United News of Bangladesh

Thousands of tourists were stranded in northern Finland on Sunday after flights at Kittilä airport were canceled due to severe cold. The temperature at the airport dropped to minus 37 degrees Celsius (minus 34.6 degrees Fahrenheit) on Sunday morning, after several days of similar frigid weather, making de-icing of aircraft and other operations difficult, Finland's national public broadcaster Yle reported. The deep freeze is expected to continue in Kittilä, which is located in Finnish Lapland in the sparsely populated north, on Monday, when the Finnish Meteorological Institute predicts temperatures of almost minus 40 C (minus 40 F). Finns are generally used to frosty winter temperatures but this year's cold, which has affected wide regions of northern, central and eastern Europe, is more severe than in other years. Heavy snowfall, high winds and icy roads have made travel difficult in parts of Europe. In Germany, train passengers were still experiencing long delays and cancellations Sunday after rail operator Deutsche Bahn shut down all service in the north of the country on Friday due to strong snowfall. Authorities announced that all schools would remain closed and switch to online classes on Monday in North Rhine-Westphalia, the country's most populous western state, after forecasts of icy roads across the region. In the Baltic countries of Estonia and Lithuania, drivers were asked to postpone all nonessential travel because of expected blizzards, while neighboring Latvia issued a snow alert for the west of the country.  

Greenland’s remote location, harsh climate and lack of basic infrastructure have so far prevented the development of any commercial mine for rare earth elements, raising doubts over President Donald Trump’s push to secure control of the Arctic island as part of his strategy to break China’s dominance in the global supply chain. Trump has made rare earths a priority after China sharply restricted exports following U.S. tariffs imposed last spring. The Trump administration has invested hundreds of millions of dollars and taken stakes in several companies, while the president has renewed his call to wrest control of Greenland from Denmark. “We are going to do something on Greenland whether they like it or not,” Trump said on Friday. However, experts say Greenland may not be able to produce rare earths for many years, if at all. Although the island is believed to hold around 1.5 million tons of rare earth deposits, most projects remain at an early exploration stage. Analysts say Trump’s interest may be driven more by geopolitical concerns over Russian and Chinese influence in the Arctic than by the immediate need for minerals such as neodymium and terbium, which are used in electric vehicles, wind turbines, robots and fighter jets. “The fixation on Greenland has always been more about geopolitical posturing than a realistic supply solution,” said Tracy Hughes, founder of the Critical Minerals Institute. Trump acknowledged the strategic angle, saying Washington does not want Russia or China expanding their presence in the region. Mining experts say Greenland’s remoteness, lack of roads and railways, need for local power generation and shortage of skilled manpower make large-scale mining extremely difficult. Environmental risks also pose major challenges in the fragile Arctic ecosystem, where toxic chemicals used in processing and the presence of radioactive uranium could threaten Greenland’s growing tourism industry. Geologists note that Greenland’s rare earths are locked in complex rock formations known as eudialyte, from which no profitable extraction method has yet been developed. Industry specialists argue the United States should instead focus on more advanced mining projects in the U.S. and allied countries such as Australia, which are closer to commercial production. Although some companies have announced plans to build pilot plants in Greenland, analysts say they remain far from opening a full-scale mine and would need to raise hundreds of millions of dollars. With more than 90 percent of the world’s rare earths currently coming from China, experts warn that securing alternative supplies will take years and require sustained investment in more accessible and economically viable projects.

