the shared desire of the three countries to actively contribute to strengthening the multilateral system and promoting leadership capable of responding to current challenges.

Brazil's Ministry of Foreign Affairs emphasized that Bachelet's extensive experience in leading complex political processes, her recognized ability to facilitate dialogue, and her commitment to the UN's core values ​​constitute a substantial contribution to moving towards a more effective, representative, and people-centered organization.

His nomination, he added, represents an opportunity to provide the UN with leadership that has proven experience, international legitimacy and a commitment to public service.

We support this candidacy with the conviction that it will contribute to the full realization of the purposes and principles enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations, the text added.

According to the Itamaraty Palace, headquarters of the Foreign Ministry of the South American giant, in a highly complex international landscape, the United Nations remains the main forum for dialogue and the construction of collective solutions on international peace and security, sustainable development, promotion and protection of human rights and action to reverse climate change.

We reaffirm our commitment to multilateralism as a fundamental pillar of global governance based on international cooperation and respect for the self-determination of peoples, the statement concluded.

Chilean President Gabriel Boric announced on Monday the official registration of the former president's candidacy for Secretary General of the UN, a position that, in the organization's 80 years, has never been held by a woman.

Furthermore, in those eight decades, the only representative from Latin America who led the organization was the Peruvian diplomat Javier Pérez de Cuéllar, from 1982 to 1991.

Last November, the UN officially began the selection process for its next secretary general to replace the Portuguese António Guterres, whose term ends on December 31 of this year.

Graphs and images not included

Like millions of Thais, Tipvimol Wanitthaphan came to the capital Bangkok in search of a better livelihood to support her family. For most of the past four years, she managed to do so by running a small restaurant catering to office workers. But sales have plunged by two-thirds in recent months, as an economic downturn kept cost-conscious customers away. With losses mounting, Tipvimol, 57, plans to shut up her shop when her lease expires in April.

“Right now, a lot of people are being laid off . . . so the purchasing power is lower,” she said, adding that she was worried about her own expenses and a car loan she has yet to pay back. For voters such as Tipvimol, the economic slowdown is central to Sunday’s general election. Thailand’s prime minister Anutin Charnvirakul and other major contenders are campaigning on pledges to restore economic and political stability.

South-east Asia’s second-largest economy has been stuck at about 2 per cent growth for the past five years, with its pivotal drivers of consumption, manufacturing and tourism all in decline.  Growth as high as 13 per cent in 1988, when Thailand was hailed as an “Asian tiger”, is now a distant memory due to a rapidly ageing and shrinking population, high household debt and a sustained decline in competitiveness.

“It has gone from being hailed as Teflon Thailand to the sick man of Asia within 10 years,” said Burin Adulwattana, chief economist at Kasikornbank. “That’s quite alarming,”

Making matters worse are prolonged political instability and frequent changes in leadership. The royalist-military establishment has been locked in a stand-off with reformist parties that have won the past two elections but have been blocked from power. Thailand has had three prime ministers in as many years.

Tourism projects and budgets have been hit by the political upheaval, said Kitti Pornsiwakit, president of the Association of Thai Tourism Marketing. With better “credibility and stability” in government, “we can go back to the best [years]”, he said. “Everything is falling apart,” said Pipat Luengnaruemitchai, chief economist at Kiatnakin Phatra Securities. “We do not have new engines of growth. This is not a cyclical demand story. Now it’s a serious issue that requires real structural change and reforms.” 

Signs of economic malaise are increasing. Banks worried about defaults are lending less, the property market is in its worst slump in three decades and headline inflation turned negative last year, signalling weak demand. Thailand’s stock market has been the worst performer in Asia over the past 12 months, declining 10 per cent in 2025 in local currency terms.  The government has projected 2 per cent growth this year, but the IMF has forecast just 1.6 per cent, the slowest among major south-east Asian economies. “We are concerned about an economic recession,” Kriengkrai Thiennukul, chair of the Federation of Thai Industries said last month. He warned of pressures from 19 per cent US tariffs and the baht’s gains against the dollar, which undercut the country’s important export sectors.

“The new government must make serious efforts to transform old industries into new ones,” he said.

Manufacturing has been on the decline for years, weighed down by weak domestic demand, an influx of cheaper Chinese goods and intense competition from newer manufacturing hubs such as Vietnam.

That has also taken a toll on Thailand’s once mighty auto sector. The country was a regional hub for car manufacturing but Nissan, Honda, Suzuki and others have shut down factories or scaled back production in recent years. 

