61 h. ago US seizes sixth sanctioned tanker as it tightens grip on Venezuela’s oil

US forces in the Caribbean Sea have seized another sanctioned oil tanker that the Trump administration says has ties to Venezuela, part of a broader US effort to take control of the South American country’s oil. The US Coast Guard boarded the tanker, named Veronica, early Thursday, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem wrote on social media. The ship had previously passed through Venezuelan waters and was operating in defiance of US President Donald Trump’s “established quarantine of...

Events

5 d. ago Two Chinese tankers set off to pick up oil from Venezuela, return empty to Beijing

Two Chinese tankers set off to pick up oil from Venezuela, return empty to Beijing  Gazeta Express

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6 d. ago Cuba defiant after Trump says island to receive no more Venezuelan oil or money

US President Donald Trump on Sunday said no more Venezuelan oil or money will go to Cuba and suggested the Communist-run island should strike a deal with Washington, ramping up pressure on the long-time US nemesis. Venezuela is Cuba’s biggest oil supplier, but no cargoes have departed from Venezuelan ports to the Caribbean country since the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro by US forces in early January amid a strict US oil blockade on the Opec country, shipping data shows. “THERE...

Politics

8 d. ago US seizes tanker near Trinidad amid Venezuelan oil crackdown

The US is in the process of seizing the Olina tanker in the Caribbean near Trinidad in the fifth such interdiction of ships in recent weeks as part of Washington’s efforts to control Venezuelan oil exports, two US officials said on Friday. The Olina, which according to public shipping database Equasis was falsely flying the flag of East Timor, had previously sailed from Venezuela and had returned to the region, said an industry source with direct knowledge of the matter. “The vessel’s AIS...

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8 d. ago US seizes fifth tanker as Trump escalates bid to control Venezuela’s oil

The US took control of its fifth oil vessel in recent weeks on Friday in the latest move tied to the Donald Trump administration’s effort to control Venezuelan oil exports. In an early morning operation, a joint US Coast Guard and Navy team launched from the carrier USS Gerald R Ford apprehended the tanker Olina in the Caribbean Sea “without incident”, according to a social media post from the US Southern Command. “The Department of War’s Operation Southern Spear is unwavering in its mission to...

Politics

8 d. ago US seizes fifth tanker as Washington escalates bid to control Venezuela’s oil

The US took control of its fifth oil vessel in recent weeks on Friday in the latest move tied to the Donald Trump administration’s effort to control Venezuelan oil exports. Friday’s operation came ahead of a meeting between Trump and American oil executives where the US president sought to convince them to commit to an investment pledge in Venezuela. “At least 100 Billion Dollars will be invested by BIG OIL, all of whom I will be meeting with today at The White House,” he said on social media...

Events

1 week ago US seizes 2 Venezuelan sanctioned oil tankers Bella 1 and Sophia in Atlantic, Caribbean

The US has seized two sanctioned oil tankers linked to Venezuela in back-to-back actions in the North Atlantic and the Caribbean, officials said on Wednesday. US European Command announced the seizure of the merchant vessel Bella 1 for “violations of US sanctions” in a social media post. The US had been pursuing the tanker since last month after it tried to evade a US blockade on sanctioned oil vessels around Venezuela. Then, Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem revealed that US forces...

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1 week ago US says it will take control of Venezuela oil sales indefinitely after seizing tankers

Expanding on the US administration’s increasingly robust view of foreign energy and security policy, a senior US official said on Wednesday that Washington expects to take control of future Venezuelan oil sales until further notice and use the proceeds to rebuild the nation’s beleaguered economy. The comments add to the conflicted messaging from US President Donald Trump’s administration on how it plans to run Venezuela following Saturday’s military strike that saw Nicolas Maduro and his wife...

Events

1 week ago US seizes oil tankers as it moves to take control of Venezuela’s oil sales indefinitely

The US captured two oil tankers on the high seas as a senior US official said on Wednesday that Washington expects to take control of future Venezuelan oil sales indefinitely and use the proceeds to help America and rebuild the nation’s beleaguered economy. The seizure of the vessels, including one after a two-week chase, comes as US President Donald Trump’s administration takes an increasingly aggressive approach to foreign energy and security policy. Since Nicolas Maduro and his wife, Cilia...

