69 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

2 d. ago Trump draws red line on Iran as China buys billions in sanctioned oil

Trump draws red line on Iran as China buys billions in sanctioned oil  Fox Business

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...

Events

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 Trump backs bill to sanction China, India over Russian oil, US senator says

Trump backs bill to sanction China, India over Russian oil, US senator says  Al Jazeera

Politics

1 week ago AI deepfakes flood social media after dramatic US raid on Maduro

From AI deepfakes to recycled, outdated images, a surge of visual misinformation has inundated social media platforms after US forces seized Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro in a stunning raid on his Caracas home. Collectively racking up millions of views, the fake or misleading posts underscore a new digital reality in which hyperrealistic misinformation competes for attention with – and often drowns out – authentic images and videos following major news events. Soon after Maduro’s capture,...

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...

Events

1 week ago The Maduro effect: regime change fears grip Asia’s autocrats after US raid on Venezuela

The United States’ dramatic capture of Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro at the weekend has sent shock waves across Asia, where analysts say authoritarian rulers, now deeply wary of Washington’s motives, are likely to draw closer to Moscow and Beijing. US special forces stormed Maduro’s residence in Caracas early on Saturday morning, seizing the Venezuelan leader and his wife before flying them to the US, where both face federal charges of narcoterrorism and drug trafficking. Washington has long...

Politics

1 week ago Trump says Venezuela to send US up to 50 million barrels of oil, ‘money controlled by me’

US President Donald Trump said Venezuela would relinquish as much as 50 million barrels of oil to the United States, declaring it would be sold with the proceeds benefitting both countries. “I am pleased to announce that the Interim Authorities in Venezuela will be turning over between 30 and 50 MILLION Barrels of High Quality, Sanctioned Oil, to the United States of America,” Trump wrote in a social media post on Tuesday. “This Oil will be sold at its Market Price, and that money will be...

Politics

2 w. ago Hong Kong firm sanctioned by US in Venezuela crackdown found to use bogus address

A Hong Kong-based company sanctioned by the United States for alleged links to Venezuelan oil exports registered a fictitious address in the city, the Post has found, leaving a namesake eyewear firm anxious about repercussions. The Trump administration stepped up its pressure campaign against Venezuela’s oil exports earlier this week by sanctioning four companies based in Hong Kong and mainland China, accusing them of ties to the Venezuelan oil sector and evading restrictions. The US Department...

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

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 China Says U.S. Seizures Of Venezuelan Tankers Violate International Law

China Says U.S. Seizures Of Venezuelan Tankers Violate International Law  Forbes

Society

4 w. ago Venezuela slams ‘international piracy’ after US seizes another vessel

The United States has seized an oil tanker off the coast of Venezuela in international waters, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem confirmed on Saturday, a move that comes just days after US President Donald Trump announced a “blockade” of all sanctioned oil tankers entering and leaving Venezuela. It is the second time in recent weeks that the US has gone after a tanker near Venezuela amid a large US military build-up in the region. “The United States will continue to pursue the illicit...

Politics

last month Trump says war with Venezuela remains possible, NBC News reports

US President Donald Trump said he was leaving the possibility of war with Venezuela on the table, according to an interview with NBC News published on Friday. “I don’t rule it out, no,” he told NBC News in a phone interview. Trump also said there would be additional seizures of oil tankers near Venezuelan waters, according to the published interview. On Tuesday, Trump ordered a “blockade” of all sanctioned oil tankers entering and leaving Venezuela, in Washington’s latest move to increase...

Politics