Yupin Boonsirichan, chair of the Automotive Industry Club at the Federation of Thai Industries, said the car industry’s “significant” slowdown had hit the job market and industrial output.

“Vehicle output, domestic sales and plant utilisation rates have declined from pre-pandemic and peak levels,” she said, calling for government incentives to stimulate investment and domestic demand. Economists said Thailand would also have to drop protectionist policies, ease restrictions on foreign investment and improve infrastructure to take advantage of potential growth areas such as data centres, high-value manufacturing, pharmaceuticals and biotechnology.

But a more immediate task would be to revive the fortunes of the Thai consumer.

Household debt-to-GDP is close to 90 per cent, among the highest levels in Asia, as wages have remained stagnant. And Thailand’s population has been shrinking for four years, with the birth rate hitting a 75-year low in 2025. Many Thais are cutting back on expenses and discretionary spending.

“I get fewer and fewer customers,” said Tewanaree Sawangnate, who runs a hair salon in Bangkok. The 45-year-old is now looking to save more. “I buy fewer personal items for myself and focus more on [purchases for] my children,” she said while shopping at a store selling goods for Bt20 (US$0.62). The economy is “not in the ICU”, but “if the government doesn’t address these structural challenges, things will look a lot worse from here”, added Kasikornbank’s Burin.

Tourism, another economic engine, is sputtering and this has had a knock-on effect on retail, agriculture and hotel construction, said Kitti. Thailand recorded 32.9mn foreign visitors in 2025, a 7 per cent fall from the previous year and still below the pre-pandemic peak of 40mn tourists in 2019.

The industry has been hit by safety concerns after a Chinese actor was abducted by a cyber scam operation last year, as well as increasing competition from countries such as Vietnam and Japan. The dour sentiment is evident across Bangkok, where restaurants are deserted, hotels are rarely full and retailers are struggling to stay afloat. At Banthat Thong road, once a bustling street food destination for tourists, several eateries have been forced to shut down.

At the Delidelo Cafe in the north of the capital, Tipvimol has begun to cut back on personal expenses, and has turned to her daughter to cover her car loan. “I have stopped going to restaurants or hanging out with friends,” she said. “If we go out, it costs a lot of money,” she said.

Speaking at a Jan. 30 meeting of the Commission on Military-Technical Cooperation in Moscow, Putin said export contracts had been “reliably fulfilled” despite mounting pressure from Western nations attempting to block Russia’s defense partnerships. The revenue, he said, would help modernize defense enterprises, expand production capacity and fund research programs. The $15 billion figure represents a significant income stream for Russia’s defense industrial base as the country continues its war in Ukraine, now approaching its fourth year. The revenue may help offset some effects of Western economic sanctions, though the long-term sustainability of these export levels remains uncertain given Moscow’s increased own consumption of military goods and ongoing diplomatic isolation.​ If accurate, the new numbers would represent a remarkable rebound to near pre-war levels for Russia’s military exports. According to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, which closely tracks the global major arms trade using transparent methodology, Russian large weapons exports fell 47% between 2022 and 2024, while the broader trend reveals a 64% decline comparing the 2015-19 period to 2020-24, though the descent began before the invasion of Ukraine.

Russia dropped to third place globally for arms exports, behind the U.S. and France, by 2024 due to its declining influence in the global military marketplace, SIPRI data shows. There may be credibility problems with the official Russian numbers. The government in Moscow claimed $13.75 billion in exports for 2024, while Western analysts estimated them to be billions of dollars lower.

ah, the classic "any big numbers posted by the enemy? um, they're fake!"

("'our' estimates (actually just handed to us by the Ukrainians since we apparently don't have any intel gathering capacity of our own anymore) of like the entire population of Russia having died in Ukraine several times over? totally truthful!")

Russian arms exports collapsed between 2021 and 2023 and may have dropped from $14.6 billion to approximately $3 billion, according to an analysis from the Jamestown Foundation, a Washington-based think tank founded in 1984 to support Soviet defectors. While exact estimates differ, the trend holds true across methodologies and Western reports. Russia stopped publicly disclosing detailed data on arms export contracts following the start of the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, including ceasing to provide information to relevant United Nations organizations. This has also made it harder for independent observers to accurately estimate the full picture of Russia’s arms trade, evidenced by divergent estimates by different Western organizations. SIPRI data shows Russia’s leading arms companies, Rostec and United Shipbuilding Corporation, increased their revenues by 23% in 2025, but this growth came from domestic military demand, which the researchers note “more than offset the revenues lost due to falling arms exports.”

