LiveNewsWatch

Author: Michael Johnes

  • Trump Media Plans to Merge with Nuclear Fusion Firm to Power AI

    Trump Media Plans to Merge with Nuclear Fusion Firm to Power AI

    President Donald Trump is entering the fusion power industry through a $6 billion merger of his social media company and TAE Technologies, which is backed by Google. This announcement comes just days after industry leaders asked the federal government for more funding.

    On Thursday, an all-stock deal was announced that invests in energy growth due to the rising demand from artificial intelligence (AI) data centers. This deal adds to the diverse business interests of the Trump family, which include cryptocurrency, real estate, and mobile services.

    As the technology industry needs more energy, there is renewed interest in nuclear power. This involves restarting closed reactors, expanding existing nuclear power plants, and planning new small modular reactors.

    Nuclear fusion is a clean and reliable energy source, but it has yet to develop a commercially operational reactor, despite many years of research.

    For over ten years, TAE Technologies has partnered with Google Research to explore fusion science. Its investors include Chevron and the Sumitomo Corporation of America. Founded in 1998, TAE also has a business for energy storage and another that develops targeted cancer treatments.

    When the merger is complete in mid-2026, shareholders from both companies will own about 50% of the new company. Trump Media and Technology Group will be the holding company for the Truth Social platform, TAE Power Solutions, and TAE Life Sciences.

    Major Political Support

    Trump Media’s shares rose nearly 33% in early trading, getting attention from retail investors on Stocktwits. However, the company’s stock has lost almost 70% of its value this year.

    Wedbush analyst Dan Ives noted that TAE is likely to receive significant support from President Trump.

    Since returning to the office this year, Trump’s family has been pursuing business ventures that benefit from his political influence. They’ve made billions in cryptocurrency as Trump supports digital financial assets.

    Companies and scientists have been trying for years to create fusion reactions. This process involves forcing light atoms together at extreme temperatures to release large amounts of energy, similar to how the sun works.

    There are major challenges to making fusion energy a reality. These include producing more energy from the reaction than is used to start it, and building plants that can handle the intense fusion reactions to provide power to the grid.

    This month, TAE CEO Michl Binderbauer and leaders from other fusion companies met with officials from the US Energy Department. This meeting followed the department’s decision to set up its first fusion office.

    Terms of The Agreement

    The company has raised over $1.3 billion in private funding and aims to develop and sell next-generation neutral beam systems for fusion and related applications in a more cost-effective way.

    Trump Media has agreed to provide up to $200 million in cash to TAE upon signing, with an additional $100 million available following the initial filing for registration. This deal has been approved by the boards of both companies.

    The two companies plan to begin construction on the world’s first utility-scale fusion power plant next year. Trump Media CEO Devin Nunes, a Republican congressman who resigned in 2021 to lead the company, stated on an investor call that they plan to “quickly seek approvals” once the deal closes, with site searches for the plant expected to begin by the end of 2026.

    Nunes did not offer further details during the brief eight-minute investor call. He will serve as co-CEO of the new company alongside Binderbauer. The combined entity will have a nine-member board that includes Nunes, Binderbauer, and Donald Trump Jr.

    Trump Media primarily generates revenue from advertising on the Truth Social platform but has consistently reported losses since its inception. In the third quarter ending September, the company experienced a decline in revenue and reported a loss of $54.8 million.

  • Putin Criticizes Western ‘War Hysteria’ as EU Considers Russian Assets for Ukraine

    Putin Criticizes Western ‘War Hysteria’ as EU Considers Russian Assets for Ukraine

    Russian President Vladimir Putin said that Moscow will achieve its goals and dismissed the idea of war with the West. This comes as the European Union considers taking Russian funds to support Ukraine during a difficult fourth winter of the conflict.

    In a meeting with Ministry of Defence officials, Putin, as reported by state media, called the West’s calls for war preparation “hysteria and a lie.” He stated that the Kremlin will definitely reach its war goals and mentioned that 300 territories were “liberated” last year.

    Putin repeated that Moscow prefers to solve the root causes of the conflict through negotiation, but it is also ready to use military action to “liberate its historical lands” if the West does not engage in important discussions.

    These comments come one day before EU leaders meet to discuss whether to use part of the 210 billion euros ($246 billion) in Russian central bank assets in Europe to support Ukraine’s economic and military needs.

