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Trump declares war on Europe
“This intellectual decline has reached its lowest level in the persons of the political leaders in Europe. They have led this once mighty continent straight into a morass of economic, cultural and military decline, reducing it to a state of complete impotence.
From In Defence of Marxism via This RSS Feed.
Trump declares war on Europe
cross-posted from: news.abolish.capital/post/1330…
“This intellectual decline has reached its lowest level in the persons of the political leaders in Europe. They have led this once mighty continent straight into a morass of economic, cultural and military decline, reducing it to a state of complete impotence.
I wrote those lines in an article entitled, The meaning of Donald Trump: a Marxist analysis, which we published on 21 March 2025. They accurately describe the situation that exists at the present time. I do not have to change a single word or comma.
The reason for the present article was the publication of the US National Security document and Pete Hegseth's speech, which is basically the same thing.
This has confirmed everything we’ve been saying, even before Trump came to power, concerning his fundamental strategy. We wrote about this extensively twelve months ago, and I refer you to this material. The situation has moved on since then, and has now reached a decisive turning point. But the basic strategy has not changed.
Trump describes the document as a “roadmap” to ensure the US remains “the greatest and most successful nation in human history”. So far, so alarming. But this was just the preliminary appetiser. The main dish was yet to be served. It was the cause of a very serious outbreak of acid indigestion among a certain class of politicians.
From In Defence of Marxism via This RSS Feed.
Trump declares war on Europe
“This intellectual decline has reached its lowest level in the persons of the political leaders in Europe. They have led this once mighty continent straight into a morass of economic, cultural and military decline, reducing it to a state of complete impotence.
From In Defence of Marxism via This RSS Feed.
Trump declares war on Europe
cross-posted from: hexbear.net/post/7023514
cross-posted from: news.abolish.capital/post/1330…
“This intellectual decline has reached its lowest level in the persons of the political leaders in Europe. They have led this once mighty continent straight into a morass of economic, cultural and military decline, reducing it to a state of complete impotence.
I wrote those lines in an article entitled, The meaning of Donald Trump: a Marxist analysis, which we published on 21 March 2025. They accurately describe the situation that exists at the present time. I do not have to change a single word or comma.
The reason for the present article was the publication of the US National Security document and Pete Hegseth's speech, which is basically the same thing.
This has confirmed everything we’ve been saying, even before Trump came to power, concerning his fundamental strategy. We wrote about this extensively twelve months ago, and I refer you to this material. The situation has moved on since then, and has now reached a decisive turning point. But the basic strategy has not changed.
Trump describes the document as a “roadmap” to ensure the US remains “the greatest and most successful nation in human history”. So far, so alarming. But this was just the preliminary appetiser. The main dish was yet to be served. It was the cause of a very serious outbreak of acid indigestion among a certain class of politicians.
From In Defence of Marxism via This RSS Feed.
Trump declares war on Europe
cross-posted from: news.abolish.capital/post/1330…“This intellectual decline has reached its lowest level in the persons of the political leaders in Europe. They have led this once mighty continent straight into a morass of economic, cultural and military decline, reducing it to a state of complete impotence.
I wrote those lines in an article entitled, The meaning of Donald Trump: a Marxist analysis, which we published on 21 March 2025. They accurately describe the situation that exists at the present time. I do not have to change a single word or comma.
The reason for the present article was the publication of the US National Security document and Pete Hegseth's speech, which is basically the same thing.
This has confirmed everything we’ve been saying, even before Trump came to power, concerning his fundamental strategy. We wrote about this extensively twelve months ago, and I refer you to this material. The situation has moved on since then, and has now reached a decisive turning point. But the basic strategy has not changed.
Trump describes the document as a “roadmap” to ensure the US remains “the greatest and most successful nation in human history”. So far, so alarming. But this was just the preliminary appetiser. The main dish was yet to be served. It was the cause of a very serious outbreak of acid indigestion among a certain class of politicians.
From In Defence of Marxism via This RSS Feed.
