Venezuela started in the weekend a nationwide conscription registration for militia, a move officials said is aimed at strengthening national security amid growing tensions with the United States.
The country's Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino Lopez announced the campaign on Saturday, describing it as a voluntary mobilization effort initiated by Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro. The conscription plan includes training in logistics, strategic resource management, and civil defense preparedness.
Lopez said that the recruitment is not mandatory, but rather a nationwide mobilization that is entirely voluntary. Its core objective is to ensure that every Venezuelan citizen who wishes to participate can receive training and contribute to the defense of the nation.
The militia is a part of Venezuela's national defense system, which encourages civilian participation in military-style organization and training.
On Saturday, a large number of residents gathered at a square in Venezuela's capital Caracas to register in the militia forces.
"As a Venezuelan, everyone has the duty. We have to be prepared for the comprehensive defense of the country. We workers reaffirm our support for the homeland," said Rivas, a construction worker.
The registration drive came in response to the recent military maneuvers by the United States in the Caribbean under the pretext of fighting drug trafficking.
Sources said three U.S. Navy ships could arrive near Venezuelan waters as early as Sunday, prompting criticism from Venezuela and other Latin American governments.
"[The U.S.] mobilizes military forces from regions far from Venezuela. At the time, it launches psychological warfare through media, social networks, and fake news. It also incites terrorist groups that have already been crushed by our country. These forces have never succeeded, and they never will," said Venezuelan Foreign Minister Yvan Gil.
Venezuela starts nationwide militia conscription registration over U.S. threats
Venezuela starts nationwide militia conscription registration over U.S. threats
The Shenzhen Science and Technology Museum in south China's Guangdong Province has received over four million visitors since opening on May 1 last year.
In addition to gaining astounding popularity, the museum has been selected as one of the "World's Most Beautiful Museums" by UNESCO.
One morning during the first anniversary period of its opening, the museum was already packed with student groups and family visitors as early as 10:00.
To the delight of the hundreds of children attending on that day, the museum is filled with highly interactive exhibits that are as fun as they are educational. In the AI ping-pong robot zone, visitors play matches against a robot, which adjusts its difficulty level in real time according to human opponent's skill, precisely matching ball speed and strength.
"I tried seven or eight exhibits. My favorite is the ping-pong. The experience showed me how powerful science can be, and the ping-pong robot made me realize that machines can be so amazing," said Mo Jiquan, a young student from Guangdong's Zhongshan City.
In the "Smart Industry" hall, a group of students from Singapore learned to race model cars controlled by brainwaves.
By pressing foreheads against an electroencephalogram (EEG) signal collection device and concentrating, the students used the power of their minds to propel the cars forward.
"Science fiction has become reality. These things are different from what we learn at school. For example, these brainwave-control devices, we have never seen anything like them. So I think it's a new and very meaningful experience," said Chen Mengfanglin, a student from Singapore.
Among the museum's 950 innovative exhibits, such as brain-computer interfaces, simulated space capsules, dexterous hands, 80 percent offer deep interactive experiences.
More importantly, these exhibits are dynamically updated as industrial technologies evolve.
"I think this place is very futuristic and fun. This is my second time here. I feel that there are more exhibits, and the technology has advanced," said Wu Zining, a Shenzhen student.
According to the museum, visitor numbers remain steady on weekdays, surge significantly during holidays, and overseas visitors have seen a notable increase since the beginning of this year.
"Our museum receives between 2,000 and 5,000 visitors on weekdays. On holidays, we get around 30,000 visitors per day. Since the beginning of this year, the number of overseas visitors has also risen significantly," Zhang Haitian, director of the Exchange and Cooperation Center of the museum.
Unlike traditional science museums that simply display items alongside written explanations, the Shenzhen Science and Technology Museum has pioneered an approach that combines innovation, public outreach, and education into one seamless experience.
Over the past year, it has collected 39 technology transfer projects, held 10 "deep science and technology" project matchmaking events, and brought research institutes, leading enterprises, investors, and the public together, creating a new ecosystem linking government, enterprises, research institutes, and the museum.
"On the basis of the original basic functions of a science and technology museum, we have taken a bolder step forward. We have extensive links with sci-tech innovation companies, so a steady stream of new technologies, achievements, products and ideas flow into the museum. We also have close interactions with science fiction and cultural heritage sectors, integrating science and technology with culture and art. Through flexible cooperation with various industries, this approach has opened up unlimited possibilities for the entire science and technology museum," said Zheng Yongchun, head of the museum.
Interactive sci-tech museum in south China hosts 4 million visitors in first year
