15 h. ago Brutal, vibrant and creative: capturing the soul of Latin America in 100 photographs

The journalist Paulo Antonio Paranaguá uses images from the turbulent continent to weave a history of the region, covering colonisation, slavery and dictatorshipIts tumultuous past, marked by massacres, slavery, violent domination, coups d’état, revolutions and uprisings, often overshadows another narrative of Latin America: that of a vibrant, culturally rich region where art, creativity and solidarity hold a central place in society.Throughout its post-Columbian history – the period after Christopher Columbus’s arrival in the Americas in 1492 – Latin America has grappled with the tension between subjugation to colonial and imperial powers, resistance and the pursuit of independence. Continue reading...

Culture

48 h. ago Scots MP warns of Putin retaliation against UK over help in oil tanker seizure

Labour MP Graeme Downie says it was right to aid America in taking out the Marinera tanker, including by offering military planes use of a Scottish airport.

Events

60 h. ago Why Russia’s economy is unlikely to collapse even if oil prices fall

Hopes that tougher sanctions and lower oil prices could derail Putin’s war effort underestimate how far the Kremlin has rewired its economyPacing inside the Kremlin last weekend, as news feeds churned out minute-by-minute reports of Donald’s Trump’s Venezuelan coup, Vladimir Putin may have been wondering what it would mean for the price of oil.Crude oil has lubricated the Russian economy for decades – far more than gas exports to Europe – and so the threat of falling oil prices, prompted by US plans for control of Venezuela’s rigs, will have been a source of concern. Continue reading...

Economics

60 h. ago Why Russia’s economy is unlikely to collapse even if oil prices fall | Phillip Inman

Hopes that tougher sanctions and lower oil prices could derail Putin’s war effort underestimate how far the Kremlin has rewired its economyPacing inside the Kremlin last weekend, as news feeds churned out minute-by-minute reports of Donald’s Trump’s Venezuelan coup, Vladimir Putin may have been wondering what it would mean for the price of oil.Crude oil has lubricated the Russian economy for decades – far more than gas exports to Europe – and so the threat of falling oil prices, prompted by US plans for control of Venezuela’s rigs, will have been a source of concern. Continue reading...

Economics

2 d. ago Coups, uprisings and oil wars: strap in for a turbulent year

A survey of finance chiefs from accounting firm Deloitte found “geopolitical risk” ranked the number one concern among major UK businesses

Events

3 d. ago Trump’s Venezuela strike won’t distract voters from the crises at home | Steven Greenhouse

As Americans worry about healthcare and affordability, the ‘no more wars’ president is helping oil companies insteadImmediately after Donald Trump ordered a military strike in Venezuela, many critics focused on how that attack violated international law as well as the US War Powers Resolution. But there hasn’t been nearly enough focus on the domestic implications of Trump’s move.Trump seems to have ordered his Venezuela venture in part to flip the script away from domestic matters, where things aren’t going well for him. His approval ratings are under water, and he’s getting low marks on the economy, health policy (just 30% approval), inflation (31% approval on the cost of living), his immigration crackdown (41% approval) and his sending the national guard into US cities. Then there’s the big thumbs down that Americans are giving to his tariffs, which have helped push up prices even though candidate Trump promised to lower prices on day one.Steven Greenhouse is a journalist and auth...

Politics

3 d. ago Shale chiefs warn Trump that Venezuelan oil will hobble US drillers

President’s effort to drive down crude prices will hit sector struggling to sustain output growth

Events

4 d. ago ‘Wildcatters’ race for Venezuelan oil deals ahead of wary western majors

Entrepreneurs seek to steal march on bigger rivals that are still weighing risks of re-entering country

Economics

5 d. ago US oil companies warn they will need guarantees to invest in Venezuela

Donald Trump to hold more talks with industry bosses as president flexes power over energy markets

Events

5 d. ago US oil groups warn they will need guarantees to invest in Venezuela

Donald Trump to hold more talks with industry bosses as president flexes power over energy markets

Events

5 d. ago Tensions flare as Russian lawmaker accuses US of PIRACY after Trump's forces seize two ships in daring raids: Live updates

US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth claimed that the 'blockade' of sanctioned Venezuelan oil remains in 'full effect' after the US secured a Russian-flagged oil tanker in European waters.

Politics

5 d. ago Russia responds after US seized two Venezuelan oil tankers in Europe and the Caribbean: Live updates

US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth claimed that the 'blockade' of sanctioned Venezuelan oil remains in 'full effect' after the US secured a Russian-flagged oil tanker in European waters.