An ancient Palestinian town in the West Bank may soon no longer exist – because Israel plans on stealing it
From Mondoweiss via This RSS Feed.
An ancient Palestinian town in the West Bank may soon no longer exist – because Israel plans on stealing it
cross-posted from: news.abolish.capital/post/1329…
The ancient Palestinian town of Sebastia in the northern West Bank is a testament to 5,000 years of Palestinian history. Israel announced that it plans to seize the village and its archaeological sites.
Israel’s creeping annexation of an ancient West Bank village and its archaeological site stands to upend the lives of its Palestinian inhabitants and dispossess them of their lands. Israeli settlers and the Israeli army have stepped up efforts to make life “unbearable” for Palestinians, according to the town’s residents, in order to compel them to leave. Many of them face expulsion, as their homes fall within the area slated for seizure.
Villagers, activists, and politicians from Sebastia, northwest of Nablus, have for years warned the international community of Israel’s plans to erase them and the 5,000 years of Palestinian history contained within the town’s archaeological ruins. Their warnings have fallen on deaf ears.
On November 12, the Israeli government issued an order outlining plans to “expropriate” 450 acres of land from ancient Sebastia and the village’s entire archaeological park, which includes homes and businesses.
Israel’s seizure of the lands of Sebastia and the nearby village of Burqa will form part of a plan to create a “national park” for Israeli settlers on one of the most significant Palestinian historical sites in the West Bank out of 6,000 others.
From Mondoweiss via This RSS Feed.
An ancient Palestinian town in the West Bank may soon no longer exist – because Israel plans on stealing it
From Mondoweiss via This RSS Feed.
An ancient Palestinian town in the West Bank may soon no longer exist – because Israel plans on stealing it
cross-posted from: hexbear.net/post/7023464
cross-posted from: news.abolish.capital/post/1329…
The ancient Palestinian town of Sebastia in the northern West Bank is a testament to 5,000 years of Palestinian history. Israel announced that it plans to seize the village and its archaeological sites.
Israel’s creeping annexation of an ancient West Bank village and its archaeological site stands to upend the lives of its Palestinian inhabitants and dispossess them of their lands. Israeli settlers and the Israeli army have stepped up efforts to make life “unbearable” for Palestinians, according to the town’s residents, in order to compel them to leave. Many of them face expulsion, as their homes fall within the area slated for seizure.
Villagers, activists, and politicians from Sebastia, northwest of Nablus, have for years warned the international community of Israel’s plans to erase them and the 5,000 years of Palestinian history contained within the town’s archaeological ruins. Their warnings have fallen on deaf ears.
On November 12, the Israeli government issued an order outlining plans to “expropriate” 450 acres of land from ancient Sebastia and the village’s entire archaeological park, which includes homes and businesses.
Israel’s seizure of the lands of Sebastia and the nearby village of Burqa will form part of a plan to create a “national park” for Israeli settlers on one of the most significant Palestinian historical sites in the West Bank out of 6,000 others.
From Mondoweiss via This RSS Feed.
An ancient Palestinian town in the West Bank may soon no longer exist – because Israel plans on stealing it
cross-posted from: news.abolish.capital/post/1329…Israel’s creeping annexation of an ancient West Bank village and its archaeological site stands to upend the lives of its Palestinian inhabitants and dispossess them of their lands. Israeli settlers and the Israeli army have stepped up efforts to make life “unbearable” for Palestinians, according to the town’s residents, in order to compel them to leave. Many of them face expulsion, as their homes fall within the area slated for seizure.
Villagers, activists, and politicians from Sebastia, northwest of Nablus, have for years warned the international community of Israel’s plans to erase them and the 5,000 years of Palestinian history contained within the town’s archaeological ruins. Their warnings have fallen on deaf ears.
On November 12, the Israeli government issued an order outlining plans to “expropriate” 450 acres of land from ancient Sebastia and the village’s entire archaeological park, which includes homes and businesses.
