Uttar Pradesh's first state-level Braille Library section was inaugurated at Dr. Shakuntala Mishra National Rehabilitation University. This facility, housing 4,000 Braille books, aims to empower visually impaired students with modern education and digital skills
New Zealand's T20 World Cup preparations face a blow as Lockie Ferguson is injured. His participation in the 2026 tournament is uncertain. Meanwhile, India has named its ODI squad for the upcoming series against New Zealand. Key players like Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli return
Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh has once again been granted a 40-day parole, reported The Times of India on Sunday. He is lodged in Sunaria jail in Haryana's Rohtak and will stay at the headquarters of his organisation in Sirsa district during the parole, according to the newspaper
Cilia Flores, the wife of Nicolas Maduro, appeared somber and detached in the initial images captured of her following her capture with her husband by American special forces. Venezuelan leader Maduro displayed a thumbs up and a peace sign while he and Cilia Flores were led away in handcuffs and
Older adults who are frail and have depression could be at a higher risk of dementia, with the factors combined contributing to 17 per cent of the overall risk, according to a study. The findings, published in the journal General Psychiatry, suggests that while frailty and depression each increase
US strike on Venezuela may embolden China's territorial claims, Taiwan attack unlikely, analysts say
US's attack on Venezuela is being seen by analysts as emboldening China's territorial claims, particularly over Taiwan and the South China Sea. While not expected to hasten an invasion of Taiwan, the move provides China with "cheap ammunition" to go after Washington and bolster its international standing.
SHANGHAI/BEIJING: The U.S. attack on Venezuela will embolden China to strengthen its territorial claims over areas such as Taiwan and parts of the South China Sea but will not hasten any potential invasion of Taiwan, analysts said.
Chinese President Xi Jinping's considerations about Taiwan and his timeline are separate from the situation in Latin America, influenced more by China's domestic situation than by U.S. actions, they said.
Still, analysts said, President Donald Trump's audacious attack on Saturday, capturing Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro, hands China an unexpected opportunity that Beijing will likely use in the near term to amplify criticism of Washington and bolster its own standing on the international stage.
Further out, Beijing could leverage Trump's move to defend its stance against the U.S. on territorial issues including Taiwan, Tibet and islands in the East and South China seas.
'CHEAP AMMUNITION' FOR A CHINA PUSHBACK
"Washington's consistent, long-standing arguments are always that the Chinese actions are violating international law but they are now damaging that," said William Yang, an analyst at International Crisis Group, a Brussels-based NGO.
"It's really creating a lot of openings and cheap ammunition for the Chinese to push back against the U.S. in the future."
China claims democratically governed Taiwan as its own province - an assertion the island's government rejects - and claims almost all of the South China Sea, a position that puts it at odds with several Southeast Asian nations that also claim parts of the vital trade route.
China's foreign ministry and Taiwan Affairs Office, and Taiwan's presidential office did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Beijing condemned Trump's strike on Venezuela, saying it violated international law and threatened peace and security in Latin America. It has demanded the U.S. release Maduro and his wife, who are being detained in New York awaiting trial.
Hours before his capture, Maduro met with a high-level Chinese delegation in Caracas, according to photos he posted on his Instagram page.
The Chinese foreign ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the whereabouts of the delegation, which included China's special representative for Latin American and Caribbean affairs, Qiu Xiaoqi.
On Sunday China's official Xinhua news agency called the U.S. attack "naked hegemonic behaviour."
"The US invasion has made everyone see more and more the fact that the so-called 'rules-based international order' in the mouth of the United States is actually just a 'predatory order based on US interests'," state-run Xinhua news agency said.
'CHINA ISN'T THE U.S., TAIWAN ISN'T VENEZUELA'
Taiwan, in particular, has been facing growing pressure from Beijing. China last week encircled the island in its most extensive war games to date, showcasing Beijing's ability to cut off the island from outside support in a conflict.
But analysts said they did not expect China to capitalise on the Venezuelan situation to escalate that into an attack anytime soon.
"Taking over Taiwan depends on China's developing but still insufficient capability rather than what Trump did in a distant continent," said Shi Yinhong, professor of international relations at Renmin University in Beijing.
Neil Thomas, a fellow on Chinese politics at the Asia Society, said China sees Taiwan as an internal affair and so was unlikely to cite U.S. actions against Venezuela as precedent for any cross-strait military strikes.
