6 h. ago US military forces seize fifth tanker in effort to control Venezuelan oil

Pre-dawn assault on the Olina oil tanker was carried out by US marines and navy sailors in the Caribbean near TrinidadUS politics live – latest updatesThe US early on Friday boarded another oil tanker, the US military said, as part of efforts to target sanctions-busting vessels traveling to and from Venezuela.US forces were seen in video footage that officials posted online landing on the ship’s deck as the vessel named Olina was seized in the Caribbean near Trinidad. It is the fifth interdiction of such ships in recent weeks, separately from the series of previous US operations since the start of the fall to strike suspected drug boats off the coast of Venezuela. Continue reading...

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7 h. ago US in process of seizing fifth tanker in effort to control Venezuelan oil

The Olina, seized in the Caribbean, was falsely flying the flag of Timor Leste, according to a public shipping databaseUS politics live – latest updatesThe 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, according to public shipping database Equasis, was falsely flying the flag of the tiny south-east Asian nation of Timor Leste. The vessel had previously sailed from Venezuela and had returned to the region, said an industry source with direct knowledge of the matter. Continue reading...

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4 d. ago Trump news at a glance: Republicans backpedal on claims US will ‘run’ Venezuela

Trump has called on Venezuela’s interim leader to adhere to US demands as top Republicans scramble to answer questions about what happens next – key US politics stories from 4 January 2026Proclaiming the US would “run” Venezuela after abducting its president and his wife, president Trump has now qualified his claim. Amid questions, including from top Republicans, Trump has now called on Venezuela’s interim president, Delcy Rodríguez, to accommodate US demands or face the possibility of a fresh military intervention.Rodríguez, 56, who had on Saturday pledged fealty to ousted president Nicolás Maduro and condemned his capture as an “atrocity”, appears to be adhering to the US line. Continue reading...

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7 d. ago Trump news at a glance: president denies falling asleep in public meetings as he defends ‘perfect’ health

In an interview with the Wall Street Journal, Trump robustly defended his health after the first year of his second term in office raised growing questions. Key US politics stories from 1 January 2026Donald Trump has denied falling asleep while attending public meetings and robustly defended his health after the first year of his second term in office raised growing questions.Trump, who at 79 is the oldest person to assume the US presidency, told the Wall Street Journal “my health is perfect” and expressed frustration with scrutiny of his wellbeing. Continue reading...

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1 week ago Trump news at a glance: Nigeria says it provided intelligence for US airstrikes as Hegseth warns of more attacks

Country’s foreign minister says his president signed off on US air attack – key US politics stories from 26 December at a glanceUS airstrikes in Nigeria on Christmas Day were aided by intelligence provided by the Nigerian government, the country’s foreign minister said on Friday.Donald Trump had announced the strikes against Islamic State militants in north-west Nigeria after spending weeks decrying the group for targeting Christians. Continue reading...

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2 w. ago Venezuela rushes to criminalize tanker seizures after Trump targets ‘shadow fleet’

Venezuela's political opposition, including Nobel Peace laureate María Corina Machado, has expressed support for Trump's Venezuela policy, including the seizure of tankers

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2 w. ago US ‘pursuing’ a third vessel near Venezuela hours after seizing tanker, reports say

The back-to-back seizures are part of Trump’s growing pressure campaign on Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro

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2 w. ago US intercepting a third vessel near Venezuela hours after seizing tanker, reports say

The back-to-back seizures are part of Trump’s growing pressure campaign on Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro

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2 w. ago US intercepts a third vessel near Venezuela hours after seizing tanker, reports say

The United States has intercepted another vessel off the coast of Venezuela, the second such operation this weekend, according to reports.

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2 w. ago US intercepts second merchant vessel off coast of Venezuela in international waters

Move comes days after Trump announces ‘blockade’ of sanctioned oil tankers and US seizes tankerUS forces on Saturday stopped a second merchant vessel off the coast of Venezuela in international waters, according to two US officials, the Associated Press reported.The move comes days after Donald Trump announced a “blockade” of all sanctioned oil tankers coming in to and out of the South American country and follows the seizure by US forces of an oil tanker off Venezuela’s coast on 10 December. Continue reading...

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3 w. ago Venezuela accuses Trinidad and Tobago of taking part in US seizure of oil tanker

Maduro regime accuses Caribbean nation of participating in ‘theft of Venezuelan oil’ as tensions mount in regionVenezuela has accused the government of Trinidad and Tobago of taking part in the US seizure of an oil tanker off Venezuela’s coast last week, as Donald Trump’s four-month pressure campaign against Nicolás Maduro continues to reverberate across the region.In a statement on Monday, the Maduro regime accused Trinidad and Tobago of participating in “the theft of Venezuelan oil, committed by the US administration on 10 December with the assault on a vessel transporting this strategic Venezuelan product”. Continue reading...