Israel’s seizure of the lands of Sebastia and the nearby village of Burqa will form part of a plan to create a “national park” for Israeli settlers on one of the most significant Palestinian historical sites in the West Bank out of 6,000 others.
From Mondoweiss via This RSS Feed.
Venezuela Condemns US Tanker Seizure as ‘International Piracy’ as a Potential Oil Blockade Looms
Mexico City, Mexico, December 11, 2025 (venezuelanalysis.com) – Venezuela accused the United States of committing “international piracy” after US authorities seized an oil tanker in the Caribbean, denouncing the action as part of a long-running US campaign to strip the country of its energy resources.
US President Donald Trump announced Wednesday that Washington seized an oil tanker sanctioned by the US off Venezuela’s coast. He described the vessel as the largest oil tanker ever seized and indicated that the United States would retain the crude aboard.
The move was met with a sharp rebuke from Caracas.
“The Bolivarian Government will appeal to all existing international bodies to denounce this grave international crime and will defend its sovereignty with absolute determination,” read the communiqué. “Venezuela will not allow any foreign power to take from the Venezuelan people what belongs to them by historical and constitutional right.”
According to Reuters, the “Skipper” tanker loaded an estimated 1.8 million barrels of crude at Venezuela’s José terminal early this month before unloading 200,000 to a Cuba-bound ship. The remaining cargo was believed to be destined for Asian markets. The move was viewed as aggression against Cuba as well, which relies on Venezuelan oil shipments for energy and income.
Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez Parilla condemned “the vile act of piracy” as a violation of international law.
Michael Galant, member of the Progressive International Secretariat, said that calling the US seizure an act of piracy fell short.
“This is the deliberate immiseration of the Cuban people, already suffering debilitating fuel shortages, blackouts, and a chikungunya outbreak thanks to the US blockade,” wrote Galant on social media.
US Attorney General Pam Bondi posted a video on social media on Wednesday evening showing armed US forces boarding the vessel. There was reportedly no resistance from the crew nor any casualties. The assault involved Coast Guard members, Marines, and special forces who were seen in the video descending from helicopters onto the ship’s deck.
The seizure of the tanker comes only days after Delaware District Judge Leonard P. Stark approved the sale of Venezuela’s US-based refiner CITGO to Amber Energy, a process that Venezuela called a “barbaric theft” of a Venezuelan asset via a “fraudulent process.”
In past years, the United States has intercepted shipments of Iranian fuel bound for Venezuela, ultimately taking control of the gasoline and selling it at auction. While US-led sanctions have created significant challenges for the sale of Venezuelan oil on international markets, Wednesday’s seizure marks the first time the US has directly impeded a crude shipment of from Venezuela. Reuters reported that buyers in Asia were demanding further discounts on Venezuelan crude as a result of the seizure.
Trump’s latest move is a significant escalation in the latest US effort to oust the Nicolás Maduro government from power. Since September, the US has built up its forces in the region, including the mobilization of the Gerard Ford Carrier Fleet, and has carried out deadly strikes on boats that the administration claims are tied to drug trafficking.
Washington’s decision to seize the tanker drew scrutiny from US lawmakers who have questioned the true intentions behind military mobilization and campaign in the Caribbean.
“If Trump’s aggression in the Caribbean is about drugs, why did he just seize an oil tanker?” asked US Representative Nydia Velázquez. “This is yet another dangerous escalation that brings us closer to a regime change war.”
Senator Mark Warner, who serves as the top Democrat on the Senate intelligence committee, questioned how the US was able to seize an oil tanker but has opted to strike alleged drug smuggling boats from the skies without an effort to arrest the occupants or seize the purported contraband.
Democratic Senator Chris Van Hollen spoke Wednesday on the floor of Congress to call on lawmakers to stop Trump’s ”regime change war” against Venezuela.
Caracas maintains that the US attacks are motivated by a desire for regime change in order to secure access to Venezuela’s natural resources.
Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado, speaking from Oslo where she traveled to receive her Nobel Peace Prize, publicly endorsed the seizure of the tanker as a “very necessary step.”
Juan González, Joe Biden’s former chief Latin America adviser and the architect behind the former president’s Venezuela policy, said that a US Naval blockade was “potentially a viable option” despite admitting that it would constitute an act of war against Venezuela.
The White House has repeatedly threatened further escalation, including land strikes. The New York Times reported that US officials expected additional seizures in the coming weeks. This action would constitute an act of force and place additional pressure against Venezuela’s oil industry.
The United Nations (UN) Charter expressly prohibits all Member States from using or threatening force against the territorial integrity or political independence of another state. Blockades imposed without a declaration of war or that are not sanctioned by the UN Security Council are not considered legal. Likewise, UN independent experts have consistently maintained that the extraterritorial application of unilateral sanctions is contrary to international law.
Edited by Ricardo Vaz in Caracas.
The post Venezuela Condemns US Tanker Seizure as ‘International Piracy’ as a Potential Oil Blockade Looms appeared first on Venezuelanalysis.
From Venezuelanalysis via This RSS Feed.
Subsoil Bonanza: Venezuela’s Natural Resources - Venezuelanalysis
A detailed infographic exploring Venezuela's vast wealth of natural resources, including massive oil, natural gas and gold deposits.ricardo (Venezuelanalysis)
Venezuela Condemns US Tanker Seizure as ‘International Piracy’ as a Potential Oil Blockade Looms
cross-posted from: news.abolish.capital/post/1302…
Mexico City, Mexico, December 11, 2025 (venezuelanalysis.com) – Venezuela accused the United States of committing “international piracy” after US authorities seized an oil tanker in the Caribbean, denouncing the action as part of a long-running US campaign to strip the country of its energy resources.US President Donald Trump announced Wednesday that Washington seized an oil tanker sanctioned by the US off Venezuela’s coast. He described the vessel as the largest oil tanker ever seized and indicated that the United States would retain the crude aboard.
The move was met with a sharp rebuke from Caracas.
“The Bolivarian Government will appeal to all existing international bodies to denounce this grave international crime and will defend its sovereignty with absolute determination,” read the communiqué. “Venezuela will not allow any foreign power to take from the Venezuelan people what belongs to them by historical and constitutional right.”
According to Reuters, the “Skipper” tanker loaded an estimated 1.8 million barrels of crude at Venezuela’s José terminal early this month before unloading 200,000 to a Cuba-bound ship. The remaining cargo was believed to be destined for Asian markets. The move was viewed as aggression against Cuba as well, which relies on Venezuelan oil shipments for energy and income.
Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez Parilla condemned “the vile act of piracy” as a violation of international law.
Michael Galant, member of the Progressive International Secretariat, said that calling the US seizure an act of piracy fell short.
“This is the deliberate immiseration of the Cuban people, already suffering debilitating fuel shortages, blackouts, and a chikungunya outbreak thanks to the US blockade,” wrote Galant on social media.
US Attorney General Pam Bondi posted a video on social media on Wednesday evening showing armed US forces boarding the vessel. There was reportedly no resistance from the crew nor any casualties. The assault involved Coast Guard members, Marines, and special forces who were seen in the video descending from helicopters onto the ship’s deck.
The seizure of the tanker comes only days after Delaware District Judge Leonard P. Stark approved the sale of Venezuela’s US-based refiner CITGO to Amber Energy, a process that Venezuela called a “barbaric theft” of a Venezuelan asset via a “fraudulent process.”
In past years, the United States has intercepted shipments of Iranian fuel bound for Venezuela, ultimately taking control of the gasoline and selling it at auction. While US-led sanctions have created significant challenges for the sale of Venezuelan oil on international markets, Wednesday’s seizure marks the first time the US has directly impeded a crude shipment of from Venezuela. Reuters reported that buyers in Asia were demanding further discounts on Venezuelan crude as a result of the seizure.