Nationwide protests challenging Iran’s theocracy continued into Sunday in Tehran and the country’s second-largest city, Mashhad, crossing the two-week mark as violence linked to the demonstrations has killed at least 116 people, activists said. With internet services cut and phone lines largely shut down, monitoring the protests from abroad has become increasingly difficult. However, the U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency reported that the death toll has continued to rise, while at least 2,600 people have been detained. Amid the unrest, Iran’s parliament speaker warned that the U.S. military and Israel would be considered “legitimate targets” if America attacks the Islamic Republic, following threats by President Donald Trump. Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf made the warning as lawmakers rushed the dais in parliament, chanting: “Death to America!” Observers abroad fear that the information blackout could embolden hard-liners within Iran’s security forces to carry out a violent crackdown, despite Trump’s warning that he is willing to strike Iran to protect peaceful demonstrators. Trump voiced support for the protesters on social media, writing that “Iran is looking at FREEDOM, perhaps like never before. The USA stands ready to help!!!” The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal, citing anonymous U.S. officials, reported Saturday night that Trump had been presented with military options for a strike on Iran, but had not yet made a final decision. The U.S. State Department also issued a warning, saying: “Do not play games with President Trump. When he says he’ll do something, he means it.” Parliament rallies Iranian state television broadcast the parliamentary session live. Qalibaf, a hard-liner and former presidential candidate, delivered a speech praising police and Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, particularly its volunteer Basij force, for having “stood firm” during the protests. “The people of Iran should know that we will deal with them in the most severe way and punish those who are arrested,” Qalibaf said. He went on to directly threaten Israel, which he referred to as “the occupied territory,” as well as the U.S. military, raising the possibility of preemptive action. “In the event of an attack on Iran, both the occupied territory and all American military centers, bases and ships in the region will be our legitimate targets,” Qalibaf said. “We do not consider ourselves limited to reacting after the action and will act based on any objective signs of a threat.” It remains unclear how serious Iran is about launching a strike, particularly after its air defenses were badly damaged during the 12-day war with Israel in June. Any decision to go to war would rest with Iran’s 86-year-old Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. The U.S. military has said its forces in the Middle East are positioned “across the full range of combat capability to defend our forces, our partners and allies and U.S. interests.” Iran targeted U.S. forces at Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar in June, while the U.S. Navy’s 5th Fleet is based in Bahrain. Israel is also closely monitoring the situation. An Israeli official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke overnight with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio on issues including Iran. Protests in Tehran and Mashhad Videos circulating online, likely transmitted via Starlink satellite connections, showed demonstrators gathering in Tehran’s northern Punak neighborhood. Authorities appeared to have blocked streets as protesters waved lit mobile phones, banged on metal and set off fireworks. Other footage showed demonstrators marching peacefully and drivers honking car horns in support. “The pattern of protests in the capital has largely taken the form of scattered, short-lived and fluid gatherings, shaped by the heavy presence of security forces and increased field pressure,” the Human Rights Activists News Agency said. It added that surveillance drones and security deployments around protest sites indicated ongoing monitoring. In Mashhad, around 725 kilometers northeast of Tehran, footage showed protesters confronting security forces, with burning debris and overturned dumpsters blocking roads. Mashhad is home to the Imam Reza shrine, the holiest site in Shiite Islam, giving the protests there particular significance for Iran’s theocracy. Protests were also reported in Kerman, about 800 kilometers southeast of Tehran. Iranian state television on Sunday sent correspondents to various cities to show calm streets, displaying date stamps on screen. Tehran and Mashhad were not included. The broadcaster also aired images of pro-government demonstrations in Qom and Qazvin. Ali Larijani, a senior security official, appeared on state television accusing some demonstrators of “killing people or burning some people, which is very similar to what ISIS does.” State TV also aired funerals of slain security personnel and reported that six more had been killed in Kermanshah. More demonstrations planned Iran’s exiled Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi, who called for protests on Thursday and Friday, urged demonstrators to return to the streets on Sunday. He asked protesters to carry Iran’s old lion-and-sun flag and other national symbols from the era of the shah to “claim public spaces as your own.” Pahlavi’s ties with Israel have drawn criticism in the past, particularly after last year’s 12-day war. While some protesters have chanted in support of the shah, it remains unclear whether this reflects backing for Pahlavi or simply nostalgia for the period before the 1979 Islamic Revolution. The protests began on Dec. 28 following the collapse of the Iranian rial, which is now trading at more than 1.4 million to the dollar, as the economy suffers under international sanctions linked in part to Iran’s nuclear program. The demonstrations have since intensified into a broader challenge to Iran’s theocratic system.

Russia's capital Moscow on Friday experienced the heaviest snowfall in 56 years, with 42 percent of the monthly average precipitation recorded in just 24 hours. "The snowstorm that hit central Russia on Friday brought record-breaking snowfall, paralyzing ground and air traffic across the region," said Evgeny Tishkovets, a leading specialist at the Phobos Weather Center, a private weather forecasting service. "Moscow's main weather station at the Exhibition Centre of the National Economy logged 22 millimeters of precipitation in a single day, equivalent to 42 percent of the monthly norm. Overnight, the snow eased off, with an additional 2 millimeters of light snow falling by morning," Tishkovets said. Moscow's Sheremetyevo International Airport reported that over 1 million cubic meters of snow had been cleared from its premises in the past 24 hours. As of 12:00 p.m. local time (09:00 GMT) on Saturday, 78 flights at Moscow's four major airports had been delayed by more than two hours, while 35 others were canceled, Russia's Ministry of Transport said. All four airports resumed full operations by noon. Moscow Railway estimated that around 70,000 cubic meters of snow had been removed from the city's railway infrastructure over the past 24 hours. 