    European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen told EU lawmakers, “It is clear that we must decide on funding Ukraine for the next two years during this European Council meeting.”

    European Council President António Costa, who will lead the summit, promised to keep the negotiations going until an agreement is reached, even if it takes several days.

    European Union officials want to use frozen Russian assets to support a €90 billion ($105 billion) loan for Ukraine. However, some countries, like Belgium and Italy, have raised concerns about the legality of this idea and have either rejected it or expressed serious doubts.

    In a speech to the Italian parliament on Wednesday, Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said negotiations in Berlin were “constructive.” She accused Russia of making unreasonable demands to keep Ukrainian territory in any agreements. She admitted that finding a legal way to use frozen Russian assets to help Ukraine is difficult. She stated that Italy needs a strong legal basis for any actions taken.

     

    The UK Government will Donate £2.5 billion to the Ukrainians

     

    Meanwhile, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced in the House of Commons that his government will officially instruct the transfer of £2.5 billion ($3.3 billion) from Roman Abramovich’s sale of Chelsea FC to help humanitarian efforts in Ukraine. Starmer said the Russian billionaire, who sold the club in 2022 due to pressure from the British government after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, must “pay up.”

    On the battlefield, Ukraine said it had taken 90 percent of the town of Kupiansk in the Kharkiv region, which Russia claimed to have captured in November. Russian Defence Minister Andrei Belousov said during a televised meeting that Ukrainian forces were unsuccessfully trying to control Kupiansk.

    Russia claims to control all of Crimea, about 90 percent of the eastern Donbas region (including Donetsk and Luhansk), and 75 percent of Kherson and Zaporizhia. Russia also holds some territories in the nearby regions of Kharkiv, Sumy, Dnipropetrovsk, and Mykolaiv.

    Recently, both Russia and Ukraine have increased their attacks on each other’s energy sites and oil refineries.

  • Naveed Akram Charged With 15 Murder Counts Over Bondi Shooting

    Naveed Akram Charged With 15 Murder Counts Over Bondi Shooting

    Naveed Akram is the only suspect left after the mass shooting at Bondi Beach in Sydney on Sunday. He faces 59 charges, including 15 counts of murder and one count of committing a terrorist act, according to New South Wales police.

    Akram, 24, was seriously injured during the incident. His father, Sajid Akram, 50, was killed in a gunfight with police. The attack killed 15 people and injured many more. It targeted Australia’s Jewish community during a celebration for the first night of Hanukkah. This shooting is the deadliest in Australia since 1996.

    In addition to the murder charges, Akram also faces 40 charges for causing severe harm with the intent to kill and one charge for displaying a symbol of a banned terrorist organization.

    Akram went to his first court hearing from his hospital bed. The court has postponed the case until April 2026. On Wednesday, Police Commissioner Mal Lanyon said they are waiting for Akram to recover from his medication before questioning him. He stated, “To be fair, we need him to understand what is happening.”

    As of Wednesday evening, 17 people are still receiving treatment in Sydney hospitals. One person is in critical condition, and four others are critically injured but stable. Police have labeled the attack as a terrorist incident. Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said it seems to be motivated by ideas linked to the Islamic State group.

     

    Naveed Used Australian Passport to Enter the Philippines

     

    8On Tuesday, reports confirmed that a father and son traveled to the Philippines in November. The Philippine Immigration Bureau told the BBC that they were in the country from November 1 to November 28, visiting the southern city of Davao.

    Naveed Akram entered using an Australian passport, while his father, Sajid, used an Indian passport. Sajid Akram is from Hyderabad in southern India but had little contact with his family there, according to a police official from Telangana.

    The attack led to several deaths, including two rabbis, a Holocaust survivor, and a 10-year-old girl named Matilda. Boris and Sofia Gurman, a couple who had confronted one of the gunmen during the attack, also lost their lives. In total, 27 people went to the hospital for injuries, including two police officers. One officer, 22-year-old Jack Hibbert, lost vision in one eye and faces a long recovery, according to his family.

    Earlier that day, thousands attended the funeral for Rabbi Eli Schlanger, one of the first victims. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese did not go to the funeral. When asked about his absence on ABC NewsRadio, he said, “I would attend anything that I’m invited to. These are funerals taking place to farewell people’s loved ones.”