Putin’s announcement came alongside new remarks from Rosoboronexport’s CEO, Alexander Mikheyev, who told the Russian state news agency TASS that military-technical cooperation with African countries has reached levels last seen during the Soviet era and “surpassed it in some respects.” Rosoboronexport is also expanding its activities in Africa, Mikheyev said, following the presidential commission meeting.​ Rosoboronexport, Russia’s state arms export monopoly, oversees more than 85 percent of the country’s military exports. The company has concluded over 30,000 contracts with 122 countries since its establishment, with total exports exceeding $230 billion. In total, the company’s order book now exceeds $60 billion, Mikheyev said on Jan. 30. The Kremlin has prioritized arms sales to Africa, Asia and the Middle East, which aren’t directly subject to the Western restrictions imposed following Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine. Putin said more than 340 joint defense projects with 14 countries were either underway or in development, and announced additional state support measures for military exports covering 2026 through 2028.​ If the reported numbers are accurate, Russia’s ability to maintain arms exports at these levels would raise questions about Western sanctions effectiveness. While the restrictions have targeted Russia’s banking, technology, and trade sectors, many countries in Africa and Asia continue to do business with Russia and purchase Russian military equipment due to lower costs and longstanding defense relationships. The continued sales also reflect Moscow’s use of its weapons exports to strengthen its geopolitical position in far-flung parts of the globe. However, Russia’s defense industry is already operating at wartime production levels to supply its own military. Defense spending had reached 7.3% of GDP as of December 2025, according to official numbers. Additionally, combat losses of Russian-made equipment in Ukraine, Venezuela and Iran may have raised questions among some potential buyers about the effectiveness of Moscow’s weapons systems in modern warfare.

Lt. Gen. Scott Pleus, the Air Force’s acting vice chief of staff, told attendees at a Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies conference in Arlington, Virginia, that Air Force Secretary Troy Meink and Gen. Kenneth Wilsbach, the service’s chief of staff, have made improving readiness a top priority. That includes not just concentrating on flying airplanes, Pleus said, but fixing them so pilots and air crews can generate the sorties they need to project airpower. In recent years, Pleus said, the Air Force has shifted to a more “centralized” approach to managing readiness. But now, he said, “we are putting commanders in commander business,” and not having staff or headquarters take the lead on readiness. And if a surprise inspection shows a unit does not pass muster, Pleus said, it’s going to be on their commander. “This is commanders’ business, and we’re going to hold commanders responsible for that,” Pleus said. “Because that is 100% in their wheelhouse. If they fail an inspection, that is the commander’s fault, and we will hold them accountable as we move forward.” The Air Force has for years struggled with steadily declining aircraft readiness rates, but efforts to address the problem have yielded little success. Mission-capable rates across the fleet have continued to decline and hit 62% in fiscal 2024; the lowest in recent memory. Meanwhile, the service’s fleet is continually shrinking, and now has fewer than 5,000 aircraft.

Previous administrations emphasized modernizing the fleet, Pleus said, at the expense of readiness of the existing aircraft already on hand. Meink and Wilsbach are taking a different approach, he said, and “are explicitly clear readiness is our focus now.” “We’ve got to buy parts,” Pleus said. “We’ve got to have the parts available so that … maintenance folks that are out there, wrenching on the flight line each and every day, in the cold, in the rain, in the heat, have the parts they need so they can fix those airplane, and then we can get them airborne again.” Pleus said the Air Force is not abandoning its modernization drive, but will no longer do so at the cost of readiness. To do that, he said, the service is looking for better ways to use its funding and working with Congress and the Pentagon to ensure it has the maintenance skills and parts needed to ensure more planes are available to fly their missions. The service is also emphasizing speed in its drive to improve readiness, Pleus said, including swiftly moving on exercises, acquisitions and working with the defense industrial base. Meink has stressed the need to eliminate needless bureaucracy in the acquisition process, for example, Pleus said.

“When you have all the time in the world, you can spend as much time as you want, taking the risk out of everything you do,” Pleus said. “When you don’t have any time, then you have to move at speed, and that is exactly what our secretary has asked us, and the chief has mandated that we are going to start to do.” Pleus also said the service is emphasizing high standards. That includes everything from dress and appearance standards, which has been a priority of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, to the way airmen execute flying tactics and procedures. “Everything in between is about setting a high standard, and then pushing your team to make sure that they are ready to do that high standard each and every day,” Pleus said.

Santo Domingo, Feb 2 (Prensa Latina) The Dominican Civil Aviation Board (JAC) confirmed today the reopening of air routes with Venezuela and authorized passenger, cargo and mail transport operations between the two countries.

