Category World News

On Wednesday, the United States hijacked an oil tanker off the coast of Venezuela – a new move in the ongoing aggression against the South American nation by the administration of US President Donald Trump.

Over recent months, the US has gone about wantonly blowing up small boats in the Caribbean Sea along with their passengers, whom Trump has telepathically divined to be drug traffickers.

Exercising his passion for ridiculous overstatement, Trump proclaimed on Wednesday that the seized vessel was a “large tanker, very large, largest one ever seized, actually”.

When asked at a news conference about the ship’s altered destination, Trump advised reporters to “get a helicopter and follow the tanker” – although folks might reasonably be wary of taking to the skies around Venezuela given Trump’s unilateral decree in November that the country’s airspace was “closed in its entirety”.

Of course, the airspace closure hasn’t managed to interfere with continuing US deportation flights to Venezuela.

Regarding the fate of the tanker’s valuable contents, Trump remarked, “I assume we’re going to keep the oil.”

To be sure, this comment doesn’t do much to shore up the US claim that it’s not after Venezuela’s vast oil reserves at all, but is simply trying to guard the hemisphere against nefarious Venezuelan narco-terrorists endeavouring to flood the homeland with fentanyl and other deadly products.

As per Trumpian fantasy, the ringleader of the narco-terror operation is none other than Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro himself.

Never mind that Venezuela has approximately zero to do with drugs entering the US and doesn’t even produce fentanyl.

At times like these, one can’t help but recall US behaviour vis-a-vis another oil-rich nation around the turn of the century, when then-President George W Bush oversaw a campaign of mass slaughter in Iraq based on manufactured allegations of weapons of mass destruction.

But amid all the talk of a potential US war on Venezuela – which Trump has been threatening for months – the fact of the matter is that the US is already waging war on the country.

US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, newly rebranded as the “Secretary of War”, recently admitted as much when he chalked up US war crimes against Caribbean seafarers to the “fog of war”.

In reality, however, the US war on Venezuela long predates this year’s slew of extrajudicial executions and terrorisation of local fishermen.

After backing a failed coup in 2002 against Maduro’s predecessor Hugo Chavez, a socialist icon and thorn in the side of empire, the US imposed punishing sanctions on Venezuela in 2005.

According to the Washington, DC-based Center for Economic and Policy Research, these sanctions would go on to cause more than 40,000 deaths in the country in 2017-18 alone. Anyone doubting the intentional lethality of coercive economic measures would do well to recall the 1996 response of then-US ambassador to the United Nations Madeleine Albright to the estimate that half a million Iraqi children had thus far perished as a result of the US sanctions regime: “We think the price is worth it.”

Sanctions on Venezuela were then drastically intensified by Trump in 2019, with an eye to assisting Juan Guaido – the little-known right-wing character who had spontaneously appointed himself interim president of Venezuela – in his efforts to oust Maduro.

Those efforts were unsuccessful, and Guaido ended up in Miami, but sanctions continued to wreak devastating havoc. In March 2019, Trump’s former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo boasted eloquently to the press of the effectiveness of economic warfare: “The circle is tightening. The humanitarian crisis is increasing by the hour … You can see the increasing pain and suffering that the Venezuelan people are suffering from.”

Indeed, while the official narrative is that sanctions are meant to target the powers that be, it is the general public that pays the price. In the years following Guaido’s failed auto-election, the “suffering that the Venezuelan people are suffering from” became ever more apparent, and by 2020, former UN Special Rapporteur Alfred de Zayas estimated that 100,000 Venezuelans had died on account of sanctions.

In 2021, UN expert Alena Douhan reported that the economic blockade had rendered more than 2.5 million Venezuelans severely food insecure. This is to say nothing of outbreaks of previously controlled diseases, stunted growth among children, and shortages of water and electricity.

It can meanwhile be safely filed under the “can’t make this sh*t up” category that, at the very moment he is going after alleged narco-traffickers in Venezuela, Trump chose to pardon Juan Orlando Hernandez, the right-wing former narco-president of Honduras who was convicted last year in a US federal court.