    The Jewish community criticized Albanese for not doing enough to fight antisemitism. In response, he told ABC NewsRadio he has appointed the country’s first antisemitism envoy, strengthened hate speech laws, and increased funding for community projects and Jewish institutions.

    At Rabbi Schlanger’s funeral, Rabbi Levi Wolff called his death an “unspeakable loss” for the community. “Eli was taken from us while doing what he loved,” he said. “He spread love and joy while caring for his people. His self-sacrifice made him one of the highest and holiest souls.” Rabbi Schlanger helped organize the Hanukkah event on Sunday.

    Funerals for the other victims will take place over the next few days, including for Matilda, the youngest victim, on Thursday.

  • US Military Attacked Vessels in The Eastern Pacific, Killing 8

    US Military Attacked Vessels in The Eastern Pacific, Killing 8

    The United States says it killed eight people in recent attacks on ships in the eastern Pacific Ocean. This happened just days after the US military took control of a Venezuelan oil tanker, part of its ongoing military buildup in Latin America.

    The US Military Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) posted on social media that it carried out “lethal strikes” on three vessels in international waters on Monday. These strikes followed orders from Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth. SOUTHCOM reported that eight people were killed: three on the first vessel, two on the second, and three on the third. They claimed, without providing evidence, that those killed were involved in drug trafficking.

    Since September, at least 90 people have died in similar US attacks on many vessels in the Pacific Ocean and Caribbean Sea near Venezuela. Experts in international law have criticized these actions as extrajudicial killings by the US military.

     

    Role of Hegseth in the Attacks

     

    Some US lawmakers have questioned Hegseth about his role in the attacks, asking if he ordered a second strike on a boat that targeted two survivors from a previous attack who were clinging to debris in September. The Pentagon has also sent warships, submarines, drones, and fighter jets to the Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico, claiming these efforts are meant to combat drug smuggling in the area.

    Venezuela has stated that the attacks and the US military buildup aim to allow “external powers to rob Venezuela’s oil and gas wealth.” This was said even before US forces seized an oil tanker off the coast of Venezuela last week. US President Donald Trump also said, “I assume we’re going to keep the oil.”

     

    US Military Attacked Vessels in The Eastern Pacific, Killing 8

     

    The US military will use airports in Trinidad and Tobago, which are close to Venezuela. This decision comes after recent attacks on ships in Latin America and an increase in the US military presence in the region.

    On Monday, Trinidad and Tobago announced it had allowed US military aircraft to use its airports “in the coming weeks.” The government said this would support “logistical” tasks, including resupplying and rotating personnel.

    Trinidad and Tobago has supported the US military buildup, unlike some leaders in Central and South America. Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar stated that she prefers strong action against drug traffickers, saying she would rather see them “blown to pieces” than let them harm her citizens.

    In response, Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro said on Monday that Venezuela would stop supplying gas to Trinidad and Tobago, according to state television channel Telesur.

  • Trump Asked Xi to Release Hong Kong Media Tycoon Jimmy Lai

    Trump Asked Xi to Release Hong Kong Media Tycoon Jimmy Lai

    U.S. President Donald Trump has appealed to Chinese President Xi Jinping to release Jimmy Lai, a Hong Kong media tycoon imprisoned for his pro-democracy views. Trump is worried about Lai’s health since he is 78 years old and was recently convicted.

    On Monday, Hong Kong’s High Court found Lai guilty on three charges related to a national security trial. Rights groups condemned this ruling, calling it a major setback for press freedom in Hong Kong.

    Prosecutors claimed that Lai conspired to get foreign governments to act against Hong Kong or China and published materials that stirred up distrust towards Chinese authorities. Lai pleaded not guilty and now faces a possible life sentence.

    “I talked to President Xi and asked him to consider releasing Jimmy Lai,” Trump told reporters. He did not say when he made this request. “He’s an older man, and he’s not well. I put that request out there, and we’ll see what happens,” Trump said.

    Trump met Xi in October in South Korea, where he likely brought up Lai’s case. After Trump’s comments, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the verdict showed that Beijing wants to silence dissent.

    Rubio pointed out that the conviction highlights China’s efforts to suppress freedom of speech and other basic rights.