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3 w. ago Venezuela’s allies condemn Trump administration’s oil tanker seizure: ‘They are thieves’

This show of solidarity comes amidst an escalating U.S. military buildup in the southern Caribbean.

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3 w. ago Trump news at a glance: US seizure of Venezuela oil tanker an act of ‘maritime terrorism’, says Cuba

Cuban officials denounce the US seizure of the Skipper oil tanker off Venezuela’s coast. Key US politics stories from 13 December 2025Cuban officials have denounced the US seizure of the Skipper oil tanker off Venezuela’s coast on Wednesday, calling it an “act of piracy and maritime terrorism”, as well as a “serious violation of international law” that hurts the Caribbean island nation and its people.The tanker, which was reported now to be heading for Galveston, Texas, was believed to loaded with nearly 2m barrels of Venezuela’s heavy crude, according to internal data from the Venezuelan state oil company PDVSA, as reported by the New York Times. Continue reading...

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3 w. ago Cuba denounces US seizure of oil tanker off Venezuela’s coast as ‘piracy’

Cuban foreign ministry called US military action ‘maritime terrorism’ under a policy of ‘economic suffocation’Cuban officials have denounced the US seizure of the Skipper oil tanker off Venezuela’s coast on Wednesday, calling it an “act of piracy and maritime terrorism” as well as a “serious violation of international law” that hurts the Caribbean island nation and its people.“This action is part of the US escalation aimed at hampering Venezuela’s legitimate right to freely use and trade its natural resources with other nations, including the supplies of hydrocarbons to Cuba,” the Cuban foreign ministry statement said. Continue reading...

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3 w. ago Venezuela oil exports reportedly fall sharply after US seizure of tanker

The seizure of the Skipper on Wednesday marked the first US capture of Venezuelan oil cargo since sanctions were imposed in 2019Venezuelan oil exports have reportedly fallen sharply since the US seized a tanker this week and imposed fresh sanctions on shipping companies and vessels doing business with Caracas, according to shipping data, documents and maritime sources.The US seizure of the Skipper tanker off Venezuela’s coast on Wednesday was the first US capture of Venezuelan oil cargo since sanctions were imposed in 2019 and marked a sharp escalation in rising tensions between the Trump administration and the government of Nicolás Maduro. Continue reading...

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4 w. ago Federal transportation officials reportedly sharing names of all US airport travelers with ICE

The report, based on documents obtained by the New York Times, says it’s unclear how many arrests have been made due to this data sharingThe admiral in charge of US military forces in Latin America will retire two years early, AP reports, amid rising tensions with Venezuela that include Wednesday’s seizure of an oil tanker and more than 20 deadly strikes on suspected drug-smuggling boats.Three US officials and two people familiar with the matter told Reuters that Admiral Alvin Holsey was pushed out by defense secretary Pete Hegseth. Two officials said Hegseth had grown frustrated with Southern Command as he sought to flex US military operations and planning in the region. Continue reading...

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4 w. ago Democrats release more photos from Jeffrey Epstein estate as congressman says new batch ‘raises even more questions’ – live

Release includes photos of Donald Trump, Bill Clinton and Richard Branson as top Democrat says images raise questions about financier’s relationship with high-profile figuresThe admiral in charge of US military forces in Latin America will retire two years early, AP reports, amid rising tensions with Venezuela that include Wednesday’s seizure of an oil tanker and more than 20 deadly strikes on suspected drug-smuggling boats.Three US officials and two people familiar with the matter told Reuters that Admiral Alvin Holsey was pushed out by defense secretary Pete Hegseth. Two officials said Hegseth had grown frustrated with Southern Command as he sought to flex US military operations and planning in the region. Continue reading...

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4 w. ago Democrats publish more photos from Jeffrey Epstein estate, including of Donald Trump, Bill Clinton and former prince Andrew – live

House oversight committee publishes 19 photos from 95,000 they have received from the disgraced financier’s estate todayThe admiral in charge of US military forces in Latin America will retire two years early, AP reports, amid rising tensions with Venezuela that include Wednesday’s seizure of an oil tanker and more than 20 deadly strikes on suspected drug-smuggling boats.Three US officials and two people familiar with the matter told Reuters that Admiral Alvin Holsey was pushed out by defense secretary Pete Hegseth. Two officials said Hegseth had grown frustrated with Southern Command as he sought to flex US military operations and planning in the region. Continue reading...

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4 w. ago US seizure of rogue oil tanker off Venezuela signals new crackdown on shadow fleet

The recent seizure of an oil tanker known as Skipper by the U.S. off the coast of Venezuela marks a dramatic escalation of President Donald Trump’s campaign to choke off Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro’s access to oil revenues

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4 w. ago Noem links the seizure of an oil tanker off Venezuela to US antidrug efforts

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem has linked the seizure of an oil tanker off the coast of Venezuela to the Trump administration's counterdrug efforts

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