International

Venezuela launches ‘Independence 200’ defense plan amid U.S. naval presence

Venezuela launched on Saturday the defense plan ‘Independence 200’, mobilizing armed civilians, police, and military personnel in the eastern states of Anzoátegui, Monagas, and Bolívar, joining five other regions activated in recent days. The government cited “various threats” from the United States, which maintains a naval presence in the Caribbean Sea near the South American nation.

The Interior Minister, Diosdado Cabello, led the event in Monagas, explaining that the plan aims to prepare the population, police forces, and the National Bolivarian Armed Forces (FANB) to face the threats confronting the country. Cabello emphasized the need to assess strengths and weaknesses rigorously.

“These exercises are not about hiding in a trench and waiting to see what happens, nor expecting the enemy to tire themselves out. No, the enemy will wear down—but through our permanent harassment, denying them rest, driving them to despair, and appearing everywhere by any means,” he said.

The minister also called for active and prolonged resistance and a permanent offensive, warning that the “imperialist enemy has decided to direct all its weapons against the homeland of Simón Bolívar.”

President Nicolás Maduro confirmed via Telegram that the plan is active in Anzoátegui, Monagas, and Bolívar, describing the area as a vital corridor stretching from the Caribbean to the Orinoco River and the southern border with Brazil. He noted that the Integrated Defense Operational Zones (ZODI) will be activated state by state across the country, following the rollout in Carabobo, La Guaira, Aragua, Falcón, and Zulia.

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Minister of Defense Vladimir Padrino López stated that the exercises involve 27 tasks, including monitoring U.S. aerial campaigns, ensuring food and hospital reserves, maintaining community radio communications, defending cities and key access points, and patrolling ports.

While the U.S. defends its naval deployment as an operation against alleged Venezuelan drug trafficking, Maduro’s government insists it constitutes a threat aimed at promoting regime change.

International

IEA warns Middle East conflict could spark worst energy crisis in decades

The ongoing conflict in the Middle East could trigger the worst energy crisis in decades, warned Fatih Birol, head of the International Energy Agency (IEA), who described the situation as “very serious.”

Speaking at the National Press Club in Canberra, Birol compared the current scenario to the oil crises of the 1970s, noting that during those events the world lost around five million barrels of oil per day in each crisis.

“Today, we have lost 11 million barrels per day—more than the two major oil shocks combined,” he said.

The Turkish economist referred to the conflict that began on February 28, following attacks by the United States and Israel against Iran, which have significantly disrupted global energy markets and driven oil prices higher.

Birol warned that the global economy is facing a “very, very serious threat” and expressed hope that the crisis will be resolved soon.

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“No country will be immune to the effects of this crisis if it continues in this direction. Global efforts are urgently needed,” he emphasized.

International

Colombian Air Force Hercules plane crashes during takeoff with troops onboard

A Lockheed C-130 Hercules operated by the Colombian Air Force was involved in a “tragic accident” while taking off from Puerto Leguízamo, in the Putumayo department of southern Colombia, as it was transporting troops, Defense Minister Pedro Sánchez reported on Monday.

The minister stated on social media that the exact number of victims and the causes of the crash have not yet been determined. He also extended his condolences to the families affected and urged the public to avoid speculation until official information is confirmed.

“This is a deeply painful event for the country. Our prayers are with the victims and their families,” Sánchez said, adding that emergency protocols have been activated and an investigation is underway.

Meanwhile, President Gustavo Petro expressed hope that there would be no fatalities in what he described as a “horrific accident that should not have happened.”

Petro also highlighted ongoing efforts to modernize the country’s air fleet and reiterated the need to acquire new helicopters and transport aircraft to strengthen military mobility, particularly in remote regions.

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According to local media reports, approximately 110 soldiers were on board the aircraft. So far, at least 20 injured military personnel have been rescued.

International

Paris prosecutors alert U.S. over alleged deepfake strategy linked to Elon Musk

The Paris Prosecutor’s Office said on Saturday that it had alerted authorities in the United States over suspicions that tech entrepreneur Elon Musk may have encouraged the spread of sexualized deepfake content on the social platform X to artificially boost the company’s valuation.

According to prosecutors, the controversy surrounding explicit AI-generated videos—reportedly linked to Grok, the platform’s artificial intelligence system—may have been deliberately triggered to increase the market value of X and X AI.

The office added that the alleged strategy could be tied to the planned June 2026 public listing of a new entity formed through the merger of SpaceX and X AI.

French authorities said they contacted the U.S. Department of Justice as well as legal representatives at the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) earlier this week to share their concerns.

Responding on X in French to a report about the case, Musk referred to French prosecutors using an offensive term.

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When contacted, X’s legal representative in France did not immediately comment.

Grok, the platform’s AI system, has its own account on X, allowing users to interact with it or request content generation. For a period, users were able to tag the bot in posts to generate or edit images, a feature that may have facilitated the spread of such material.