Xi Jinping Lures Venezuela's Maduro with Space, Lunar Expedition Dreams

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro said his country could send its first astronauts to the Moon in a Chinese spacecraft, hailing on Thursday a scientific cooperation agreement he reached with President Xi Jinping. Maduro, whose oil-rich country is in a profound economic crisis, has been in China since last week. In Beijing on Wednesday, he met with Xi, with the pair agreeing to "upgrade” ties between their governments. Maduro announced during his meeting with Xi on Wednesday that the two countries had agreed to train young Venezuelan astronauts in China, with plans to eventually send them to the Moon. A special…