"Beijing will want a clear contrast with Washington to trumpet its claims to stand for peace, development and moral leadership," Thomas said. "Xi does not care about Venezuela more than he cares about China. He'll be hoping that it turns into a quagmire for the United States."
Wang Ting-yu, a senior lawmaker from Taiwan's ruling party who sits on the parliament's foreign affairs and defence committee, rejected the idea that China might follow the U.S. example and strike Taiwan.
"China has never lacked hostility toward Taiwan, but it genuinely lacks the feasible means," Wang posted on Facebook. "China is not the United States, and Taiwan is certainly not Venezuela. If China could actually pull it off, it would have done so long ago!"
Still, the situation amplifies risks for Taiwan and could press Taipei to seek more favour from the Trump administration, some observers said.
On China's Weibo social media platform, discussions of the U.S. attack trended heavily on Sunday, with several users saying Beijing should learn from what Trump did.
Lev Nachman, a political science professor at National Taiwan University, said he expected Taiwan's government to express lightly worded support for American action on Venezuela. Taiwan has not yet made any statement.
"What I do think Trump's actions could do is to help Xi Jinping's narrative in the future to create more justification for action against Taiwan," he said.
Add as a Reliable and Trusted News Source Add Now!
Source: EconomicTimes
Related Posts: Delhi Smokers React As Investor Claims Buying Cigarettes In Vietnam Is ‘Cheaper’ Political cartoon from 2007 predicting US operation against Venezuela goes viral Venezuela SC Appoints Delcy Rodríguez As Acting President Is US Attack On Venezuela Accidentally Driving China & Russia To Close Ranks No quick wins in tapping Venezuela's oil reserves Bus driver to Venezuela's ruler for over 13 years Strike against Venezuela Venezuela Crisis May Drive Safe-Haven Demand For Gold Maduro is out but his top allies still hold power in Venezuela South Korean President visits China following Beijing's rising tensions with Japan over Taiwan
Chelsea appear determined to detonate not just their own season, but potentially Strasbourg's too, with Liam Rosenior emerging as the leading candidate to replace Enzo Maresca at Stamford Bridge. Maresca, weary of the chaos, has already walked away. Rosenior, however
1 minutes ago
Social media platform X reiterated today that it will remove all kinds of illegal content, including child sexual abuse material, and permanently suspend accounts uploading and promoting such content.Grok owner Elon Musk had previously warned of serious implications for users who misuse the
1 minutes ago
The Design Linked Incentive (DLI) Scheme is being implemented by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) with an outlay of Rs 76,000 crore. New Delhi: As many as 24 chip design projects have been sanctioned across areas such as video surveillance, drone detection
1 minutes ago
Former President Joe Biden's old social media post regarding Donald Trump and Nicolas Maduro has once again drawn attention of netizens as US military captured the Venezuelan President and his spouse in an overnight operation on January 3. In a post on X
1 minutes ago
Nearly a year after announcing his latest retirement, the Gypsy King has confirmed he'll return to boxing in 2026, brushing aside talk of life away from the ring with a characteristically blunt message on social media. After suffering a second points defeat to Oleksandr Usyk in December 2024
1 minutes ago
Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister and NCP leader Ajit Pawar has launched a scathing attack on his coalition partner, the BJP. Speaking in Pune's Pimpri-Chinchwad, Pawar accused the BJP of presiding over rampant corruption and mismanagement during its tenure in the local civic body
1 minutes ago
Nearly one in five urinary tract infections (UTIs) may be related to both personal hygiene practices and activities as normal as preparing meat at home. According to a startling new study from Southern California, about 18–20% of UTIs may be caused by foodborne E
1 minutes ago
As winter sweeps across North India, one thing that is religiously made in every kitchen is gajar kanji – a traditional fermented probiotic drink starring carrots. Popular in Punjab, Delhi, and Uttar Pradesh, it captures the season's bounty of black carrots (or red ones with beets for colour)
1 minutes ago
Today Gold, Silver Rate January 04: Check 18, 22, 24 carat Gold prices in Chennai, Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata Gold has been regarded as one of the safest investments for many years because it has a proven track record of preserving wealth during periods of inflation and market volatility
1 minutes ago
In many first-year classrooms, two hurdles appear at once: complex ideas and complex English. When students have to untangle long sentences and difficult vocabulary, they cannot pay enough attention to the idea itself. Plain, purposeful English does not dilute thought; it gives thought room to
