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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.  

Russia attacked Ukraine with drones and missiles, killing three and injuring at least 16 in the capital overnight into Friday, Ukrainian authorities said. Russia also struck critical infrastructure in the western city of Lviv using an unidentified ballistic missile, said Mayor Andriy Sadoviy. The Western Command of Ukraine's Air Force later said the missile traveled at a speed of 13,000 kilometers (more than 8,000 miles) per hour, and that the specific type of rocket was being investigated. Several districts in Kyiv were hit in the attack, said Kyiv City Military Administration head Tymur Tkachenko. In the Desnyanskyi district a drone crashed onto the roof of a multi-story building. At another address in the same district the first two floors of a residential building were damaged as a result of the attack. In Dnipro district, parts of a drone damaged a multi-story building and a fire broke out. Running water and electricity were disrupted in parts of the capital as a result of the attack, Kyiv's Mayor Vitali Klitschko said. The attack took place just hours after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy alerted the nation about Russia’s intentions for a large-scale offensive. He said that Russia aimed to take advantage of the frigid weather in the capital, making roads and streets perilously icy.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio is a football fan — he played in college, supports the Miami Dolphins, and his son is a running back for the University of Florida Gators. Now, he is quarterbacking President Donald Trump’s foreign policy team as it navigates particularly turbulent times, notably in Venezuela and elsewhere in Latin America, longtime core interests of the child of Cuban immigrants and former Florida senator. As the Trump administration has alarmed much of the world with its stunning military operation that captured now-former Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and its threats to potentially annex Greenland by force, Rubio has emerged as a voice of relative calm. In public comments and private briefings to lawmakers, he has toned down bombastic remarks from the president and other top officials even as he offers a full-throated defense of Trump’s more audacious plans. Still, he had a key role in one of the most assertive actions — Maduro's ouster — after long pursuing leadership changes in Venezuela and Cuba, countries close to him personally and politically. “We always prefer to settle it in different ways,” Rubio said when asked by reporters this week about a military option in Greenland. “That included in Venezuela. We tried repeatedly to reach an outcome here that did not involve having to go in and grab an indicted drug trafficker.” Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman James Risch, one of his closest friends in the Senate, said Rubio's influence prompted the administration to action. “I think all of us have been feeling that we can do a lot better in Latin America than we’ve been doing,” Risch told The Associated Press. “This is not an excuse, but a fact, and that is, the squeaky wheel gets the grease.” Rubio is called the ‘quarterback’ of Trump advisers Aides to Rubio compare his dual roles as secretary of state and national security adviser to those of an empowered senior traffic cop, directing a small but influential field of Trump advisers, translating the president’s often broad and vague pronouncements into digestible, even if still controversial, nuggets that can be acted upon and explained. One top aide, who spoke on condition of anonymity to offer a personal assessment of Rubio’s role, described him as the “quarterback" of teams, which for Venezuela includes Trump’s deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Energy Secretary Chris Wright and Vice President JD Vance. For fragile U.S.-led peace efforts in Gaza and Ukraine, that is Vance, special envoy Steve Witkoff and Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt praised Rubio for advancing Trump’s foreign policy goals in his dual roles and added: “He is a team player and everyone loves working with him in the West Wing.” People around him often remark that Rubio was made for this moment, which Risch said often prompts the secretary, also the interim leader of the National Archives and Records Administration, to joke that he is a really good archivist. Rubio himself jokingly dismissed “online rumors” that he might want to become head coach or general manager of the Dolphins, posting on social media on Thursday that his “focus must remain on global events and also the precious archives of the United States of America.” Following the raid to extract Maduro from Caracas, Trump proclaimed that the U.S. would “run” Venezuela but offered no clarity on what that would actually mean, leaving many to wonder if the administration planned an Iraq or Afghanistan-type of occupation. Rubio stepped in to allay those concerns, saying the U.S. would not govern day-to-day but use its leverage through oil sanctions and the threat of potential additional military action to influence Venezuelan leaders. He also sought to temper blustery rhetoric and the White House refusal to rule out a military operation to take over Greenland, saying Trump's plan is not to invade the island controlled by NATO ally Denmark but rather purchase it. "That’s always been the president’s intent from the very beginning,” Rubio said Wednesday. Rubio takes key role explaining actions to Congress Likewise, it has been Rubio’s moment during closed-door briefings on Capitol Hill. While the Pentagon leadership has presented details about the raid, Rubio has fielded the questions and criticisms from lawmakers. “There’s a reason the president relies on him for so many different things,” said Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart, a fellow Florida Republican who has known Rubio for years. “Rubio’s a person who just solves problems.” Rubio publicly outlined the three phases of the administration’s plan this week — sell seized Venezuelan oil for revenue to rebuild the country, restore other aspects of civil society and transition to a new government. Delcy Rodríguez, Maduro's vice president, has taken over as interim president with America's blessing. But Rubio’s strategy for the region is on the clock, and some in Congress aren’t satisfied. Lawmakers from both parties are demanding more details about the path ahead in Venezuela, and Democrats in