US President Donald Trump has reportedly told his advisers that he is willing to speak directly with Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.
No date has yet been set for a call, news outlet Axios said on Monday, quoting unidentified administration officials.
The Trump administration has referred to Mr Maduro – who has been in power since the death of Hugo Chavez in 2013 – as a "narco-terrorist" and accused him of strong ties to criminal groups.
The US has designated the Venezuela-linked Tren de Aragua and Cartel de los Soles groups as foreign terrorist organisations.
The State Department said that Mr Maduro and other high-ranking people lead Cartel de los Soles, and Mr Trump said the designation would allow the US to target the Venezuelan leader's assets.
Officials quoted by Axios said that there is currently no plan to remove Mr Maduro from power. And although Mr Trump has floated the idea of ground strikes or worse against Venezuela, his willingness to speak with Mr Maduro directly indicates he will probably hold back, at least for now.
Mr Maduro, however, is taking no chances. The Financial Times reported last week that he has reduced his public appearances – choosing his audiences when he does appear – and increased his security in recent weeks.
Tension in the Caribbean continues to intensify amid increased US military activity in the region.
The US has carried out strikes on fast boats crossing international waters, claiming they are carrying drugs. More than 80 people have been killed in the strikes.
A military build-up in the region has raised concerns that the US is considering regime change in Venezuela.
Washington has sent one of its largest forces to the Caribbean in decades, with the USS Gerald R Ford carrier strike group and other assets posted near the Venezuelan coast.
Gen Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and President Donald Trump’s primary military adviser, visited American troops stationed in Puerto Rico on Monday.
And Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth is expected to travel to Santo Domingo, in the Dominican Republic, and on Wednesday meet the country’s top leaders. The aim of his visit is to “to strengthen defence relationships and reaffirm America’s commitment to defend the homeland", the Pentagon said.
Venezuela, meanwhile, has accused the US of carrying out extrajudicial killings with impunity, and says that its ultimate goal is taking possession of the country's oil reserves.
The Opec member has the largest proven oil reserves in the world. While it produced about 1.1 million barrels per day on average this year – less than a third of its all-time high in the late 1990s – the decline is mostly due to ageing infrastructure, lack of investment and international sanctions.
"They want Venezuela’s oil and gas reserves. For nothing, without paying," the country's Oil Minister, Delcy Rodriguez, said on Monday.
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Manchester City 3
Danilo (16'), Bernardo Silva (34'), Fernandinho (72')
Brighton & Hove Albion 1
Ulloa (20')
Who's who in Yemen conflict
Houthis: Iran-backed rebels who occupy Sanaa and run unrecognised government
Yemeni government: Exiled government in Aden led by eight-member Presidential Leadership Council
Southern Transitional Council: Faction in Yemeni government that seeks autonomy for the south
Habrish 'rebels': Tribal-backed forces feuding with STC over control of oil in government territory
Avatar: Fire and Ash
Director: James Cameron
Starring: Sam Worthington, Sigourney Weaver, Zoe Saldana
Rating: 4.5/5
'The worst thing you can eat'
Trans fat is typically found in fried and baked goods, but you may be consuming more than you think.
Powdered coffee creamer, microwave popcorn and virtually anything processed with a crust is likely to contain it, as this guide from Mayo Clinic outlines:
Baked goods - Most cakes, cookies, pie crusts and crackers contain shortening, which is usually made from partially hydrogenated vegetable oil. Ready-made frosting is another source of trans fat.
Snacks - Potato, corn and tortilla chips often contain trans fat. And while popcorn can be a healthy snack, many types of packaged or microwave popcorn use trans fat to help cook or flavour the popcorn.
Fried food - Foods that require deep frying — french fries, doughnuts and fried chicken — can contain trans fat from the oil used in the cooking process.
Refrigerator dough - Products such as canned biscuits and cinnamon rolls often contain trans fat, as do frozen pizza crusts.
Creamer and margarine - Nondairy coffee creamer and stick margarines also may contain partially hydrogenated vegetable oils.
Real estate tokenisation project
Dubai launched the pilot phase of its real estate tokenisation project last month.
The initiative focuses on converting real estate assets into digital tokens recorded on blockchain technology and helps in streamlining the process of buying, selling and investing, the Dubai Land Department said.
Dubai’s real estate tokenisation market is projected to reach Dh60 billion ($16.33 billion) by 2033, representing 7 per cent of the emirate’s total property transactions, according to the DLD.
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Dr Amal Khalid Alias revealed a recent case of a woman with daughters, who specifically wanted a boy.
A semen analysis of the father showed abnormal sperm so the couple required IVF.
Out of 21 eggs collected, six were unused leaving 15 suitable for IVF.
A specific procedure was used, called intracytoplasmic sperm injection where a single sperm cell is inserted into the egg.
On day three of the process, 14 embryos were biopsied for gender selection.
The next day, a pre-implantation genetic report revealed four normal male embryos, three female and seven abnormal samples.
Day five of the treatment saw two male embryos transferred to the patient.
The woman recorded a positive pregnancy test two weeks later.