    Lai started the now-closed pro-democracy newspaper Apple Daily and has become a key target under Hong Kong’s national security law. “Reports say Mr. Lai’s health has worsened after spending over 1,800 days in prison,” Rubio stated. “We urge authorities to end this ordeal and release Mr. Lai for humanitarian reasons.”

     

     

    The United Kingdom also criticized Lai’s conviction, calling it politically motivated, and demanded his immediate release.

    Lai, a British citizen, has been detained since late 2020. His son, Sebastien, stated that the UK should increase pressure on Beijing. “It’s time to turn words into actions and make my father’s release a condition for better relations with China,” his son said at a news conference in London.

     

    Lai’s Daughter to Quit Politics After His Release from Jail

     

    Lai’s daughter, Claire, said that if her father were released from prison, he would stop being politically active. “He just wants to reunite with his family. He wants to serve our Lord and spend the rest of his days with his family,” she told the Associated Press in Washington.

    “My father is fundamentally not a man who breaks the law,” she added.

    Lai is a devout Catholic who has support in the U.S. from democracy advocates, press freedom groups, and Christian activists. This group is an important part of Trump’s political base.

    In 2021, Lai’s newspaper, Apple Daily, had to close because it reported critically on the government. This was a major change for the media in Hong Kong. Since then, news organizations have been less critical of China because they are afraid of being prosecuted in Hong Kong. As a result, Hong Kong’s global press freedom ranking has dropped to 140th out of 180 countries, according to the group RFA.

    “Even though we expected this verdict, when the news came out, it felt final,” said Edward Li, a former editor at Apple Daily who now lives in Taiwan. “Hong Kong no longer has Apple Daily, and it lacks a strong voice to criticize and monitor the government. This is why we feel the need to fill that role,” Li said.

  • US Sanctions Maduro’s Family & Ships For Moving Venezuelan Oil

    US Sanctions Maduro’s Family & Ships For Moving Venezuelan Oil

    The United States has announced new sanctions on shipping companies and ships that it says help move Venezuelan oil. This action puts more pressure on a key support system for President Nicolás Maduro’s government. This announcement came just a day after authorities seized a sanctioned tanker off the country’s coast that was likely carrying millions of dollars’ worth of oil.

    Included in the sanctions list released by the U.S. Treasury on Thursday are three nephews of Maduro’s wife, Cilia Flores, along with another businessman affiliated with Maduro. Notably, two of the sanctioned nephews had previously been convicted of drug trafficking charges in the U.S. before being released as part of a prisoner swap.

    The Treasury stated that these six vessels were engaged in “deceptive and unsafe shipping practices,” which contributed financial resources to Maduro’s government. Four of the vessels are flagged under Panama, while the other two are registered in the Cook Islands and Hong Kong.

    This action further escalates the Trump administration’s ongoing pressure campaign against Venezuela. This campaign has included deploying thousands of troops and a carrier strike group to the Caribbean, conducting strikes on suspected drug boats, and issuing repeated threats against Maduro.

    On Wednesday, armed U.S. personnel seized an oil tanker in international waters off the Venezuelan coast. This tanker was allegedly involved in an “illicit oil shipping network” that supports countries, including Venezuela and Iran, according to Attorney General Pam Bondi.

    Venezuela possesses the world’s largest known reserves of crude oil, but international sanctions and a severe economic crisis have severely impacted the country’s oil industry. Despite this, the state-owned oil and natural gas company PDVSA remains the primary source of revenue for Maduro’s cash-strapped government, largely due to a network of clandestine vessels that smuggle Venezuelan oil into global supply chains.

    Targeted Tankers Headed to Cuba

    The seized tanker was en route to Cuba and carrying Venezuelan crude when it was intercepted by U.S. forces. This occurred around the same time Venezuelan opposition leader and Nobel laureate Maria Corina Machado arrived in Oslo after defying a travel ban and fleeing the country.

    Previously named Adisa, the tanker was sanctioned by the U.S. in 2022 for facilitating oil trades on behalf of Hezbollah and Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps-Quds Force.

    The ship’s skipper had concealed its true location while docked at a Venezuelan oil terminal last month, according to satellite and shipping data reviewed by CNN. Although the tanker was flying a Guyana flag, it was not registered in Guyana, as confirmed by the country’s Maritime Administration Department.

    As of early Friday EST, none of the six vessels sanctioned on Thursday were located in the Caribbean, based on AIS shipping data analyzed by CNN.