particular want public oversight hearings and more robust debate. “On the narrow question of Venezuela, Secretary Rubio knows better about what briefings and consultations and engagement with the senators needs to happen to get and sustain bipartisan support for military action, and I'm disappointed that that hasn’t happened,” said Sen. Chris Coons, D-Del., who worked with Rubio for years on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. For a politician who as a young senator was often seen as a man too much in a hurry, Rubio now has a short window to deliver. “It’s not years, it’s months,” said Rep. Carlos Gimenez, another Florida Republican. “Six, nine months.” Rubio's focus on Venezuela In the early days of Trump’s second term, ousting Maduro was not a priority as the president and his national security team largely focused on Gaza, the Russia-Ukraine war, Iran’s nuclear program and other day-to-day crises, according to a person familiar with internal White House discussions who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss private deliberations. Rubio, the person observed, was a key player in helping Trump fashion his policy in all those matters but seemed to be “husbanding his political capital” for Venezuela. While Rubio could be more dispassionate in internal debates about other foreign policy issues the Trump administration was dealing with, he was notably more rigid about Venezuela and underscored that he saw Maduro “as an offshoot of the Castro movement,” the person said. As a senator, Rubio depicted Venezuela as a vestige of the communist ideology in the Western Hemisphere and pushed for Maduro's ouster, advocated for economic sanctions, and even argued for American military intervention when many dismissed those views. “I think that U.S. armed forces should only be used in cases of national security threats,” he said in a 2018 interview with Univision. “I think there is a strong argument that can be made right now that Venezuela and Maduro’s regime have become a threat to the region and to the U.S.” Impact of Rubio's family history Rubio has often tied his attention on the region to his own family history. His Cuban-born parents arrived in South Florida in 1956, a few years before Fidel Castro’s 1959 communist revolution, and he spent much of his life in Miami, where many Cubans sought refuge after Castro’s rise to power. Criticism of Castro and other leftist leaders in the region won him support from many in the Venezuelan diaspora who made Florida their home to escape crime, economic deprivation and unrest under Maduro and his predecessor, the late Hugo Chávez, who began his self-described socialist revolution in 1999. After Trump defeated Rubio during the 2016 GOP primary, Rubio began to exert influence over U.S. policy toward Latin America as a shadow adviser. This rivalry-turned-partnership surprised many given that Rubio’s views initially appeared at odds with Trump’s “America First” approach and campaign promise for no more foreign wars. But there appears to be little daylight now: Trump can be heard parroting the exact rhetoric Rubio used nearly a decade ago on Venezuela.  

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Thursday announced a national royal commission to investigate antisemitism, following a deadly mass shooting at a Jewish holiday gathering at Bondi Beach that killed 15 people. Albanese said the inquiry will examine the scope and causes of antisemitism in Australia, as well as the circumstances surrounding the Dec. 14 attack during a Hanukkah celebration. The commission will also recommend measures to strengthen law enforcement responses, counter extremism and promote social cohesion. Describing the Bondi shooting as an antisemitic terrorist attack inspired by the Islamic State group, Albanese said it was the deadliest such incident in Australia’s history. The surviving suspect, 24-year-old Naveed Akram, faces multiple charges including murder and terrorism, while his father was shot dead by police during the incident. The royal commission, Australia’s most powerful form of inquiry, will be led by former High Court Justice Virginia Bell and has authority to compel testimony and documents. Its report is due by Dec. 14, marking one year since the attack. The decision follows growing pressure from lawmakers, Jewish leaders and public figures to establish a nationwide inquiry. Albanese said earlier security and law enforcement reviews launched after the shooting will now form part of the commission, alongside planned tougher gun and hate-speech laws.

US President Donald Trump has approved a bipartisan Russia Sanctions Bill that could allow the United States to impose tariffs of at least 500 percent on countries such as India, China and Brazil for importing Russian oil. Republican Senator Lindsey Graham, who drafted the bill along with Democratic Senator Richard Blumenthal, said the legislation is aimed at cutting off funding for Russia’s war in Ukraine. “This bill will allow President Trump to punish those countries who buy cheap Russian oil fueling Putin's war machine,” Graham wrote on X, formerly Twitter. He added, “This bill would give President Trump tremendous leverage against countries like China, India and Brazil to incentivise them to stop buying the cheap Russian oil that provides the financing for Putin's bloodbath against Ukraine. I look forward to a strong bipartisan vote, hopefully as early as next week.” The proposed legislation, formally known as the Sanctioning of Russia Act 2025 (S. 1241), is intended to pressure Moscow into peace negotiations by severely damaging its economic lifelines. Under the bill, the US president would be required to assess every 90 days whether Russia is refusing to negotiate a peace deal or has violated any agreement. If Russia is found to be non-compliant, mandatory sanctions would automatically come into effect. The bill mandates tariffs of at least 500 percent on goods imported from any country that knowingly buys Russian oil, gas or uranium. This measure is aimed directly at major buyers such as China, India and Brazil. Financial institutions and companies outside Russia that help facilitate Russia’s energy trade would face secondary sanctions. The legislation would freeze the assets of Russian officials, including President Vladimir Putin, block Russian stocks from US exchanges and prohibit US investment in Russia’s energy sector. The bill signals a possible shift toward tougher economic pressure on countries that continue to support Russia’s economy through energy purchases.  

