3 d. ago The Guardian view on Britain and Europe: time to move together, faster and further | Editorial

The chaos that Donald Trump is causing in the world makes the case for continental solidarity and explicit repudiation of Brexit divisions Sir Keir Starmer’s plan for 2026 was to talk more about the domestic issues that concern British voters. Donald Trump knocked that plan off course. US intervention in Venezuela inevitably demanded the prime minister’s attention, as did this week’s summit of Ukraine’s allies, the “coalition of the willing”, in Paris. Progress towards agreeing security guarantees for Kyiv in the event of a peace deal with Russia was overshadowed by Mr Trump restating his ambition to wrest control of Greenland from Denmark. The dust had not settled when American special forces boarded a Russian-flagged oil tanker in European waters, ostensibly to enforce a blockade against Venezuela.Prime ministers have to multitask, but under these circumstances it is understandable if Sir Keir’s mind has been filled with foreign affairs. He should be used to this by now. Mr Trump’...

Politics

4 d. ago US special forces 'plan to seize' rogue Venezuela tanker in the North Atlantic as it races towards Russia and raises Putin's flag

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

4 d. ago Showdown in the North Atlantic as Venezuelan tanker races towards Russia in attempt to escape US capture

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

4 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

5 d. ago Oil tankers break Trump’s blockade of Venezuela by escaping in ‘Dark Mode’ coordinated dash past US Navy & Coast Guard

MORE than a dozen sanctioned oil tankers have fled Venezuelan waters, defying Trump's naval blockade. The vessels - mostly loaded with Venezuelan crude and fuel - stealthily escaped the country's waters by throwing off location trackers, making the ships appear to be thousands of miles away. Flicking trackers into "dark mode", the ships bypassed American...

Politics

5 d. ago Starmer delivers masterclass in hedging his bets after Venezuela raid

Prime minister assures colleagues he may one day stand up to Donald Trump – but not yetKeir Starmer has got used to walking a diplomatic tightrope with Donald Trump. But the US president’s Venezuelan adventure, whisking its leader out of the country after a late-night raid, has pushed that cautious approach to its limits.The clues were all there. Ever since Trump confirmed that he had authorised the CIA to conduct covert operations in Venezuela against drug traffickers – and blockaded oil tankers – the military campaign had been mounting. Continue reading...

Politics

5 d. ago A dozen oil tankers leave Venezuela in ‘dark mode’ despite Trump blockade, report says

At least four of the departed tankers left Venezuelan waters on Saturday through a route north of Margarita island

Politics

6 d. ago Trump plans a military 'quarantine' of Venezuela's oil to strong

Marco Rubio promised the US would use a blockade on sanctioned oil tankers rather than exert direct control on Venezuela post-Maduro.

Events

1 week ago Trump’s shadow war in Venezuela grows, but country’s strongman leader still clings to power

Report of a drone attack on a port facility signals new phase in US military campaign against Nicolás MaduroUS wargames played out scenarios for Maduro’s fall. None of them ended well for VenezuelaNearly a week after Donald Trump first announced what he said was the first US ground strike in a four-month-long military pressure campaign against Venezuela, details remain very thin on the ground.CNN and the New York Times reported late on Monday that they had confirmed the CIA had used a drone to target a “port facility” allegedly used by the Tren de Aragua street gang. No casualties were reported, but the date, time and location of the attack remain unknown. Venezuela’s strongman leader, Nicolás Maduro, and his government have remained silent. If confirmed, the first strike on land would mark a new phase in a campaign that since August has involved the deployment of a massive US naval fleet, airstrikes that have so far killed 107 people, a “total blockade” of sanctioned oil tankers, t...

Politics

2 w. ago ‘Gunboat diplomacy on steroids’: US signs security deals across Latin America

Venezuela’s Nicolás Maduro warns Trump administration may ‘destabilise the entire region’ amid rising tensionsWhile all eyes are on the four-month-long US military campaign against Venezuela, the White House has been quietly striking security agreements with other countries to deploy US troops across Latin America and the Caribbean.As Donald Trump announced a blockade on sanctioned oil tankers and ordered the seizure of vessels amid airstrikes that have killed more than 100 people in the Caribbean and the Pacific, the US secured military deals with Paraguay, Ecuador, Peru and Trinidad and Tobago in the past week alone. Continue reading...

Economics

2 w. ago Russia and China pledge support for Venezuela as Trump ratchets up pressure on Maduro

Trump again called for Venezuela’s president to leave power and said the US would keep or sell the oil it had seizedChina and Russia have expressed support for Venezuela as it confronts a US blockade of sanctioned oil tankers, while Donald Trump continues to ramp up his pressure campaign on the South American country’s president, Nicolás Maduro.Amid reports of slowing activity at Venezuelan ports, the US president again called for Maduro to leave power, and reiterated that the US would keep or sell the oil it had seized off the coast of Venezuela in recent weeks. Continue reading...

Politics

2 w. ago US steps up blockade of Venezuela by seeking to board third oil tanker

Trump administration escalates campaign of pressure against Nicolás Maduro

Events

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

Events

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

Events

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.

Events

2 w. ago US troops seize THIRD vessel off Venezuela coast after Trump orders ‘complete’ blockade of all sanctioned oil tankers

A THIRD oil tanker has been intercepted off the coast of Venezuela by US forces, reports say. Two US officials told Reuters that the US has a stopped another vessel in international waters, the second this weekend and the third this month. The unnamed officials, did not say which vessel had been seized, nor did...

Politics

3 w. ago US seizes second vessel near Venezuela after Trump’s blockade threat

Trump has said that U.S. land strikes on the South American country could start soon

Politics

3 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...

Politics

3 w. ago US seizes second vessel near Venezuela after Trump’s blockade threat, reports say

Trump has said that U.S. land strikes on the South American country could start soon

Politics

3 w. ago US seizing second vessel off Venezuelan coast after Trump’s blockade threat, report says

Trump has said that U.S. land strikes on the South American country could start soon

Politics