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1 week ago Venezuela’s Maduro arrives at New York federal courthouse on drug trafficking charges

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro was due to be arraigned in a New York court on Monday on charges of narcoterrorism and possession of illegal weapons, after being forcibly taken into US custody following a strike on his Caracas compound 60 hours earlier. The indictment, which was filed in secret on December 25, and unveiled on Saturday, accuses Maduro of heading a “corrupt, illegitimate government” powered by an extensive drug-trafficking network that flooded the US with thousands of tons of...

Events

2 w. ago Chinese Diplomats Arrived in Venezuela for Talks with Maduro Hours Before US Strikes — And Are Still There: Report

Chinese Diplomats Arrived in Venezuela for Talks with Maduro Hours Before US Strikes — And Are Still There: Report  Yahoo

Politics

2 w. ago US sanctions Chinese companies and tankers with Venezuela links

The Trump administration stepped up a pressure campaign against Venezuela’s oil exports by sanctioning companies based in Hong Kong and mainland China, along with related oil tankers it accused of evading restrictions. The US Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control on Wednesday added four companies with links to Venezuela’s oil industry – Zhejiang-based Corniola and Hong Kong-based Aries Global Investment, Krape Myrtle Co and Winky International – to its specially designated...

Events

2 w. ago Oil tankers still arriving in Venezuela despite US blockade, data shows

At least two oil tankers have made their way to Venezuela in recent days and others are navigating towards the country, a sign of state-run oil and natural gas company PDVSA’s effort to expand floating storage and keep selling crude even as a US blockade has reduced exports to a minimum. US President Donald Trump this month announced a blockade of all sanctioned vessels going in or out of Venezuelan waters as part of a strategy to pressure Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro. The US move has...

Events

3 w. ago China, Russia clash with US at UN, scientists on ‘benefits of lard’: SCMP daily highlights

Catch up on some of SCMP’s biggest China stories of the day. If you would like to see more of our reporting, please consider subscribing. 1. China, Russia clash with US at UN over Venezuela oil seizures and naval pressure China accused the United States at the United Nations of violating international law and destabilising the Caribbean region, as Washington defended its seizure of Venezuelan oil tankers and vowed to intensify pressure on President Nicolas Maduro’s government. 2. Beijing is...

Politics

3 w. ago China, Russia clash with US at UN meeting over Venezuela oil seizures and naval pressure

China accused the United States at the United Nations on Tuesday of violating international law and destabilising the Caribbean region, as Washington defended its seizure of Venezuelan oil tankers and vowed to intensify pressure on President Nicolas Maduro’s government. Speaking at an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council requested by Venezuela and backed by China and Russia, Beijing said US actions carried out under the banner of counter-narcotics enforcement amounted to unilateral...

Events

3 w. ago China blasts US seizure of Venezuelan oil tankers: ‘Grossly violates international law’

China blasts US seizure of Venezuelan oil tankers: ‘Grossly violates international law’  thehill.com

Society

3 w. ago China says US broke international law by seizing Venezuelan oil tankers

China accused the United States on Monday of violating international law by seizing oil tankers off Venezuela, as Washington intensified pressure on President Nicolas Maduro’s government and a senior US official openly suggested that he should be removed from power. At a regular press briefing in Beijing, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian said the United States “seriously violated international law” by intercepting foreign vessels and reiterated China’s opposition to unilateral...

Society

3 w. ago China says US broke international law by seizing oil tankers off Venezuela

China accused the United States on Monday of violating international law by seizing oil tankers off Venezuela, as Washington intensified pressure on President Nicolas Maduro’s government and a senior US official openly suggested that he should be removed from power. At a regular press briefing in Beijing, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Lin Jian said the United States “seriously violated international law” by intercepting foreign vessels and reiterated China’s opposition to unilateral...

Society

3 w. ago How U.S. oil tanker seizures targeting Venezuela are linked to rising geopolitical tensions with China

How U.S. oil tanker seizures targeting Venezuela are linked to rising geopolitical tensions with China  CNBC

Events

3 w. ago China Slams U.S. for Seizing Venezuela Oil Tanker Bound for China

China Slams U.S. for Seizing Venezuela Oil Tanker Bound for China  StratNews Global

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