Shop owner Zhang Huoqing, who launched her plush business in March 2017, said the trend began when a wholesaler attempted to return one of the misstitched toys. Although she initially agreed, the buyer later decided to keep it. As interest grew from other customers asking about the unusual design, Zhang chose to produce the upside-down version intentionally.

The once-accidental design quickly evolved into a new product line, selling strongly as demand increased on social media and through wholesale channels. What might have been dismissed as a factory flaw has instead highlighted how a small imperfection can capture global attention — and generate real commercial value.

Governments that suspended flights or warned citizens against travelling cite a combination of security concerns, institutional breakdown, and unpredictable diplomatic tensions.

Since early September, the U.S. government has been carrying out airstrikes on vessels it claims are drug-running boats from Venezuela and other Latin American countries, actions that Democrats, legal scholars and human rights groups have criticised as extrajudicial killings.

On Thursday, November 27, Trump again warned that he is prepared to expand those strikes to targets on land.

"The land is easier, but that's going to start very soon," Trump told reporters.

Maduro also accused the U.S. in a televised address in October of openly authorising CIA operations to topple his government, calling the move “unprecedented” in modern history.

“The U.S.  government  has decided to send the CIA to Venezuela,” Maduro said in the televised address reported by Viory. “They want to frighten, divide, and demoralise our people. But our people are clear, united, with millions of eyes and ears. We will defeat this conspiracy again.”

A relationship built on confrontation

Tensions between Trump and Maduro date back to 2017, when the White House imposed sweeping sanctions on Venezuelan officials, state-run oil company PDVSA, and the government’s financial networks in a bid to force democratic reforms.

The sanctions accelerated Venezuela’s economic collapse, restricting its access to global capital markets and worsening shortages of fuel, medicine and basic goods.

By early 2019, the Trump administration recognised opposition leader Juan Guaidó as Venezuela’s legitimate interim president, triggering a rupture in diplomatic relations. Caracas expelled U.S. diplomats and accused Washington of orchestrating a coup.

As the political crisis intensified, Venezuela’s aviation system deteriorated further, prompting the U.S. decision to halt all flights that year.

Despite a brief easing of sanctions under President Joe Biden in 2023–24, Washington reinstated many restrictions after disagreements over electoral guarantees.

By the time Trump re-emerged as a central political figure in 2025, the relationship had once again become combustible.

Airlines began withdrawing voluntarily years before official bans, citing unpaid debts, unsafe airport conditions, and rising crime around transit hubs. Carriers from Colombia, Brazil, and several European countries reduced their routes long before the current wave of political restrictions.

Today’s bans come against a backdrop of continued concerns over Venezuela’s regulatory oversight, reports of airport corruption, and frequent nationwide blackouts that disrupt aviation systems. Several governments warn that deteriorating security and infrastructure make travel too risky for citizens or airline crews.

Economists had expected a slightly stronger reading of 49.4, and while the figure is an incremental improvement from October, it highlights the depth of the slowdown. 

Industrial output this quarter has posted its weakest gains since early 2025, reflecting falling export orders and nervous domestic spending.

The latest survey also showed that activity across construction and services slipped into contraction for the first time in nearly three years. The non-manufacturing PMI fell to 49.5 in November, from 50.1 the month before, dragged down heavily by the property sector and residential services.

What’s behind the slump?

The data paints a picture of an economy losing momentum on multiple fronts. 

Retail sales growth has slowed for five consecutive months — the longest decline since the early Covid-19 lockdowns — signalling that consumers remain cautious despite government efforts to revive demand. 

Job uncertainty, falling house prices and weak confidence are weighing on household spending.

Trade strains continue to cloud the outlook. Exports unexpectedly contracted in November as global demand failed to compensate for a steep fall in shipments to the United States . 

Although tensions eased slightly after a temporary truce was struck in South Korea in October between Presidents Donald Trump and Xi Jinping, key issues — including controls over rare earth exports — remain unresolved, leaving the deal fragile.

Relations with Japan have also deteriorated, adding another layer of uncertainty. A diplomatic dispute in recent weeks has prompted Beijing to consider economic countermeasures, raising concerns over further disruption to regional supply chains.

Bright spots

There are pockets of resilience: high-tech manufacturing stayed in expansion territory at 50.1 for a tenth month, and sentiment indicators show some improvement. The index measuring expectations for production and operations climbed to 53.1, with aerospace equipment and non-ferrous metals reporting confidence levels above 57.

Smaller firms also showed signs of recovery, with the PMI for small enterprises jumping two points to 49.1 — the strongest reading in nearly six months. But large manufacturers, which drive the bulk of industrial output, weakened to 49.3, signalling uneven recovery across sectors.

The weak readings follow a bruising period for industry. Industrial profits fell 5.5% in October, the sharpest decline since June, and the property slump continues to erode demand for construction materials and household goods. Services activity, which had been buoyed by the October Golden Week holiday, has now given up much of that boost.

For policymakers, the dilemma remains familiar. 

Beijing has resisted launching major stimulus, arguing that growth is still on track to meet the government’s 5% target for the year. But with output stagnating and demand still faltering, pressure is growing for clearer support measures — and confidence that China’s manufacturing engine can restart after months of sputtering.