1 minutes ago
Japanese aftermarket specialist DAMD has unveiled a new customised version of the five-door Suzuki Jimny, called the Jimny Armata. Japanese aftermarket specialist DAMD has unveiled a new customised version of the five-door Suzuki Jimny, called the Jimny Armata
1 minutes ago
Shiv Sena (UBT) spokesperson Anand Dubey reported receiving death threats and abuse on WhatsApp and phone calls after praising the BCCI's directive for Kolkata Knight Riders to drop Mustafizur Rahman from their 2026 IPL squad. An NC has been filed
1 minutes ago
Kathmandu, Jan 4 (PTI) Protests over a video with alleged religious content on social media turned violent as tension flared across two places in southern Nepal, near the Indian border, on Sunday. Police lobbed tear gas shells to contain the situation in Birgunj town of Parsa district
1 minutes ago
A video of veteran actress Sudha Chandran has been going viral on social media, leaving the internet confused and raising many questions. In the now-viral clip, the TV star, who had gone to attend a bhajan night, is seen behaving in what appears to be a strange manner
1 minutes ago
Veteran Australian batter David Warner delivered a stunning performance for Sydney Thunder in their Big Bash League (BBL) 2025-26 clash against Hobart Hurricanes on Saturday, smashing an unbeaten 130 off 65 balls. Veteran Australian batter David Warner delivered a stunning performance for Sydney
1 minutes ago
Republic Day 2026: The Ministry of Defence said the tickets can be purchased directly from the Aamantran website. The information related to the Republic Day Celebration 2026 may be viewed on the official website. Republic Day 2026: Republic Day is approaching
1 minutes ago
US-Venezuela Conflict: The US military launched a targeted operation in Venezuela, codenamed 'Operation Absolute Resolve'. During this, Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, were captured. US-Venezuela Conflict: Nicolas Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores
1 minutes ago
A Redditor's experience at a Bengaluru park has reignited a language debate on social media. The user shared that they had a heated debate with a woman in her 60s regarding Hindi vs the local language. The user shared their experience on the r/Bengaluru subreddit
1 minutes ago
New Year's Day began earlier for me than any sane person deserves, as I hauled myself to the airport to get home after break and fulfil the miserable obligation of watching my teenage nostalgia dismantled by Netflix and the Duffers in real time. Somewhere 40,000 feet above the ground
1 minutes ago
‘2026 will be a pivotal year for AI' (Artificial Intelligence, though different in a few notable ways, argued Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella in his first blog post on snscratchpad. Nadella believed that humans have moved past the initial phase of discovery in the context of AI and are entering a
1 minutes ago
This rule applies to millions of ration card holders across the country and is aimed at ensuring that food subsidies reach only genuine and eligible families. New Delhi: The government has made ration card e-KYC mandatory for all beneficiaries who wish to continue receiving free or subsidised
1 minutes ago
Once upon a time in Bollywood's not-so-distant past, there was a film that arrived with sky-high expectations, glossy posters, and the promise of something bold and different. Bombay Velvet was meant to mark a turning point — a lavish, star-led leap for filmmaker Anurag Kashyap. Instead
1 minutes ago
Former India spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has shared his views on veteran pacer Mohammed Shami being left out of India's ODI squad for the upcoming series against New Zealand. Former India spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has shared his views on veteran pacer Mohammed Shami being left out of India's ODI
1 minutes ago
West Bengal BJP leader Dilip Ghosh called for a ban on Bangladeshi cricketers in the IPL, drawing a parallel with Pakistani players. This statement follows the BCCI's directive for Kolkata Knight Riders to release Mustafizur Rahman amid rising diplomatic tensions and reported atrocities against
1 minutes ago
Vitamin deficiencies rarely announce themselves loudly at first. Instead, they tend to send subtle signals, often easy to dismiss, before escalating into more serious health issues. Vitamin B12 deficiency is one such condition, and surprisingly
1 minutes ago
Splitsvilla 13 and Bigg Boss Marathi 3 fame Jay Dudhane was arrested at the Mumbai Airport on Sunday (January 4). As per the latest update by news agency PTI, the reality TV star was arrested at the Mumbai airport in connection with an alleged real estate scam
1 minutes ago
Uma Bharti said that the deaths caused by the consumption of contaminated water by the end of 2025 had “disgraced our state, our government and our entire system.” Senior BJP leader and former Union Minister Uma Bharti, on Friday, January 2
1 minutes ago