    Additionally, there were at least eight tankers under U.S. sanctions related to Iran or Russia’s war in Ukraine near Venezuelan ports or off its coast, according to AIS shipping data and U.S. Treasury data. This group includes three tankers located around the Port Jose Oil Terminal, which is the same terminal where the recently seized vessel, Skipper, was spotted in satellite imagery last month.

    White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt stated that the Skipper will be taken to an American port, where U.S. authorities plan to take possession of its oil cargo.

    President Maduro said that the seizure is a sign of “new criminal naval piracy in the Caribbean.” In response, his government filed a formal complaint with the International Maritime Organization.

  • ICC Judges Resisted US Sanctions on Israeli War Crimes Cases

    ICC Judges Resisted US Sanctions on Israeli War Crimes Cases

    Judges and prosecutors at the International Criminal Court (ICC) have been cut off from banks, credit card companies, and tech giants like Amazon due to sanctions imposed by the Trump administration in the United States. These sanctions are a response to war crimes investigations involving Israeli and U.S. officials.

    The Associated Press reported on Friday that these U.S. sanctions have had a sweeping and punitive effect on nine ICC staff members, including six judges and the chief prosecutor.

    President Trump introduced new measures earlier this year through an executive order. These measures prevent certain officials from using basic financial services and from doing everyday activities like online shopping and emailing. They also stop these officials from entering the U.S., putting them under the same restrictions as Russian President Vladimir Putin. However, Putin was able to visit Alaska for a summit with Trump in August.

    “Your whole world is restricted,” said Canadian judge Kimberly Prost, one of the ICC officials targeted by the sanctions, in an interview with AP.

    The International Criminal Court (ICC), the world’s permanent war crimes tribunal with 125 member states, was targeted with sanctions in February. The White House stated that the move was in response to what it described as baseless and illegitimate actions against the United States and its close ally, Israel.

    The ICC has issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant. The court accused them of committing crimes against humanity and war crimes because of their actions during the ongoing conflict in Gaza.

    Prost, who was named in the latest round of sanctions in August, expressed her frustrations in an interview with the Associated Press. She mentioned that she had lost access to her credit cards, noticed that purchased e-books had vanished from her device, and that her Amazon Alexa had stopped responding.

    “It’s the uncertainty,” Prost said. “These are small annoyances, but they accumulate.”

    She was sanctioned for her vote to allow the ICC to investigate alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity committed in Afghanistan, which included actions by U.S. soldiers and intelligence operatives.

    “I’ve dedicated my entire career to criminal justice, and now I find myself on a list alongside those implicated in terrorism and organized crime,” she stated.

    Luz del Carmen Ibanez Carranza, a sanctioned Peruvian judge, stated that the U.S. travel sanctions, which also apply to family members, prevent her daughters from attending conferences in the United States.

    These sanctions impose significant fines and potential prison time on businesses and individuals that provide “financial, material, or technological support” to those sanctioned. As a result, many are withdrawing services from the targeted individuals.

    “You’re never quite sure when your card isn’t working somewhere if it’s just a glitch or if it’s due to the sanctions,” said deputy prosecutor Nazhat Shameem Khan in an interview with the Associated Press.

    Reports of Threats Related to Warrants

    The sanctions are reportedly just one of several measures aimed at exerting pressure on the court regarding arrest warrants for Netanyahu and Gallant.

    In July, the Middle East Eye (MEE) reported that the court’s chief prosecutor, Karim Khan, was warned that both he and the International Criminal Court (ICC) would be “destroyed” if the warrants were not withdrawn.

    This threat allegedly came from Nicholas Kaufman, a British-Israeli defense lawyer at the court with ties to an adviser of Netanyahu. Khan noted that the Israeli leader’s legal adviser claimed he was “authorized” to make him a proposal that would allow the prosecutor to “climb down the tree,” according to the news website.

    In August, Khan was warned by British leader David Cameron that the UK would stop funding the International Criminal Court (ICC) if it charged two people, Netanyahu and Gallant. In May 2024, U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham also warned Khan that he could face consequences if he tried to press charges against them.

    In May, Khan’s office said he would take a break from his job while a UN investigation looked into claims of bad behavior against him. During this time, two other people helped do his work.

