Hello and welcome back. 

NATO scrambles jets as Russian drones violate Romanian airspace; Oman warns of possible Israeli escalation; and Darfur’s governor claims 27,000 killed by the RSF in el-Fasher.

Our lead story returns to Venezuela, where the framing of “narcoterrorism” is emerging as a legal and rhetorical gateway for U.S. intervention.

This, and more, below ⤵️

Top 5 Stories

1️⃣ 🇫🇷 🇬🇧 🇺🇦 🇷🇺 European capitals prepare military guarantees if Ukraine reaches peace deal: As peace talks gain momentum, European leaders are developing plans for a multinational force to protect Ukraine under any potential agreement with Russia, a move that has now drawn tentative U.S. support. France and the U.K. will lead a new task force, joined by the U.S. and Turkey, to define concrete security guarantees, including troop deployments in non-frontline positions and air and naval support. 

2️⃣ 🇺🇳 🇮🇱 🇵🇸 UN warns Israel has erased two decades of development in Gaza: The UN says Israel’s war in Gaza has created a “human-made abyss”, collapsing every pillar of survival and wiping out 22 years of development in less than two. According to its report, Gaza’s economy has shrunk by 87%, GDP per capita has fallen to just $161, and reconstruction may cost more than $70bn and take decades, even with substantial aid. 

3️⃣ 🇵🇰 🇦🇫 Renewed deadly cross-border strikes between Pakistan, Afghanistan: Pakistan launched cross-border strikes into Afghanistan, killing 10 civilians, in retaliation for a suicide bombing in Peshawar that Islamabad blames on militants operating from Afghan soil. The Taliban accused Pakistan of bombing Khost, Kunar and Paktika, calling it an “invasion,” while Pakistan has yet to comment officially but continues to accuse Kabul of sheltering Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) militants. 

4️⃣ 🇨🇳 🇻🇪 Xi reaffirms support for Maduro amid US military pressure: Chinese President Xi Jinping has pledged unwavering support for Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro, condemning foreign interference and affirming Beijing’s backing for Caracas in defending its sovereignty. His message came as Washington intensified its regional military presence through ‘Operation Southern Spear.’ 

5️⃣ 🇧🇦 Dodik ally wins Republika Srpska snap election: Bosnian Serb voters elected Sinisa Karan, a close ally of ousted nationalist leader Milorad Dodik, signalling continued support for Dodik’s SNSD despite his removal from office after defying international oversight. Karan’s victory effectively consolidates Dodik’s influence, with the former leader declaring: “they now have two Dodiks.”

Major Story

🇻🇪 🇺🇸 WASHINGTON ESCALATES VENEZUELA STRATEGY UNDER ‘NARCOTERRORISM’ BANNER

U.S. strategy toward Venezuela is entering a more aggressive phase, with Reuters reporting that Washington is preparing covert operations aimed at destabilising President Nicolás Maduro’s government. This follows President Trump’s unusual public admission that he had authorised CIA covert actions—typically conducted in secrecy—and coincides with a significant U.S. military buildup in the Caribbean. Roughly 15,000 American troops, warships, and aircraft have been stationed in the region under the pretext of combating “narcoterrorism.” Since September, U.S. forces have conducted extrajudicial strikes on alleged drug-trafficking boats, though observers say local fishermen have often been the real victims.

Flawed ‘Drug War’ Narrative

The Trump administration justifies its actions by accusing Maduro of fuelling the fentanyl crisis in the United States, despite Venezuela not producing fentanyl. Its drug networks are largely linked to cocaine trafficking to Europe. Yet the “narcoterrorism” label remains politically useful, both to criminalise the Venezuelan government and to cultivate support among right-wing exile communities in Florida, a crucial voting bloc for figures like Secretary of State Marco Rubio, a key architect of U.S. Venezuela policy. Meanwhile, the same administration has cut funding for gun-violence prevention, threatened food assistance for low-income Americans, and reduced support for domestic opioid treatment programmes, all indications that concern for “American lives” does not consistently extend to crises at home.

Domestic Politics Driving Foreign Aggression

Analysts argue that Washington’s renewed activism in Venezuela is driven less by security concerns than by political ambition. Figures like Rubio, eyeing future presidential bids, seek to demonstrate toughness abroad. Reuters sources confirmed that “attempting to overthrow Maduro” is among the options under consideration, and U.S. officials reportedly proposed dropping leaflets over Caracas in a psychological warfare campaign, echoing tactics seen in other theatres, including Israel.

Regime Change by Another Name

Maduro, like his predecessor Hugo Chávez, has long resisted U.S. influence and pushed anti-imperialist narratives, making him a persistent irritant to Washington. Branding him a “narcoterrorist” offers a legal and rhetorical pathway to intervention. Yet U.S. strategy risks deepening instability without delivering democratic reform or protecting regional security. Ultimately, the growing militarisation of U.S. policy toward Venezuela appears unlikely to secure either the homeland or the hemisphere, instead, it underscores how political theatre increasingly masquerades as foreign policy.

Other News

1️⃣ 🇷🇺 🇷🇴 Nato scrambles jets after Russian drones breach Romanian airspace: Nato fighter jets tracked two Russian drones that entered Romanian airspace in the deepest and first daytime incursion since the war in Ukraine began. One drone returned to Ukrainian territory, while the other crashed in Puiești, about 70 miles inside Romania, after German pilots were reportedly instructed to shoot it down but could not safely do so. 

2️⃣ 🇴🇲 🇮🇱 🇾🇪 Oman concerned about potential future Israeli strike: Israel’s attack on Hamas officials in Qatar shattered Gulf confidence in U.S. security guarantees and pushed Oman to reconsider its vulnerability. Omani officials now worry that their long-standing role as a mediator, even hosting Houthi representatives, no longer protects them from becoming a target. 

3️⃣ 🇸🇩 🇦🇪 Darfur governor alleges that 27'000 civilians killed in el-Fasher: Darfur Governor Minni Minnawi claims that 27,000 civilians were killed in just three days after RSF forces seized el-Fasher, far exceeding earlier estimates of 2,500. Minnawi said only stopping Emirati support—not negotiating with RSF leader Hemedti—could halt the war, which he warned is repeating the horrors of the Janjaweed era under a more powerful guise.

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