In October, Trump authorised the CIA to conduct covert operations inside Venezuela – the same CIA, mind you, that has been up to its eyeballs in the drug trade since forever. Now with the tanker hijacking, the administration has underscored its acute disregard for anything resembling civilised diplomacy.

The other day, I spoke with a young Venezuelan man whom I met in the Darien Gap in 2023 as he made his way towards the US – one of millions of Venezuelans forced to leave home in search of a life that is economically sustainable.

After almost drowning in the river as he crossed from Mexico into the US, he was detained for a month and then provisionally released into the country. Two years later, he was captured by ICE agents in California, detained for several more months, and then deported to Caracas.

When I asked him his thoughts on Trump’s current machinations in Venezuela, he said simply: “I have no words.”

And as the US barrels towards another surreal war armed with blatant lies, words are indeed often hard to come by.

The Trump administration has imposed new sanctions on Venezuela, targeting three nephews of President Nicolas Maduro’s wife, Cilia Flores, as well as six crude oil tankers and shipping companies linked to them, as Washington steps up pressure on Caracas.

Two of the sanctioned nephews were previously convicted in the United States on drug trafficking charges before being released as part of a prisoner exchange.

The US is also targeting Venezuela’s oil sector by sanctioning a Panamanian businessman, Ramon Carretero Napolitano, whom it says facilitates the shipment of petroleum products on behalf of the Venezuelan government, along with several shipping companies.

The US Treasury Department said on Thursday that the measures include sanctions on six crude oil tankers it said have “engaged in deceptive and unsafe shipping practices and continue to provide financial resources that fuel Maduro’s corrupt narco-terrorist regime”.

Four of the tankers, including the 2002-built H Constance and the 2003-built Lattafa, are Panama-flagged, with the other two flagged by the Cook Islands and Hong Kong.

The vessels are supertankers that recently loaded crude in Venezuela, according to internal shipping documents from state oil company PDVSA.

‘An act of piracy’

In comments on Thursday night, Trump also repeated his threat to soon begin strikes on suspected narcotics shipments making their way via land from Venezuela to the US.

His remarks followed the US seizure of an oil tanker off Venezuela’s coast.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said the US would take the tanker to a US port.

“The vessel will go to a US port, and the United States does intend to seize the oil,” Leavitt said during a news briefing. “However, there is a legal process for the seizure of that oil, and that legal process will be followed.”

Maduro condemned the seizure, calling it “an act of piracy against a merchant, commercial, civil and private vessel,” adding that “the ship was private, civilian and was carrying 1.9 million barrels of oil that they bought from Venezuela”.

He said the incident had “unmasked” Washington, arguing that the true motive behind the action was the seizure of Venezuelan oil.

“It is the oil they want to steal, and Venezuela will protect its oil,” Maduro added.

Maduro’s condemnation came as US officials emphasised that the latest sanctions also targeted figures close to the Venezuelan leader.

Maduro’s relatives targeted

Franqui Flores and Efrain Antonio Campo Flores, nephews of Venezuelan first lady Cilia Flores, were also sanctioned. The two became known as the “narco nephews” after their arrest in Haiti in 2015 during a US Drug Enforcement Administration sting.

They were convicted in 2016 on charges of attempting to carry out a multimillion-dollar cocaine deal and sentenced to 18 years in prison, before being released in a 2022 prisoner swap with Venezuela.

A third nephew, Carlos Erik Malpica Flores, was also targeted. US authorities allege he was involved in a corruption scheme at the state oil company.

Maduro and his government have denied links to criminal activity, saying the US is seeking regime change to gain control of Venezuela’s vast oil reserves.

Beyond the individuals targeted, the US is also preparing to intercept additional ships transporting Venezuelan oil, the Reuters news agency reported, citing sources.

Asked whether the Trump administration planned further ship seizures, White House spokesperson Leavitt told reporters she would not speak about future actions but said the US would continue executing the president’s sanctions policies.