Just after 8 p.m. Thursday, Iran's theocracy pulled the plug and disconnected the Islamic Republic's 85 million people from the rest of the world. Following a playbook used both in demonstrations and in war, Iran severed the internet connections and telephone lines that connect its people to the vast diaspora in the United States, Europe and elsewhere. Until now, even while facing strict sanctions over the country's nuclear program, Iranians still could access mobile phone apps and even websites blocked by the theocracy, using virtual private networks to circumvent restrictions. Thursday's decision sharply limits people from sharing images and witness accounts of the nationwide protests over Iran's ailing economy that have grown to pose the biggest challenge to the government in years. It also could provide cover for a violent crackdown after the Trump administration warned Iran's government about consequences for further deaths among demonstrators. As the country effectively goes dark, loved ones abroad are frantic for any scrap of news, especially as Iran’s attorney general warned on Saturday that anyone taking part in protests will be considered an “enemy of God,” a death-penalty charge “You can’t understand our feelings. My brothers, my cousins, they will go on the street. You can’t imagine the anxiety of the Iranian diaspora,” said Azam Jangravi, a cybersecurity expert in Toronto who opposes Iran's government. “I couldn’t work yesterday. I had meetings but I postponed them because I couldn’t focus. I was thinking of my family and friends.” Her voice cracked as she added: “A lot of people are being killing and injured by the Islamic Republic of Iran, and we don’t know who.” Even Starlink is likely being jammed This is the third time Iran has shut down the internet from the outside world. The first was in 2019, when demonstrators angry about a spike in government-subsidized gasoline prices took to the streets. Over 300 people reportedly were killed. Then came the protests over the 2022 death of Mahsa Amini following her arrest by the country’s morality police over allegedly not wearing her hijab, or headscarf, to the liking of authorities. A monthslong crackdown killed more than 500 people. While the connectivity offered by Starlink played a role in the Amini demonstrations, the deployment of its receivers is now far greater in Iran. That's despite the government never authorizing Starlink to function, making the service illegal to possess and use. A year ago, an Iranian official estimated tens of thousands of Starlink receivers in the Islamic Republic, a figure that Los Angeles-based internet freedom activist Mehdi Yahyanejad said sounded right. While many receivers likely are in the hands of business people and others wanting to stay in touch with the outside world for their livelihoods, Yahyanejad said some are now being used to share videos, photos and other reporting on the protests. “In this case, because all those things have been disrupted, Starlink is playing the key for getting all these videos out,” Yahyanejad said. However, Starlink receivers are facing challenges. Since its 12-day war with Israel last June, Iran has been disrupting GPS signals, likely in a bid to make drones less effective. Starlink receivers use GPS signals to position themselves to connect to a constellation of low-orbit satellites. Amir Rashidi, director of digital rights and security at the Miaan Group and an expert on Iran, said that since Thursday he had seen about a 30% loss in packets being sent by Starlink devices — basically units of data that transmit across the internet. In some areas of Iran, Rashidi said there had been an 80% loss in packets. “I believe the Iranian government is doing something beyond GPS jamming, like in Ukraine where Russia tried to jam Starlink,” Rashidi said. He suggested Iran may be using a mobile jammer, like it did in previous decades to disrupt satellite television receivers. The International Telecommunication Union, a United Nations agency, has called on Iran to stop jamming in the past. Meanwhile, Iran has been advocating at the ITU for Starlink service to the country to be stopped. Help ‘needs to come soon’ It appears that the majority of information coming out of Iran since Thursday night is being transmitted via Starlink, which is now illegal. That carries dangers for those possessing the devices. “It’s really hard to use it because if they arrest a person, they can execute the person and say this person is working for Israel or the United States,” Jangravi said. Not using it, however, means the world knows even less about what's happening inside Iran at a pivotal moment. “This sort of nonviolent protest is not sustainable when the violence (by security forces) is so extreme," Yahyanejad said. “Unless something changes in the next two or three days, these protests can die down, too. If there’s any help, it needs to come soon.”        