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday called for restraint following the death of an ultra-Orthodox teenage boy who was killed after being run over by a bus during a protest against plans to draft members of the community into the military. In a statement, Netanyahu urged people to avoid further escalation, warning against additional tragedies, and said authorities would fully investigate the incident. The fatal incident occurred Tuesday evening during a demonstration involving thousands of ultra-Orthodox protesters. The victim, identified by police as 14-year-old yeshiva student Yosef Eisenthal, was seen in video footage obtained by The Associated Press trapped beneath the bus as it continued moving several meters amid chaos and screams from the crowd. Read More: Israel hits multiple targets in Lebanon ahead of key Hezbollah disarmament talks Police detained and questioned the bus driver, who claimed he was assaulted by protesters before the vehicle struck the boy. Authorities said Wednesday that the driver’s detention has been extended until January 15, though no formal charges have yet been filed. According to police, demonstrators had blocked the roadway and acted aggressively toward officers, throwing eggs and other objects during the protest. The incident highlights rising tensions between Israeli authorities and the ultra-Orthodox, or Haredi, community as the government considers measures to end long-standing exemptions that allow them to avoid compulsory military service. At Israel’s founding in 1948, draft exemptions were granted to a small number of elite ultra-Orthodox scholars. Over time, those exemptions expanded significantly due to pressure from influential religious political parties. Read More: Iran executes man convicted of spying for Israel’s Mossad Many secular Israelis support curtailing the exemptions, particularly those who have served repeated military tours during the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas in Gaza. Efforts to draft ultra-Orthodox men have faced strong resistance from religious groups, who argue that military service threatens their religious way of life. Protests have at times turned violent, complicating the issue for Netanyahu, whose government depends on the backing of religious parties in parliament.

The administration of President Donald Trump on Wednesday moved to strengthen U.S. control over Venezuela’s oil sector by seizing additional sanctioned tankers and announcing plans to loosen certain sanctions so Washington can manage the sale of Venezuelan oil worldwide. Following the removal of President Nicolás Maduro in a surprise overnight operation, the Trump administration said it intends to oversee all Venezuelan oil exports. While the U.S. continues to enforce its oil embargo, the Energy Department said that any oil entering or leaving Venezuela must pass through channels approved by the United States and aligned with its legal and national security priorities. Such authority over the world’s largest proven crude reserves could give Washington significant leverage over global oil supplies and prices. The moves underscore the administration’s resolve to shape Venezuela’s future through control of its oil wealth, echoing Trump’s statement that the U.S. would effectively “run” the country. Vice President JD Vance said the U.S. could pressure Venezuela by determining where and how its oil is sold. By controlling energy resources, he said, Washington can allow sales only when they serve American interests, applying strong pressure without military force. Secretary of State Marco Rubio indicated that oil seized from sanctioned tankers in the Atlantic and Caribbean would be included in a new agreement announced Tuesday, under which Venezuela would supply up to 50 million barrels of oil to the United States. Rubio said Venezuela’s interim authorities recognize that cooperation with Washington is the only way to export oil and avoid economic collapse. Additional tanker seizures U.S. European Command reported that the tanker Bella 1 was seized in the North Atlantic for violating U.S. sanctions after attempting to evade enforcement efforts. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said U.S. forces also took control of the M Sophia in the Caribbean, noting that both vessels had recently docked in Venezuela or were headed there. These ships join at least two others seized last month. The Bella 1 had abruptly changed course in December after an earlier tanker seizure, later renaming itself Marinera and reflagging to Russia. U.S. officials said the crew even painted a Russian flag on the ship’s hull. Russia’s Foreign Ministry protested the seizure, saying Russian nationals were among the crew and demanding their rights be respected. A senior Russian lawmaker denounced the action as piracy. Meanwhile, the U.S. Justice Department said it is investigating crew members for failing to comply with Coast Guard orders and warned that similar enforcement actions may follow against other vessels. The tanker had previously been sanctioned over allegations it smuggled oil for a company linked to Hezbollah. Sanctions eased to allow oil sales At the same time, the administration said it would selectively lift sanctions to permit Venezuelan oil shipments to global markets. Initial sales of 30 to 50 million barrels are expected to begin immediately and continue indefinitely. Proceeds will be held in U.S.-controlled bank accounts and distributed at the discretion of the U.S. government. Venezuela’s state oil company PDVSA confirmed it is negotiating with Washington, describing the arrangement as a commercial transaction similar to existing deals with foreign firms. Acting President Delcy Rodríguez downplayed the development, calling it a normal step in Venezuela’s international economic relations. The U.S. also plans to authorize imports of oilfield equipment and services to boost Venezuela’s production, currently about 1 million barrels per day, and has signaled possible investment in the country’s power grid to support economic recovery. Shadow fleet concerns U.S. officials said the seized ships were part of a “shadow fleet” used to smuggle oil for sanctioned countries such as Venezuela, Russia, and Iran. The U.K. military assisted in tracking the Marinera, with British officials describing it as part of a sanctions-evasion network fueling conflict and instability. The M Sophia, which had stopped transmitting location data months earlier, was carrying an estimated 1.8 million barrels of crude worth about $108 million. Maritime analysts said at least 16 tankers departed Venezuela’s coast in recent days amid the unfolding U.S. operation.  