“We’re not going to stand by and watch sanctioned vessels sail the seas with black market oil, the proceeds of which will fuel narcoterrorism of rogue and illegitimate regimes around the world,” she said on Thursday.

Wednesday’s seizure was the first of a Venezuelan oil cargo amid US sanctions that have been in force since 2019. The move sent oil prices higher and sharply escalated tensions between Washington and Caracas.

Human activity has caused some rainforests to switch from being a solution for climate change, to a source of it, a new study has found.

The study, published in the scientific journal Nature, discovered that Africa’s forests and woody savannas, which “historically acted as a carbon sink, removing atmospheric carbon and storing it as biomass” made “a critical transition from a carbon sink to a carbon source between 2010 and 2017”.

Using satellite data, researchers at the National Centre for Earth Observation at the Universities of Leicester, Sheffield and Edinburgh in the United Kingdom were able to track the changes in the amount of carbon being absorbed by trees and woody areas.

“The implications of this shift are profound. Africa’s forests and woodlands have historically served as a carbon sink. Now, they are contributing to widening the global greenhouse gas emissions gap that needs to be filled to stay within the goals of the Paris Agreement,” the report stated.

The 2015 Paris Agreement is a treaty between 196 countries acting to mitigate climate change and to keep the world’s temperature from rising more than 2 degrees Celsius (3.6 degrees Fahrenheit) above pre-industrial levels.

What has the study found?

In short, Africa’s forests are facing “increasing pressures” which have led to a decline in their ability to remove carbon from the atmosphere.

Currently, Africa’s forests are responsible for about one-fifth of global carbon removal. The largest of the continent’s forests is the Congo rainforest – the second largest in the world after the Amazon, and often dubbed the “lungs of Africa”.

The report found that between 2011 and 2017, Africa’s forests lost 106 million tonnes in biomass – living organisms such as plants – each year. This means their ability to absorb carbon from the atmosphere has been severely reduced.

The worst-affected areas were reportedly the tropical broadleaf forests in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Madagascar and other parts of West Africa.

What has caused this?

Carbon output has risen exponentially in the industrial age and is largely caused by burning fossil fuels such as coal, oil and gas.

While forests were adept at absorbing this excess carbon for some time, their ability to do so has been impacted by increased logging to make way for agricultural land and to provide materials for infrastructure projects.

“The observed trends may be further exacerbated in the future by population growth in Africa, the increasing export demand, particularly from Asia, and the resulting pressure on natural resources (agricultural expansion for commodity crop, timber and fuelwood),” the report found.

“The long-term persistence of these trends will depend on local governance and whether resources are used sustainably,” it added.

What is a carbon sink, and how does it work?

A “sink” is any area of land or sea that absorbs more carbon dioxide than it produces.

On land, these areas tend to be abundant in bio material such as plants and trees, which absorb carbon dioxide through photosynthesis and store it in their biomass and in the soil. Farming, however, can disrupt this process in the soil.

The largest carbon sink in the world is the ocean, which absorbs about one-quarter of the Earth’s carbon output, according to ClientEarth, an environmental organisation. Carbon dioxide dissolves on the surface of the water and marine organisms absorb it via photosynthesis.

Which other areas of the world are at risk?

The Amazon rainforest is another area of concern.

Last year, the United States-based nonprofit Amazon Conservation found that deforestation in the Amazon rainforest was also eliminating trees that could absorb carbon.

Cleared land is often used for farming and livestock. These also tend to produce more emissions of greenhouse gases, which trap heat and produce carbon dioxide.

But due to the Brazilian government’s crackdown on deforestation, fears that the Amazon could also stop being a carbon sink have so far been averted.

According to the World Resources Institute (WRI), an environmental non-governmental organisation, the loss of the world’s forest carbon sinks will have “catastrophic consequences for people and the planet”.

What’s the solution?

The authors of the report noted that a Brazilian initiative, known as the Tropical Forest Forever Facility (TFFF), is trying to raise $100bn, which will be used to compensate countries that leave their forests untouched. So far, however, only $6.5bn has been raised by a small number of donor countries.

The report, therefore, called for more efforts to be focused on protecting Africa’s carbon sink and countering climate change.