Dozens of masked men armed with sticks beat and injured a Palestinian in the Israeli-occupied West Bank when they attacked a plant nursery, according to people who saw the attack and video footage obtained by The Associated Press. Video filmed by security cameras shows men dressed mostly in black, faces covered, with several hitting and kicking a man on the ground. Two witnesses who are members of the family that owns the facility said Israeli settlers beat 67-year-old Basim Saleh Yassin as he was trying to flee the German-Palestinian-run nursery in the northern West Bank village of Deir Sharaf. Both spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of reprisal. Workers fled when they saw the settlers coming on Thursday but Yassin is deaf and couldn’t hear the warnings to leave, one family member said. The witnesses said Yassin was in the hospital with broken bones in his hand and other injuries to his face, chest and back. Four cars at the nursery were burned. The attack is the latest in rising Israeli settler violence in the West Bank, where assaults increased during the Palestinian olive harvest in October and have continued. Israeli authorities have done little beyond issuing occasional condemnations of the violence. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has called the perpetrators “a handful of extremists” and urged law enforcement to pursue them for “the attempt to take the law into their own hands.” But rights groups and Palestinians say the problem is far greater than a few bad actors, and attacks have become a daily phenomenon across the territory. Israel's army said it dispatched soldiers to the Shavei Shomron junction — close to the area of Thursday's attack — following reports of dozens of masked Israelis vandalizing property. The army said it apprehended three suspects who were taken to police for questioning. It said security forces condemn violence of any kind. According to one of the family members who own the nursery, it was the third time in a year that the facility was attacked. The previous incident was in September and cost the business more than $600,000 as offices and facilities were damaged, he said. In the video of Thursday's attack, Yassin runs from a group of masked people before falling to the ground. One man kicks him and another hits him twice with what appears to be a stick. Yassin stays on his knees as he's struck again and then places his hands on the ground. As the men are leaving, one kicks him in the head while others strike him again until he's seen lying on the pavement. Israel captured the West Bank, east Jerusalem and Gaza — areas claimed by the Palestinians for a future state — in the 1967 war. It has settled over 500,000 Jews in the West Bank. Settlements are widely considered illegal under international law. Last month, Israel’s Cabinet approved a proposal for 19 new Jewish settlements in the West Bank as the government pushes ahead with a construction binge that further threatens the possibility of a Palestinian state. And Israel has cleared the final hurdle before starting construction on a contentious settlement project near Jerusalem that would effectively cut the West Bank in two, according to a government tender reported this month.

US President Donald Trump has warned that the United States could take control of Greenland “one way or another,” arguing that the Danish self-governing territory is critical to American strategic interests in the Arctic. Speaking to reporters at the White House on Friday during a meeting with oil industry executives, Trump said Washington must act to prevent Russia or China from gaining a foothold in Greenland. He accused Denmark of failing to adequately protect the surrounding waters, a claim that Greenlandic leaders have rejected. “We’re going to do something with Greenland whether they like it or not,” Trump said, adding that allowing Russia or China to move into the territory would make them direct U.S. neighbors. “I’d rather make a deal the easy way. But if that doesn’t happen, we’ll do it the hard way.” Trump’s remarks have fueled concerns following recent U.S. actions in Venezuela, including military strikes and the detention of President Nicolás Maduro, prompting questions about how far Washington might go regarding Greenland. Earlier Friday, Greenland’s foreign minister said the territory itself should take charge of any discussions with the United States, as American pressure over Greenland continues to grow. Vivian Motzfeldt said Greenland should lead talks with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, rather than leaving negotiations solely to Denmark. “When it comes to Greenland, it should be Greenland speaking directly with the United States,” Motzfeldt said, according to Danish broadcaster DR. She argued that Greenland should be able to engage diplomatically with other countries independently, even while remaining part of the Danish kingdom. Motzfeldt noted that Greenland and Denmark share many values and policies, but said direct dialogue with Washington would be appropriate. She declined to say whether she would prefer to meet Rubio without Denmark’s foreign minister, Lars Løkke Rasmussen, emphasizing that the talks would still be held jointly. She added that Greenland is working toward eventual statehood, which would include control over its own foreign policy, but acknowledged that current legal frameworks still require coordination with Denmark. NATO concerns and Arctic security Rubio met with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte on Friday as the alliance seeks to ease tensions by highlighting its efforts to strengthen security in the Arctic. A NATO spokesperson said the discussions focused on the region’s strategic importance and ongoing efforts to enhance military capabilities in the High North. Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen has warned that any U.S. military action to seize Greenland could threaten the future of NATO itself. However, NATO’s top military commander in Europe, U.S. General Alexus Grynkewich, downplayed fears of an alliance crisis. Speaking to reporters in Finland, he said NATO remains fully prepared to defend all member territory and that tensions have not affected military cooperation. “I don’t see us anywhere near a crisis,” Grynkewich said, adding that NATO forces remain ready to protect “every inch” of allied land. Motzfeldt expressed cautious optimism ahead of next week’s talks with Rubio, stressing that the outcome remains uncertain. She said Greenland and the United States depend on each other strategically and called for rebuilding relations based on mutual trust. “Greenland needs the United States, and the United States needs Greenland,” she said. “That relationship must be handled responsibly.” Source: AL Jazeera      