Trump’s latest move is a significant escalation in the latest US effort to oust the Nicolás Maduro government from power. Since September, the US has built up its forces in the region, including the mobilization of the Gerard Ford Carrier Fleet, and has carried out deadly strikes on boats that the administration claims are tied to drug trafficking.
Washington’s decision to seize the tanker drew scrutiny from US lawmakers who have questioned the true intentions behind military mobilization and campaign in the Caribbean.
“If Trump’s aggression in the Caribbean is about drugs, why did he just seize an oil tanker?” asked US Representative Nydia Velázquez. “This is yet another dangerous escalation that brings us closer to a regime change war.”
Senator Mark Warner, who serves as the top Democrat on the Senate intelligence committee, questioned how the US was able to seize an oil tanker but has opted to strike alleged drug smuggling boats from the skies without an effort to arrest the occupants or seize the purported contraband.
Democratic Senator Chris Van Hollen spoke Wednesday on the floor of Congress to call on lawmakers to stop Trump’s ”regime change war” against Venezuela.
Caracas maintains that the US attacks are motivated by a desire for regime change in order to secure access to Venezuela’s natural resources.
Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado, speaking from Oslo where she traveled to receive her Nobel Peace Prize, publicly endorsed the seizure of the tanker as a “very necessary step.”
Juan González, Joe Biden’s former chief Latin America adviser and the architect behind the former president’s Venezuela policy, said that a US Naval blockade was “potentially a viable option” despite admitting that it would constitute an act of war against Venezuela.
The White House has repeatedly threatened further escalation, including land strikes. The New York Times reported that US officials expected additional seizures in the coming weeks. This action would constitute an act of force and place additional pressure against Venezuela’s oil industry.
The United Nations (UN) Charter expressly prohibits all Member States from using or threatening force against the territorial integrity or political independence of another state. Blockades imposed without a declaration of war or that are not sanctioned by the UN Security Council are not considered legal. Likewise, UN independent experts have consistently maintained that the extraterritorial application of unilateral sanctions is contrary to international law.
Edited by Ricardo Vaz in Caracas.
The post Venezuela Condemns US Tanker Seizure as ‘International Piracy’ as a Potential Oil Blockade Looms appeared first on Venezuelanalysis.
From Venezuelanalysis via This RSS Feed.
Venezuela Condemns US Tanker Seizure as ‘International Piracy’ as a Potential Oil Blockade Looms
Mexico City, Mexico, December 11, 2025 (venezuelanalysis.com) – Venezuela accused the United States of committing “international piracy” after US authorities seized an oil tanker in the Caribbean, denouncing the action as part of a long-running US campaign to strip the country of its energy resources.US President Donald Trump announced Wednesday that Washington seized an oil tanker sanctioned by the US off Venezuela’s coast. He described the vessel as the largest oil tanker ever seized and indicated that the United States would retain the crude aboard.
The move was met with a sharp rebuke from Caracas.
“The Bolivarian Government will appeal to all existing international bodies to denounce this grave international crime and will defend its sovereignty with absolute determination,” read the communiqué. “Venezuela will not allow any foreign power to take from the Venezuelan people what belongs to them by historical and constitutional right.”
According to Reuters, the “Skipper” tanker loaded an estimated 1.8 million barrels of crude at Venezuela’s José terminal early this month before unloading 200,000 to a Cuba-bound ship. The remaining cargo was believed to be destined for Asian markets. The move was viewed as aggression against Cuba as well, which relies on Venezuelan oil shipments for energy and income.
Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez Parilla condemned “the vile act of piracy” as a violation of international law.
Michael Galant, member of the Progressive International Secretariat, said that calling the US seizure an act of piracy fell short.
“This is the deliberate immiseration of the Cuban people, already suffering debilitating fuel shortages, blackouts, and a chikungunya outbreak thanks to the US blockade,” wrote Galant on social media.