“The world otherwise risks losing an important carbon sink needed to achieve the goals of the Paris Agreement,” the report found.

“Reversing biomass losses in Africa requires actions in the political, economic and societal spheres, to promote capacity building [and] improve forest governance,” it added.

Ultimately, however, more must be done to reduce our reliance on fossil fuels, experts say.

Fighting between Cambodia and Thailand has entered its fifth day, with Cambodia accusing the Thai military of continued shelling and Thailand’s caretaker Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul confirming that he is scheduled to speak with United States President Donald Trump.

Thai forces allegedly carried out new attacks in three Cambodian provinces in the early hours of Friday morning, according to Cambodian news outlet The Khmer Times.

The newspaper reported that Thai forces opened fire in the Ta Moan, Ta Kra Bei and Thmar Daun areas of Cambodia’s Oddar Meanchey province.

It also reported Thai shelling in the Phnom Khaing and An Ses areas of the country’s Preah Vihear province, as well as the areas of Prey Chan Village and Boeung Trakuan in nearby Banteay Meanchey province.

No new casualties were reported following the renewed fighting.

At least 20 people have been killed across both countries, with nearly 200 more wounded, since fighting resumed on Monday.

An estimated 600,000 people have also been displaced on both sides of the Thai-Cambodia border since the breakdown of a peace agreement brokered by Trump in October.

In a Facebook post, Cambodia’s Ministry of Defence also rejected as “fake news” a claim from the Thai military that it was using foreign mercenaries to operate suicide drones in its attacks on targets in Thailand.

“The Ministry of National Defence of Cambodia would like to reject propaganda disseminated on the Thai 2nd Army Area Facebook page, which accused Cambodia of using foreigners to help launch FPV [first person view] drones in the Cambodian-Thai border conflict,” the ministry said.

Separately, the ministry also rejected accusations from Thai media outlets alleging that it was preparing to launch Chinese-made PHL-03 missiles in the border dispute.

The PHL-03 is a truck-mounted multiple rocket launcher that can fire guided and unguided rockets with a range of 70km to 130km (43.5 miles to 81 miles), according to a US military database, while Cambodia’s BM-21 Soviet-designed multi-rocket launchers have a range of just 15km to 40km (9.3 miles to 25 miles).

“Cambodia demands the Thai side to deliberately stop spreading false news in order to divert attention to its violations of international law by painting Cambodia as a pretext to use more violent weapons on Cambodia,” the Defence Ministry said.

The Southeast Asian neighbours accuse one another of reigniting the conflict that centres around a centuries-old border dispute along their 800-kilometre (500-mile) frontier, where both sides claim ownership over a smattering of historic temples.

The continued fighting involving artillery, fighter jets, tanks and drones comes as Thailand’s caretaker Prime Minister Anutin confirmed he was scheduled to speak with President Trump at 21:20 local time (14:20 GMT) on Friday.

Trump promised on Wednesday to reach out to the leaders of both countries, saying he thinks he “can get them to stop fighting”.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said on Thursday that Trump had yet to call the Thai and Cambodian leadership, but added that “the administration is obviously tracking this at the highest levels and is very much engaged”.

Thailand’s top diplomat Sihasak Phuangketkeow spoke with US counterpart Marco Rubio on Friday ahead of the planned call between Trump and Anutin, Thailand’s foreign ministry said.

Sihasak told Rubio that Thailand was committed to a peaceful resolution, but said sustainable peace must be backed up by actions and genuine commitment, the ministry said in a statement, adding that Rubio confirmed US readiness to constructively promote peace.

Anutin also said his decision to dissolve parliament on Thursday – earlier than expected – would not affect the management of the ongoing border conflict.

The move comes following a breakdown in relations between Anutin’s Thai Pride Party and the opposition People’s Party, the largest bloc in the Thai legislature.

Government spokesperson Siripong Angkasakulkiat said a legislative impasse had paralysed the government’s agenda, meaning Anutin’s party “can’t go forward in parliament”.