Russian forces launched a sweeping overnight assault on Ukraine, firing hundreds of drones and dozens of missiles, Ukrainian officials said Friday. The attack killed at least four people in Kyiv and marked only the second time in the nearly four-year war that Moscow has used its new, nuclear-capable hypersonic ballistic missile, a move widely seen as a warning to Ukraine’s NATO partners. The large-scale barrage, which included the launch of the Oreshnik missile, came just days after Ukraine and its allies reported progress toward a framework to prevent future Russian aggression should a U.S.-backed peace agreement be reached. European leaders denounced the strike as “escalatory and unacceptable,” while the European Union’s chief diplomat said President Vladimir Putin’s response to diplomatic efforts amounted to “more missiles and destruction.” The assault also occurred amid rising tensions between Moscow and Washington following Russia’s criticism of the U.S. seizure of an oil tanker in the North Atlantic. It coincided with U.S. President Donald Trump signaling support for tougher sanctions aimed at severely damaging Russia’s economy, as Moscow has shown no willingness to retreat from its hardline demands on Ukraine. Kyiv left without heat amid winter cold Ukrainian authorities reported that at least four people were killed and 25 wounded in Kyiv after residential buildings were struck during the overnight bombardment. Among the dead was an emergency medical worker, according to Kyiv City Military Administration head Tymur Tkachenko. Four doctors and a police officer were injured while responding to the strikes. Roughly half of Kyiv’s apartment buildings — about 6,000 — lost heating as temperatures hovered near minus 8 degrees Celsius (17.6 Fahrenheit), Mayor Vitali Klitschko said. Water services were also disrupted. City crews restored electricity and heat to essential public facilities, including hospitals and maternity wards, using mobile boiler units, Klitschko added. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the attack damaged the Qatari Embassy in Kyiv, noting Qatar’s important role in mediating prisoner exchanges between the two countries. He called for a firm international response, particularly from the United States, which he said Russia still takes seriously. Moscow calls strike retaliation Ukraine’s Security Service said it recovered fragments of the Oreshnik missile in the western Lviv region. Investigators said the missile was launched from Russia’s Kapustin Yar test site near the Caspian Sea and struck civilian infrastructure. “I heard a very loud explosion,” said Lviv resident Kristofer Chokhovich, who identified himself as an American. “That’s normal in this war. Ukraine is strong, and it doesn’t matter how many missiles they send.” Another resident, Ulyana Fedun, said the strike was unpleasant but no longer frightening after years of living under constant threat. Russia’s Defense Ministry claimed the attack was retaliation for an alleged Ukrainian drone strike on one of Putin’s residences last month — a claim denied by both Trump and Ukrainian officials. While Moscow did not disclose the missile’s target, Russian media and military bloggers reported it hit an underground gas storage facility in the Lviv region, an area near a key supply route through Poland used to deliver Western military aid. Putin has previously said the Oreshnik travels at speeds of up to Mach 10 and cannot be intercepted by existing missile defenses. He has warned that multiple conventional launches could rival the destructive power of a nuclear strike and has threatened to use the weapon against countries aiding Ukraine’s long-range attacks inside Russia. Ukrainian intelligence says the missile carries six warheads, each equipped with six submunitions. Russia first deployed the Oreshnik against the city of Dnipro in November 2024. Analysts say the weapon adds a new psychological dimension to the war, intimidating both Ukrainian civilians and Western supporters. Ukraine seeks global action Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said Ukraine would pursue international measures in response to the missile strike, including requesting an emergency meeting of the U.N. Security Council and consultations with NATO. He said the strike near EU and NATO borders posed a serious threat to European security and called for strong international consequences for Russia’s actions. A U.N. diplomat said Ukraine’s request had been formally delivered and that six Security Council members have already called for a meeting, though no date has been finalized. Pope Leo XIV urged the global community to intensify efforts toward peace, calling for an immediate ceasefire and renewed dialogue to end the suffering in Ukraine. Leaders of Britain, France, and Germany said they discussed the attack and agreed it represented a dangerous escalation. EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said the Oreshnik launch was intended to send a message to Europe and the United States, adding that Russia’s actions show it has no genuine interest in peace. Residential areas hit in Kyiv Several Kyiv neighborhoods were damaged in the overnight attack. In the Desnyanskyi district, a drone struck the roof of a high-rise building and damaged the lower floors of another residential structure. In the Dnipro district, falling drone debris caused damage and sparked a fire in an apartment building. Resident Dmytro Karpenko said his windows were blown out by the blast. When he saw his neighbor’s home on fire, he ran to help. “What Russia is doing proves they don’t want peace,” the 45-year-old said. “People are suffering, and people are dying — but they still want peace.”

