US bolsters military presence in Latin America, sparking regional tensions

The United States has notably ramped up military operations in Latin America in recent weeks, fueling heightened regional tensions.

The U.S. side has reinforced its Caribbean deployments and initiated Operation Southern Spear, targeting what it calls "narco-terrorists". Venezuela has accused the United States of using military threats to seek regime change and expand its regional influence.

On Friday, U.S. Air Forces Southern announced in a social media post that B-52H crews from Minot Air Force Base conducted a long-range air demonstration mission on Wednesday alongside Marine Corps F-35B fighters within the U.S. Southern Command's Area of Responsibility, aiming to enhance joint deterrence and respond to regional threats.

Also on Friday, U.S. landing craft delivered troops and equipment to a beach in Puerto Rico. The purpose of the deployment remains undisclosed, according to media reports.

In a related development, media outlets of the Dominican Republic reported on Friday that multiple U.S. military aircraft would enter the country in the coming days. This follows a recent agreement allowing the United States to use restricted areas of the country's San Isidro Air Base and Las Americas International Airport for equipment transportation and technical support.

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro reiterated on Friday that U.S. actions constitute aggression against Venezuela. He stated that according to the UN Charter and international law, such actions represent an illegal threat of imperialist aggression.

Maduro emphasized that, as he had previously said, the U.S. moves were completely excessive, extraordinarily exaggerated, and entirely unnecessary. He affirmed that Venezuela has not, does not, and never will pose a threat to the United States, adding that Venezuela is a guarantee of security for the entire American continent.

Separately, Venezuela's military said it intercepted and forced down an unauthorized aircraft in Apure State on Thursday, after the plane entered its airspace without identification.

The U.S. military buildup in the Caribbean has reached its largest scale in more than three decades.

US bolsters military presence in Latin America, sparking regional tensions

US bolsters military presence in Latin America, sparking regional tensions

The two-day 2025 Brain-Computer Interface (BCI) Conference concluded on Friday in Shanghai, where multiple globally leading "China solutions" took center stage.

Under the theme "Brain connects the world, wisdom gathers in Shanghai," the event gathered research teams from major universities, leading industry developers, and experts across the BCI sector to strengthen the connection between research, application, and policy.

As part of the event, the first BCI competition featured four categories—fatigue detection, emotion recognition, brain-controlled robotic cars, and brain-controlled robotic arms - with 40 out of nearly 100 teams from across China received prizes.

In the BCI Industry Innovation Exhibition Zone, more than a dozen frontier-tech companies presented cutting-edge technologies ranging from key components to comprehensive system-level solutions.

Exhibits spanned the entire technology chain, from underlying hardware to clinical applications, covering fields such as sleep intervention, mental illness treatment, and rehabilitation for degenerative diseases—highlighting the latest trends in BCI development.

"We completed the first domestic clinical trial this March, and next year we will launch large-scale clinical trials," said an exhibitor named Chen Yaoxu.

Shanghai has established China's first future industry cluster dedicated to BCI technologies. During the conference, several new innovation platforms—including a BCI service platform and a joint laboratory for digital neuromedicine - were inaugurated.

"We are guided by clinical needs and clinical scenarios. At the same time, we are opening high-quality EEG datasets for enterprises to support their algorithm research and guide them in developing concrete products that truly address real-world needs," said Wang Zhuoyao, BCI Project manager of Shanghai Municipal Science and Technology Commission.

Shanghai conference highlights China's cutting-edge brain-computer interface innovations