Thailand’s King Maha Vajiralongkorn endorsed the dissolution, the country’s official Royal Gazette announced on Friday, making way for early elections.

In the large displacement camps of Gaza, rows upon rows of makeshift tents blanket debris, empty lots and what remains of flattened neighbourhoods. With Storm Byron descending upon the enclave, a sense of terror has seized a population already exhausted from two years of Israel’s genocidal war with its unrelenting bombardment, starvation and chaos.

For the 1.5 million Palestinians living under plastic sheets and tattered tarps, the storm means something more than just bad weather. It’s another danger piled on top of the current battle for survival.

For several days, meteorologists have warned that heavy rainfall and strong winds could hit the strip today, tomorrow and over the weekend, risking flash flooding and significant wind damage. What is certain, though, is that Gaza is not facing this storm with ready infrastructure, stocked shelters or functioning drainage systems.

It faces it with tents propped up with pieces of scrap metal, paths that become mud rivers after only one night of rain and families who have nothing left to protect.

Solidarity a survival strategy

In the camps of Gaza City, the scenes of vulnerability are everywhere. Most tents are constructed from aid tarpaulins, pieces of plastic salvaged from rubble and blankets tied to recycled wooden poles. Many sag visibly in the middle; others are erected inadequately, so much so that they quiver and flap violently under the slightest breeze.

“When the wind starts, we all hold the poles to keep the tent from falling,” said Hani Ziara, a father sheltering in western Gaza City after his home was destroyed months ago.

His tent was flooded last night in the heavy rain, and his children had to stay outside in the cold. Hani wonders painfully what else he can do to protect his children from the rain and strong winds.

In many camps, the ground was already soft from previous rainfall. Wet sand and mud stick to shoes, blankets and cooking pots as people shuffle through. Trenches dug by volunteers to divert water often collapse within hours. With nowhere else to go, families who live in low-lying areas are preparing for the worst: that floodwaters will be pushed directly into their tents.

Stocking up on food, storing clean water and securing shelter are the most basic steps when people prepare for a storm, but that is considered a luxury for the displaced of Gaza.

Most families receive scant water deliveries, going sometimes days without enough to cook or wash. Food supplies are equally strained, and while irregular aid distributions provide basics like rice or canned beans, the quantities seldom last more than a few days. Preparing for a storm by cooking ahead, gathering dry goods or storing fuel is simply not possible.

“We could not sleep last night. Our tent was flooded with rainwater. Everything we had was flushed out by water. We want to prepare, but how?” asked Mervit, a mother of five children displaced near the Gaza port. She added, “We barely have enough food for tonight. We can’t save what we don’t have.”

Despite poverty, solidarity has become Gaza’s strongest survival strategy. Neighbours, with whatever they have, help secure the tents. Young men go through the rubble and scavenge for metal and wood remains to serve as temporary posts. The women organise collective cooking so that hot meals can be distributed to families in need, particularly those with young children or elderly family members, whenever possible.

These unofficial networks become more active the closer a storm gets. Volunteers trudge from tent to tent, helping families raise sleeping areas off the ground, patch holes in canopies with plastic sheets, and dig drainage channels. Crowds try to move those who are in precarious, extremely exposed areas to other locations, sharing information about safer places.

‘We are exhausted’

Beyond physical danger, the psychological impact is deep. After months of displacement, loss and deprivation, another crisis – this time, not war, but forces of nature – feels overwhelming.

“Our tents were destroyed. We are exhausted,” said Wissam Naser. “We have no strength left. Every day there is a new fear: hunger, cold, disease, now the storm.”

Many residents describe the feeling of being sandwiched between the sky and the ground, exposed on both ends and unable to protect their families from either.

As clouds mass along Gaza’s shore, families prepare to take a hit. Some weigh down tent walls against the wind with rocks and sandbags. Others push children’s blankets to the driest corner, hoping a roof will last. Most don’t have a plan. They just wait.

The storm will not be another single-night affair for the displaced in Gaza. It would be a further reminder of how fragile life has become, how survival depends not on preparedness but rather on endurance.