Events

5 d. ago US facing showdown with Russia close to UK as Marinera oil tanker 'seized in raid'

The Marinera oil tanker, formerly known Bella-1, could spark World War 3 after reports of a raid on the vessel by by US forces had led to is alleged capture, as Russian ships and submarines stand by

Events

6 d. ago Trump says US companies will invest billions in Venezuelan oil production. Experts aren’t so sure

Industry insiders say US oil firms want to ‘avoid getting screwed’ and will proceed with extreme caution in regionAnalysis: Trump’s focus on Venezuelan oil reinforces claim action was never about ‘war on drugs’Industry experts have expressed skepticism over Donald Trump’s bullish prediction that US big oil firms will rapidly invest tens of billions of dollars to fix Venezuelan infrastructure and ramp up production after the rendition of the country’s president, Nicolás Maduro.Without an “iron-clad guarantee” that the US federal government will fully reimburse them for the cost of rebuilding the country’s oil market, analysts expect global energy giants to proceed with extreme caution. Continue reading...

Politics

6 d. ago Trump's oil tanker wars: US 'plots interception of sanctioned Russian shadow fleet ship'

The deceptive tactics appear to be part of a seemingly coordinated attempt to bypass American naval forces in the region and could trigger US military action.

Events

7 d. ago Despite Trump’s hopes, big oil will be wary of rushing back to Venezuela | Nils Pratley

The US might aim to unlock the country’s reserves, but cost and political uncertainty make it look an uncertain optionUS energy stocks rise as Trump vows to unlock Venezuela’s oilVenezuela crisis - latest updatesThe theory sounds straightforward. Venezuela has vast oil reserves and used to produce more than three times as much volume as it does now. Therefore it should be a simple matter to upgrade the crumbling kit with an injection of dollars and watch the extra barrels and profits flow.That, roughly speaking, is the only clear part of Donald Trump’s plan for what happens next in Venezuela. “We’re going to have our very large US oil companies, the biggest anywhere in the world, go in, spend billions of dollars, fix the badly broken infrastructure – the oil infrastructure – and start making money for the country,” he said at the weekend. Continue reading...

Politics

7 d. ago Trump warns India of higher tariffs over continued Russian oil imports

US president claims India took steps to reduce dependence on Russian energy supplies because ‘they wanted to make me happy, basically’

Events

8 d. ago Republican casts doubt on Trump’s claim US will ‘run’ Venezuela amid Democrats’ anger over Maduro operation – live

Senator Tom Cotton says there are ‘still a lot of questions to be answered’ about what happens next in Venezuela and dismisses Trump’s assertion that the US will ‘run’ the country How Trump intervention in Venezuela is a return to form for the USAnalysis – Trump’s new focus on oil reinforces it was never about ‘war on drugs’Keir Starmer also told the BBC that he thinks we are living in a more “volatile” world than we have been for “many, many years” and said global affairs have much more of a “direct impact” on the UK than they have in a long time, citing the effects of military conflicts and the climate crisis.Asked if Donald Trump is worsening global turmoil, Starmer dodges the question and speaks about the so-called special relationship between the UK and the US.The relationship between the US and the UK is one of the closest relationships in the world. It is vitally important for our defence, for our security, for our intelligence.It is my responsibility to make sure that relati...

Politics

2 w. ago Trump’s claims to Venezuelan oil are part of broader ‘resource imperialism’, experts say

Critics compare offensive to Iraq war, citing familiar mix of regime-change rhetoric, security pretexts and oil interestsDonald Trump’s recent claims that the US should keep Venezuelan oil from seized tankers are part of a broader belief in rightwing “resource imperialism”, experts say.In recent weeks, the Trump administration has escalated pressure on Venezuela, invoking drug-trafficking claims. This month, the US intercepted two tankers carrying Venezuelan oil and began pursuing a third, while intensifying its campaign against the country’s president, Nicolás Maduro. Continue reading...

Politics

3 w. ago Ukraine war briefing: Russian oil rig hit in Caspian Sea over 700km from Ukraine

Kyiv continues campaign of attacks on Russia-linked maritime targets; latest US idea is three-way peace talks. What we know on day 1,397 Ukrainian drones hit an oil rig at Russia’s Filanovsky field in the Caspian Sea – more than 700km (435 miles) from Ukraine’s nearest border, as well as the military patrol ship Okhotnik and other facilities, Ukraine’s military general staff said in a statement on Saturday. It said the ship was patrolling near the platform. The extent of the damage was being assessed. The attack continues Kyiv’s recent campaign of strikes on Russia-linked maritime targets far from Ukrainian territory.Ukrainian drones struck a radar system in the Krasnosilske area of Crimea, which Russia illegally annexed from Ukraine in 2014. Ukraine’s SBU security service claimed two Russian fighter jets were also destroyed at an airfield in occupied Crimea.Since Thursday, Russian forces have at least five times hit a bridge on the Dniester River near the village of Mayaky, south-w...

Events