US Attorney General Pam Bondi posted a video on social media on Wednesday evening showing armed US forces boarding the vessel. There was reportedly no resistance from the crew nor any casualties. The assault involved Coast Guard members, Marines, and special forces who were seen in the video descending from helicopters onto the ship’s deck.
The seizure of the tanker comes only days after Delaware District Judge Leonard P. Stark approved the sale of Venezuela’s US-based refiner CITGO to Amber Energy, a process that Venezuela called a “barbaric theft” of a Venezuelan asset via a “fraudulent process.”
In past years, the United States has intercepted shipments of Iranian fuel bound for Venezuela, ultimately taking control of the gasoline and selling it at auction. While US-led sanctions have created significant challenges for the sale of Venezuelan oil on international markets, Wednesday’s seizure marks the first time the US has directly impeded a crude shipment of from Venezuela. Reuters reported that buyers in Asia were demanding further discounts on Venezuelan crude as a result of the seizure.
Trump’s latest move is a significant escalation in the latest US effort to oust the Nicolás Maduro government from power. Since September, the US has built up its forces in the region, including the mobilization of the Gerard Ford Carrier Fleet, and has carried out deadly strikes on boats that the administration claims are tied to drug trafficking.
Washington’s decision to seize the tanker drew scrutiny from US lawmakers who have questioned the true intentions behind military mobilization and campaign in the Caribbean.
“If Trump’s aggression in the Caribbean is about drugs, why did he just seize an oil tanker?” asked US Representative Nydia Velázquez. “This is yet another dangerous escalation that brings us closer to a regime change war.”
Senator Mark Warner, who serves as the top Democrat on the Senate intelligence committee, questioned how the US was able to seize an oil tanker but has opted to strike alleged drug smuggling boats from the skies without an effort to arrest the occupants or seize the purported contraband.
Democratic Senator Chris Van Hollen spoke Wednesday on the floor of Congress to call on lawmakers to stop Trump’s ”regime change war” against Venezuela.
Caracas maintains that the US attacks are motivated by a desire for regime change in order to secure access to Venezuela’s natural resources.
Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado, speaking from Oslo where she traveled to receive her Nobel Peace Prize, publicly endorsed the seizure of the tanker as a “very necessary step.”
Juan González, Joe Biden’s former chief Latin America adviser and the architect behind the former president’s Venezuela policy, said that a US Naval blockade was “potentially a viable option” despite admitting that it would constitute an act of war against Venezuela.
The White House has repeatedly threatened further escalation, including land strikes. The New York Times reported that US officials expected additional seizures in the coming weeks. This action would constitute an act of force and place additional pressure against Venezuela’s oil industry.
The United Nations (UN) Charter expressly prohibits all Member States from using or threatening force against the territorial integrity or political independence of another state. Blockades imposed without a declaration of war or that are not sanctioned by the UN Security Council are not considered legal. Likewise, UN independent experts have consistently maintained that the extraterritorial application of unilateral sanctions is contrary to international law.
Edited by Ricardo Vaz in Caracas.
The post Venezuela Condemns US Tanker Seizure as ‘International Piracy’ as a Potential Oil Blockade Looms appeared first on Venezuelanalysis.
From Venezuelanalysis via This RSS Feed.
Subsoil Bonanza: Venezuela’s Natural Resources - Venezuelanalysis
A detailed infographic exploring Venezuela's vast wealth of natural resources, including massive oil, natural gas and gold deposits.ricardo (Venezuelanalysis)
Venezuela Condemns US Tanker Seizure as ‘International Piracy’ as a Potential Oil Blockade Looms
cross-posted from: hexbear.net/post/7012090
cross-posted from: news.abolish.capital/post/1302…
Mexico City, Mexico, December 11, 2025 (venezuelanalysis.com) – Venezuela accused the United States of committing “international piracy” after US authorities seized an oil tanker in the Caribbean, denouncing the action as part of a long-running US campaign to strip the country of its energy resources.US President Donald Trump announced Wednesday that Washington seized an oil tanker sanctioned by the US off Venezuela’s coast. He described the vessel as the largest oil tanker ever seized and indicated that the United States would retain the crude aboard.