  • OpenAI Made $1b Deal to Add Disney Characters to ChatGPT & Sora

    OpenAI Made $1b Deal to Add Disney Characters to ChatGPT & Sora

    Disney will invest $1 billion (£740 million) in OpenAI. This deal lets people use many of Disney’s famous characters in the chatbot ChatGPT and the video tool Sora. Disney is the first major studio to license parts of its collection to OpenAI. This decision could greatly affect Disney’s future plans.

    Fans will now be able to create and share images and videos featuring over 200 characters from Disney’s franchises, which include Pixar, Marvel, and Star Wars. This news comes as OpenAI faces growing questions about how it uses its advanced technology. There is also increasing concern in Hollywood about the impact of AI on creative work.

    A blog post about the deal mentions that fans can use characters from movies like Zootopia, Moana, and Encanto, as well as characters such as Luke Skywalker from Star Wars and Deadpool from Marvel.

    The agreement also includes beloved characters like Mickey and Minnie Mouse. Disney has agreed to work with OpenAI, but it is unclear how the characters will sound, as the deal does not involve any likenesses or voices of the actors.

    Bob Iger, CEO of Disney, said that the advancement of artificial intelligence is significant for the industry. He added that this partnership with OpenAI will help extend their storytelling in a thoughtful and responsible way.

    People are expected to start creating videos and images using Sora and ChatGPT in early 2026. This deal comes after Disney’s lawyers sent Google a cease-and-desist letter on Wednesday. The letter claims that Google has violated Disney’s copyrights on a large scale.

    Joel Smith, an intellectual property lawyer at Simmons & Simmons, pointed out that Disney’s deal shows that rights owners and major AI developers are quickly forming deals to allow access to content for training and future use.

    Concerns Regarding Content

    Sora’s realistic videos are popular in the U.S., but they have faced criticism. Some people are using this technology to create harmful deepfakes of deceased public figures.

    In October, OpenAI stopped its video tool from making images of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. because it produced disrespectful videos of him. The company recognized the need for better protections after clips showed him saying offensive things, which upset the public.

    Videos of other figures, like President John F. Kennedy, Queen Elizabeth II, and physicist Stephen Hawking, have also circulated widely. Some family members have asked OpenAI to stop allowing these videos.

    Zelda Williams, the daughter of the late comedian Robin Williams, has urged people to stop sending her AI-generated videos of her father.

    In November, Warner Music Group announced plans to start an AI music venture with the technology company Suno, a year after it sued the firm in a landmark case.

  • US Seized a Sanctioned Oil Tanker Off Venezuela – Trump

    US Seized a Sanctioned Oil Tanker Off Venezuela – Trump

    President Donald Trump announced on Wednesday that the U.S. has taken control of an oil tanker near Venezuela. This action has raised oil prices and increased tensions between the U.S. and Venezuela.

    “We have just seized a very large tanker, the largest ever, off the coast of Venezuela, and other things are happening,” Trump said. He has been calling for Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro to step down.

    When asked about the oil, Trump replied, “We keep it, I guess.”

    This is the first known action against an oil tanker since Trump ordered a military buildup in the region. He has often suggested U.S. military intervention in Venezuela. Meanwhile, the U.S. has targeted vessels suspected of drug trafficking, which has raised concerns among lawmakers and legal experts.

    U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi posted on X that the FBI, Homeland Security, and the Coast Guard, with help from the U.S. military, executed a seizure warrant for the tanker carrying oil from Venezuela and Iran that was under sanctions.

    Bondi also shared a 45-second video showing two helicopters approaching the tanker, with armed individuals in camouflage descending onto it.

    The Trump administration did not reveal the name of a seized vessel. However, a British maritime group called Vanguard reported that a tanker named Skipper was believed to have been taken near Venezuela early on Wednesday. The U.S. has placed sanctions on this tanker because of its alleged involvement in trading Iranian oil when it was known as the Adisa.

    The Skipper left Venezuela’s main oil port, Jose, between December 4 and 5 after loading about 1.1 million barrels of heavy crude oil called Merey, according to satellite data from TankerTrackers.com and information from the Venezuelan state oil company, PDVSA.

    Oil prices went up after the news of the seizure. After starting off low, Brent crude futures rose by 27 cents (0.4%) to settle at $62.21 per barrel. At the same time, U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude futures gained 21 cents (0.4%) to close at $58.46 per barrel.