US military forces intercepted and boarded another oil tanker in the Caribbean on Friday, marking the fifth such seizure under the Trump administration’s campaign to target sanctioned vessels operating to and from Venezuela as Washington seeks greater control over the country’s oil sector. According to U.S. Southern Command, Marines and Navy personnel carried out the early-morning operation from the aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford, part of a sizable U.S. military presence that has expanded in the Caribbean in recent months. The tanker, identified as the Olina, was secured and later handed over to the U.S. Coast Guard. Southern Command declared during the announcement that “criminals will find no refuge.” Unclassified videos released by Southern Command and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem showed a U.S. helicopter landing on the ship, service members searching the deck, and what appeared to be an explosive charge placed near a doorway to access the vessel’s interior. Noem described the Olina as part of a so-called “ghost fleet” suspected of transporting oil in violation of U.S. sanctions. She said the tanker had departed Venezuela while attempting to avoid detection by American forces. The seizure represents the fifth tanker taken under President Donald Trump’s push to oversee Venezuela’s oil production, refining, and worldwide distribution following the U.S.-led removal of President Nicolás Maduro in a surprise nighttime operation. Trump later said on social media that the action was carried out “in coordination with the Interim Authorities of Venezuela,” though he did not provide further details. The White House declined to immediately comment. Venezuela’s government confirmed it was cooperating with U.S. officials to return the tanker, stating that the vessel had departed Venezuelan waters without proper authorization or payment. Officials said the ship was now being escorted back to Venezuelan waters for protection and further legal steps, calling the operation a successful joint effort. Shipping analyst Samir Madani, co-founder of TankerTrackers.com, said satellite data and photographs indicate that at least 16 tankers recently left Venezuela in violation of a U.S.-enforced maritime quarantine aimed at stopping sanctioned trade. The Olina was among those vessels. U.S. records show the tanker had previously been sanctioned for transporting Russian oil under its former name, Minerva M, and was once registered in Panama. Although the Olina now claims registration under Timor-Leste, international shipping databases list its flag as invalid. The ship’s ownership and management were transferred in July to a Hong Kong–based company. Tracking data shows the Olina last broadcast its location in November while in the Caribbean north of Venezuela. Since then, the vessel had disabled its tracking signal, a practice commonly referred to as “going dark.” While U.S. officials have portrayed the seizure as routine law enforcement, other members of the Trump administration have openly framed the effort as a revenue-generating strategy intended to revive Venezuela’s struggling oil industry and economy. In a social media post Friday morning, Trump said the U.S. and Venezuela were cooperating closely to rebuild and modernize the country’s oil and gas infrastructure. The administration estimates it could sell between 30 million and 50 million barrels of sanctioned Venezuelan oil, with proceeds benefiting both countries, and expects the arrangement to continue long term. Trump also met Friday with oil industry executives to discuss plans to invest $100 billion in restoring and upgrading Venezuela’s oil production and distribution networks. Vice President JD Vance said this week that Washington can effectively control Venezuela’s finances by determining where its oil is allowed to be sold. Madani estimated that the Olina was carrying roughly 707,000 barrels of crude, worth more than $42 million at current market prices of around $60 per barrel.