The European Union is renewing internal negotiations over a free trade agreement with five South American nations neighboring Venezuela a week after the United States' audacious raid there to detain President Nicolás Maduro. Ministers of Agriculture from across the 27 European Union nations met in Brussels on Wednesday in part to discuss protecting farmers while also reaping the economic and geopolitical benefits of a free trade deal with the Mercosur nations of Brazil, Argentina, Bolivia, Paraguay and Uruguay. The EU's trade negotiator Maroš Šefčovič said after the meeting that while the deal would increase EU agrifood exports by up to 50%. “It’s a landmark one. This is the biggest free trade agreement we ever negotiated,” Šefčovič said. He said that EU trading partners “value the EU for particular one thing in this turbulent world, one thing above all, this is credibility. So therefore, we must, safeguard this priceless currency by remaining a trusted and reliable trading partner.” He said that EU negotiations over Mercosur will continue on Friday amid speculation that a deal could be signed in Paraguay on Jan. 12. Fierce opposition from France in December, fired up by enraged farmers, derailed the deal and forced European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen to scrap a trip to Brazil where top EU officials had hoped to sign the EU-Mercosur deal after 26 years of negotiations. Italy is seen as the linchpin of the deal. If Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni joins the deal's supporters led by Germany, then it will pass over the objections of France and Poland. She posted on X on Tuesday that she welcomed von der Leyen's proposal to fast-track funds to farmers but Meloni did not promise crucial backing to the deal. The Mercosur trade deal covers a market of 780 million people and a quarter of the globe’s gross domestic product, and would progressively remove duties on almost all goods traded between the two blocs. Such a massive free trade deal would provide a stark counterpoint in South America of economic diplomacy compared to the Trump administration's incursion into Venezuela and threats across the region. The EU is seeking to forge new trade ties amid commercial tensions with the U.S. and China, and the December delay of Mercosur was seen to diminish the EU’s negotiating credibility. French President Emmanuel Macron led opposition to the deal, which he sees as fueling a surging far right that rallies support by criticizing the deal. His centrist government has demanded safeguards to monitor and stop large economic disruption in the EU, increased regulations in the Mercosur nations like pesticide restrictions, and more inspections of imports at EU ports. French Agriculture Minister Annie Genevard reaffirmed Wednesday France’s opposition to the Mercosur deal, because she said it threatens sectors including beef, chicken, sugar, ethanol and honey. “As long as the combat is not over, nothing is lost,” she told French news broadcaster France Info, referring to the ongoing negotiations over the deal. If the EU Commission signs the deal on Jan. 12, it will be debated at the European Parliament, she said. “There’s no guarantee the deal will be approved by the European Parliament,” she said. She also acknowledged Italy “will likely” approve the deal. Supporters say the EU-Mercosur deal would offer a clear alternative to Beijing’s export controls and Washington’s tariff blitzkrieg, while detractors say it will undermine both environmental regulations and the EU’s iconic agricultural sector. Šefčovič said recent negotiations within the EU over the deal had led to new safeguards like “semiautomatic triggering thresholds” that would snap into place if Mercosur imports are found to be deeply undercutting EU products. The political tensions that have marked Mercosur in recent years — especially between Argentina’s far-right President Javier Milei and Brazil’s center-left Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, the bloc’s two main partners — have not deterred South American leaders from pursuing an alliance with Europe that will benefit their agricultural sectors. Venezuela was in Mercosur until 2016, when the trade bloc suspended its membership, a move criticized by Venezuela’s new prime minister Delcy Rodríguez, then the foreign minister.