After more than a year and a half of suspension, the resumption of services received the green light from the JAC this Monday, through Resolution 24-26, within the framework of the agreement reached between both Governments, as reported by that agency.

He specified that, currently, the foreign airlines flying under the agreement between both countries are Rutas Aéreas de Venezuela (RAV, SA); Rutas Aéreas, CA (RUTACA); Líneas Aéreas de Servicio Ejecutivo Regional, CA (LASER); Turpial Airlines, CA and Avior Airlines CA

Among the national companies offering routes to Venezuela are Red Air SA and Sky High Aviation Dominicana SA

The decision by the Dominican aeronautical authority was announced one day after the Venezuelan Foreign Ministry indicated that "in the coming days both countries will reactivate consular services and air connections."

Relations between the two countries deteriorated after the 2024 elections, when Venezuela's National Electoral Council proclaimed Nicolás Maduro the constitutional president, and several countries—led by the United States—announced that they did not recognize the election results, including the Dominican Republic.

This decision came a month after the United States military aggression against Venezuela, which occurred on January 3, as well as the kidnapping of President Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores.

In that context, Delcy Rodríguez assumed the role of acting president of Venezuela.

Caracas, Feb 2 (Prensa Latina) Venezuela and the United States held talks today in Caracas on important energy, trade, political and economic issues, Foreign Minister Yván Gil announced.

Speaking to the press after the meeting between acting president Delcy Rodríguez and the United States Chargé d'Affaires of the United States Affairs Unit, Laura Dogu, Gil stated that they also addressed the historical differences and controversies between the two nations.

“A review of the common agenda was conducted, especially on energy, trade, political and economic issues,” he stressed.

He also announced the installation in Caracas and Washington of the respective diplomatic representations, which will be headed by Laura Dogu and the Venezuelan diplomat Félix Plascencia.

The latter will be settling in with his team in the northern nation in the coming days, he noted.

The senior diplomat described this stage of work as a "comprehensive review of all avenues of cooperation," to be developed in the coming months.

He pointed out that the Bolivarian Government was emphatic in its desire to "build a productive agenda of peace and respect," perfectly aligned with the principles of International Law, the Charter of the United Nations, and the sovereignty of both states.

The Bolivarian Foreign Minister expressed that in this way both countries can, “definitely, steer relations on a path of happiness for both peoples”, especially the Venezuelan people who have faced a series of unilateral coercive measures in recent years.

These latter issues, he opined, limited the economic capacity that today makes it more necessary than ever to resolve them within the framework of Bolivarian Diplomacy of Peace, understanding and political dialogue.

Rodríguez met with Dogu this Monday at Miraflores Palace, the seat of government, accompanied by the president of the National Assembly (Parliament), Jorge Rodríguez, the foreign minister Yván Gil and the Venezuelan diplomat Félix Plasencia.

What we learned about the first meeting between Trump and Petro

Colombian President Gustavo Petro and US President Donald Trump talked in person for the first time today, in a meeting both leaders said went well.

Here's a quick recap of what happened:

Despite tension between the two in the past, Petro says they bonded over a shared "love of freedom", suggesting a thawing of the relationship

He says they did not see eye-to-eye on everything, but discussed possible paths forward

Speaking from the Oval Office, Trump says the two got along "very well" and calls Petro "terrific"

A major talking point was stopping illegal drug trafficking. Petro says he hopes the US, Colombia and Venezuela can work together to combat drug trafficking on the border shared by the two Latin American countries

But he says the major drug "kingpins" are not in Colombia. He says the big drug bosses are located in Dubai, Madrid and Miami - and that he gave a list of their names to Trump

When it comes energy production, "there are undoubtedly different ways of viewing the problem", Petro says. But both leaders agreed that sanctions were not the way to go, he said

Not long ago in the Oval Office, I asked Trump whether the US planned to work with Petro against terrorist groups in Venezuela. Trump replied: "Well, they want me to do that, and we will."

He also said the US is getting along well in Venezuela under the leadership of Delcy Rodríguez, adding: "You know, we took in 50 million barrels of oil. It's right now heading to Houston."

Trump has pushed for US companies to invest at least $100bn in Venezuela's energy sector following Maduro's ouster. But the left-wing National Liberation Army (ELN) rebel group, which has been listed by the US as a foreign terrorist organisation, could derail those plans, according to analysts at InSight Crime, a think tank focused on organised crime in the Americas.

The ELN has bombed oil infrastructure in Colombia for decades to fund operations and pressure the government. If US firms move into ELN territory – such as Lake Maracaibo or the Orinoco Oil Belt – they could face the same tactics.