Protesters rally in Italy, Greece against U.S. military operation in Venezuela

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Protesters rally in Italy, Greece against U.S. military operation in Venezuela

2026-01-11 15:45 Last Updated At：17:27

Thousands of demonstrators rallied in Italy and Greece on Saturday to protest against U.S. military intervention in Venezuela, with protesters in Rome, Milan and Athens condemning Washington's actions and calling for respect for Venezuelan sovereignty.

In Rome, more than 1,000 demonstrators marched toward the area near the U.S. Embassy, calling on Washington to immediately release Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife.

Police blocked roads around the embassy to prevent protesters from approaching the building, but demonstrators continued to denounce U.S. actions.

"First of all, we oppose U.S. imperialist aggression. This kind of behavior is shameful. The U.S. is attacking a sovereign country, and as [U.S. President Donald] Trump himself has said, this is for oil interests," said protester Giovanni Barbera.

Saturday's rally marked the second large-scale protest in Rome this month against U.S. military operations in Venezuela, following an earlier one on Jan 3.

Participants included members of multiple political parties, labor unions and social organizations. The protesters held banners reading "Stop imperialist interference" and "Free Maduro," urging the international community to respect Venezuela's sovereignty and the will of its people, and condemning the U.S. for violating international law.

"We are protesting the way the U.S. handles international politics. Since the events of January 3, we have seen violations of international law, and we are very concerned about how the global situation is developing," said protester Stefano De Angelis.

Organizers said solidarity rallies in support of Venezuela were held in 30 Italian cities on the same day.

Meanwhile, similar protests were also staged in Greece. About 200 people gathered outside the U.S. Embassy in Athens, voicing support for Venezuela and opposition to U.S. military actions.

"We oppose U.S. imperialism and its attack on Venezuela. At the same time, the U.S. is also threatening Cuba, Mexico and Greenland. We must stand up against this behavior," said Greek protester Argiro Sirmakezi.

New giant panda couple makes public debut in Malaysia

Giant pandas Chen Xing and Xiao Yue from China officially made their public debut in Malaysia on Saturday.

In a ceremony marking the event at the Giant Panda Conservation Center (GPC) at Zoo Negara, the country's national zoo in Selangor, the pair met eager visitors following their quarantine and acclimatization.

Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim was the guest of honor. In his remarks at the ceremony, Anwar thanked China for the cooperation in the conservation of giant pandas, noting that they are hugely popular with the Malaysian public.

The Malaysian side has prepared high-quality bamboo for the giant pandas to help them better adapt to local life. The two pandas are now in good health and have fully acclimated to their new home.

Many local visitors waited in long lines and braved crowds for their chance to catch a glimpse of the pair.

"It's such a surprise to see a giant panda. We looked forward to it and had waited for a long time outside," said a visitor.

Many visitors said it was their first time to see a giant panda.

"We feel very happy because for me it's my first-time experience to see them in real life. [They are] very cute and very big also. So, I wish all of them well since they came to Malaysia," said a visitor.

"I hope they will be healthy and happy, feeling at home here," said another visitor.

China and Malaysia launched their first round of international cooperation on giant panda conservation in 2014.

Xing Xing and Liang Liang were the first pair of giant pandas sent to Malaysia in 2014 and completed an 11-year stay in Malaysia before returning to China last May.

Malaysia welcomed the arrival of new pair of giant pandas Chen Xing and Xiao Yue last November. This couple is to stay in the Southeast Asian country for 10 years.