Venezuela denounces U.S. "aggression" after Trump's post concerning its airspace
The Venezuelan government on Saturday denounced the U.S. threat that "seeks to affect the sovereignty of its airspace," calling it "another extravagant, illegal and unjustified aggression against the Venezuelan people."
In an official statement, Caracas rejected Washington's attempt to apply extraterritorial jurisdiction to Venezuela, saying the U.S. move threatens Venezuela's national sovereignty and territorial integrity.
Amid heightening tensions between the two countries, U.S. President Donald Trump said earlier on Saturday that the airspace above and surrounding Venezuela should be considered closed "in its entirety."
Israeli drones spotted over Syria's Beit Jinn as residents flee renewed military operation
Israeli military drones were seen over Beit Jinn in southwestern Damascus on Saturday night, marking the latest in a series of Israeli maneuvers along Syria's border, the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported.
The watchdog said the drones conducted low-altitude surveillance while Israeli military vehicles moved around the town's outskirts. No clashes with Syrian government forces were reported, and the purpose of the deployment was unclear.
The observatory described the activity as part of "recurring Israeli operations" in southern Syria, including monitoring, reconnaissance, and the positioning of armored vehicles near the border.
Separately, Syria TV reported that several families began leaving Beit Jinn after hearing Israeli vehicles and spotting helicopters overhead, raising fears of a possible incursion.
There is no immediate response from the Israeli side.
UN chief reiterates call for irreversible progress toward two-state solution
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Saturday reiterated his call for irreversible progress toward a two-state solution, in a message on the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People.
This year's International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People, which is observed annually on Nov. 29, comes after two years of horrific suffering in Gaza, and the start of a much-needed ceasefire, Guterres said.
Noting that survivors are mourning the deaths of tens of thousands of friends and family; hunger, disease and trauma run rampant; injustice also continues in the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem; and hundreds of humanitarians have been killed, the UN chief said: "In so many ways, this tragedy has tested the norms and laws that have guided the international community for generations."
China's top financial regulator pledges strengthened support for Hong Kong fire relief efforts
China's top financial regulator on Saturday pledged to guide the banking and insurance sectors to fast-track financial services and support to aid relief efforts following a residential building fire in Hong Kong.
In a notice on its website, the National Financial Regulatory Administration called on relevant insurance institutions to thoroughly conduct business assessments and utilize proactive services so that claim settlements for the affected clients can be handled in a timely manner.
Chinese-funded banks in Hong Kong should intensify financial services to assist the affected clients in overcoming difficulties, the administration said.
Trump to roll back most Biden executive orders due to autopen use
U.S. President Donald Trump said Friday he will roll back the majority of executive orders "not directly signed" by former U.S. President Joe Biden, escalating his dispute over the use of autopens.
Without providing evidence, Trump wrote Friday on social media that 92 percent of these orders were signed with a so-called autopen, a mechanical signature aid. It remained unclear which documents are involved.
Trump noted he will cancel "all executive orders" and "anything else not directly signed" by Biden, adding that the people who "operated the autopen did so illegally." He further claimed that Biden "was not involved in the autopen process" and warned that if Biden said otherwise, he would face perjury charges.■