Demonstrations continued across Iran on Friday night, according to videos circulating online, despite warnings from the country’s ruling authorities that they would take firm action against protesters. The government had already shut down internet access and cut international phone connections in an apparent effort to isolate the unrest. The protests, which began in late December over worsening economic conditions, have grown into the most serious challenge to Iran’s leadership in years. At least 65 people have reportedly been killed since the demonstrations began. Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei accused the United States of fueling the unrest, denouncing President Donald Trump as having his hands “soaked in the blood of Iranians.” State television showed crowds chanting “Death to America!” while officials increasingly described demonstrators as “terrorists,” language that many observers say signals an impending violent crackdown similar to past uprisings. This came despite Trump’s pledge to support peaceful protesters and warning of possible force if they were harmed. Iran protests intensify as citizens call for political change Khamenei told supporters at his Tehran compound that protesters were “destroying their own streets” simply to satisfy the U.S. president, claiming they were acting in hopes of foreign backing. He added that Trump should focus on problems inside his own country instead. Separately, judiciary chief Gholamhossein Mohseni-Ejei promised that punishment for those involved in the protests would be swift and severe, with no legal mercy shown. Late Friday, the leaders of Germany, Britain, and France released a joint statement condemning reports of deadly violence against demonstrators and urging Iranian authorities to respect citizens’ rights to express dissent without fear of retaliation. Nobel Peace Prize winner Shirin Ebadi also called on Western governments to speak out more forcefully against Iran’s leadership, accusing it of ruling through cruelty. She criticized those who still portray the regime as a defender of the oppressed, arguing that a government willing to shoot peaceful protesters at home cannot claim moral legitimacy. Trump, meanwhile, repeated threats to strike Iran if protesters were killed, comments that carried extra weight following a recent U.S. military operation targeting Venezuela’s former president Nicolás Maduro. He said any action would not involve ground troops but would instead deliver devastating blows. “Iran is facing serious trouble,” Trump said, claiming that protesters were taking control of cities previously thought secure. He warned Iranian leaders that violence against demonstrators would be met with force in return. Despite the communications blackout, activists managed to share short video clips that appeared to show crowds chanting anti-government slogans around fires in Tehran and other cities as debris filled the streets. Protests resumed Friday night, even after security forces warned families to keep their children indoors, though the scale of the demonstrations was difficult to verify. Major protests that have shaken Iran over the past 50 years One video showed what appeared to be a large crowd gathered near a street fire in Tehran’s Saadat Abad neighborhood, with chants of “Death to Khamenei!” audible in the background. The unrest also marked the first major test of calls to action by exiled Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi, whose father fled Iran shortly before the 1979 Islamic Revolution. Pahlavi urged Iranians to protest at 8 p.m. on both Thursday and Friday nights. Some demonstrations included chants supporting the former shah, rhetoric that once could have led to execution. Such slogans underscore the depth of anger driving the movement, which began as protests over economic hardship. According to the U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency, at least 65 people have been killed and more than 2,300 detained since the protests began. Analyst Holly Dagres of the Washington Institute for Near East Policy said Pahlavi’s call for coordinated demonstrations helped energize the movement, with social media showing widespread participation aimed at overthrowing the Islamic Republic. She said the internet shutdown was intended to hide the scale of the protests and may have enabled security forces to act with greater violence. Witnesses said that when 8 p.m. arrived on Thursday, chanting erupted across Tehran neighborhoods, with slogans such as “Death to the dictator” and “Death to the Islamic Republic.” Others praised the monarchy, shouting that Pahlavi would return. Thousands were reportedly in the streets before communications were completely cut. On Friday, Pahlavi appealed directly to Trump, warning that Iran’s leadership intended to use the blackout to kill protesters. He asked the U.S. president to intervene to help the Iranian people, calling him a man of peace who keeps his promises. Pahlavi said further plans would depend on the public response. His ties to Israel have previously drawn criticism, especially following Israel’s brief war with Iran in June. While some protesters voiced support for the shah, it remains unclear whether this reflects loyalty to Pahlavi himself or nostalgia for life before the 1979 revolution. The internet shutdown also disrupted operations of many state-run and semi-official Iranian news outlets. State television claimed Thursday night’s protests were violent and involved attacks on vehicles, public transportation, and emergency services, though it did not provide nationwide casualty figures. Later, state TV reported that six people were killed overnight in Hamedan and that two members of the security forces died in Qom. Protests were also reported Friday in Zahedan, in the volatile Sistan and Baluchestan province. Footage aired by state media showed pro-government motorcycle units patrolling Tehran streets late Friday night.