    On Wednesday, President Maduro spoke at a march to honor a military battle but did not talk about the tanker’s seizure.

    Impact on Oil Prices

    Venezuela exported over 900,000 barrels of oil per day last month, making it the third-highest monthly average this year. PDVSA brought in more naphtha to mix with its extra-heavy oil output. While the U.S. has increased pressure on Maduro, it has not disrupted oil shipments.

    Venezuela has to sell its crude oil at lower prices to China because of rising competition from sanctioned oil from Russia and Iran.

    “This situation is another challenge from geopolitical issues and sanctions that affects the availability of oil,” said Rory Johnston, an analyst with Commodity Context.

    “Seizing this tanker raises immediate supply concerns, but it doesn’t change the overall situation because those barrels were already scheduled to be shipped,” Johnston added.

    Chevron, which works with PDVSA, stated that its operations in Venezuela are running smoothly. Last month, the company increased crude oil exports to the U.S. to about 150,000 barrels per day, up from 128,000 barrels per day in October.

    Rising Pressure on Maduro

    Maduro claims that the U.S. military buildup aims to overthrow him and take control of Venezuela’s oil reserves.

    Since early September, the Trump administration has carried out more than 20 strikes against suspected drug vessels in the Caribbean and Pacific, killing over 80 people.

    Experts say these strikes might be illegal because there is little public evidence showing that the boats were carrying drugs. They argue it was not necessary to blow up the boats instead of stopping them, seizing their cargo, and questioning the crews.

    Concerns grew this month after reports that the commander leading the operation ordered a second strike that resulted in the deaths of two survivors.

    A recent Reuters/Ipsos poll found that many Americans, including about one-fifth of Trump’s Republican supporters, oppose the military’s campaign of deadly strikes on these boats.

    In a strategy document released last week, Trump stated that his administration’s foreign policy would focus on reasserting U.S. power in the Western Hemisphere.

  • Microsoft and Amazon are Investing Heavily in AI in India

    Microsoft and Amazon are Investing Heavily in AI in India

    Amazon and Microsoft have announced a plan to invest a total of $52.5 billion (£39.4 billion) in India over the coming years.

    Amazon will invest $35 billion by 2030 to support AI-driven digital technology, boost exports, and create jobs. This announcement follows Microsoft’s commitment of $17.5 billion to strengthen India’s AI development.

    India is becoming a center for AI and cloud technology, attracting many global tech investments. In October, Google said it would invest $15 billion to create an AI data hub. Earlier this week, Intel announced it will work with Tata Electronics in Mumbai, which is part of Tata’s $14 billion plan for semiconductor manufacturing.

    Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi stated, “When it comes to AI, the world is optimistic about India,” in a post on X after meeting Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella on Tuesday.

    Amazon’s investment of $35 billion will build on the $40 billion it has already invested in India, establishing the company as “the largest foreign investor” in the country, according to a company statement.

    A significant portion of this new investment will be directed toward developing local cloud and AI infrastructure.

    HyperScale Cloud Region

    Microsoft’s recent commitment follows a $3 billion investment announced by the company earlier this year.

    This investment includes the establishment of a new “hyperscale cloud region,” a cluster of data centers, in Hyderabad, southern India, which is set to go live in mid-2026, the company stated.

    Data centers are centralized physical facilities that host computer servers, IT infrastructure, and network equipment. They are a crucial part of the AI value chain that India is focusing on, despite concerns regarding water shortages.

    Additionally, India will gain access to Microsoft’s “sovereign public cloud,” which provides tools to help organizations manage their data and applications while ensuring that sensitive information remains within the country.

    Microsoft is investing $23 billion in AI projects around the world, including Canada, Portugal, and the UAE. This expansion is a way for Microsoft to compete with companies like Amazon and Google.

    The company plans to incorporate AI into Indian government platforms to help about 310 million informal workers.

    These announcements come as India increases its efforts in semiconductor manufacturing. Both state and private projects aim to build a domestic chip-making industry.

    India has a large market for AI, with over a billion internet users and plenty of tech talent. However, it still falls behind leaders like China and the US.

    Despite this, India is attracting billions in investments for essential computing technologies like chips. The government’s semiconductor mission offers generous subsidies to companies that create chip-making facilities.

    India will also reveal its own AI model in February of next year.