The move was met with a sharp rebuke from Caracas.
“The Bolivarian Government will appeal to all existing international bodies to denounce this grave international crime and will defend its sovereignty with absolute determination,” read the communiqué. “Venezuela will not allow any foreign power to take from the Venezuelan people what belongs to them by historical and constitutional right.”
According to Reuters, the “Skipper” tanker loaded an estimated 1.8 million barrels of crude at Venezuela’s José terminal early this month before unloading 200,000 to a Cuba-bound ship. The remaining cargo was believed to be destined for Asian markets. The move was viewed as aggression against Cuba as well, which relies on Venezuelan oil shipments for energy and income.
Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez Parilla condemned “the vile act of piracy” as a violation of international law.
Michael Galant, member of the Progressive International Secretariat, said that calling the US seizure an act of piracy fell short.
“This is the deliberate immiseration of the Cuban people, already suffering debilitating fuel shortages, blackouts, and a chikungunya outbreak thanks to the US blockade,” wrote Galant on social media.
US Attorney General Pam Bondi posted a video on social media on Wednesday evening showing armed US forces boarding the vessel. There was reportedly no resistance from the crew nor any casualties. The assault involved Coast Guard members, Marines, and special forces who were seen in the video descending from helicopters onto the ship’s deck.
The seizure of the tanker comes only days after Delaware District Judge Leonard P. Stark approved the sale of Venezuela’s US-based refiner CITGO to Amber Energy, a process that Venezuela called a “barbaric theft” of a Venezuelan asset via a “fraudulent process.”
In past years, the United States has intercepted shipments of Iranian fuel bound for Venezuela, ultimately taking control of the gasoline and selling it at auction. While US-led sanctions have created significant challenges for the sale of Venezuelan oil on international markets, Wednesday’s seizure marks the first time the US has directly impeded a crude shipment of from Venezuela. Reuters reported that buyers in Asia were demanding further discounts on Venezuelan crude as a result of the seizure.
Trump’s latest move is a significant escalation in the latest US effort to oust the Nicolás Maduro government from power. Since September, the US has built up its forces in the region, including the mobilization of the Gerard Ford Carrier Fleet, and has carried out deadly strikes on boats that the administration claims are tied to drug trafficking.
Washington’s decision to seize the tanker drew scrutiny from US lawmakers who have questioned the true intentions behind military mobilization and campaign in the Caribbean.
“If Trump’s aggression in the Caribbean is about drugs, why did he just seize an oil tanker?” asked US Representative Nydia Velázquez. “This is yet another dangerous escalation that brings us closer to a regime change war.”
Senator Mark Warner, who serves as the top Democrat on the Senate intelligence committee, questioned how the US was able to seize an oil tanker but has opted to strike alleged drug smuggling boats from the skies without an effort to arrest the occupants or seize the purported contraband.
Democratic Senator Chris Van Hollen spoke Wednesday on the floor of Congress to call on lawmakers to stop Trump’s ”regime change war” against Venezuela.
Caracas maintains that the US attacks are motivated by a desire for regime change in order to secure access to Venezuela’s natural resources.
Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado, speaking from Oslo where she traveled to receive her Nobel Peace Prize, publicly endorsed the seizure of the tanker as a “very necessary step.”
Juan González, Joe Biden’s former chief Latin America adviser and the architect behind the former president’s Venezuela policy, said that a US Naval blockade was “potentially a viable option” despite admitting that it would constitute an act of war against Venezuela.
The White House has repeatedly threatened further escalation, including land strikes. The New York Times reported that US officials expected additional seizures in the coming weeks. This action would constitute an act of force and place additional pressure against Venezuela’s oil industry.
The United Nations (UN) Charter expressly prohibits all Member States from using or threatening force against the territorial integrity or political independence of another state. Blockades imposed without a declaration of war or that are not sanctioned by the UN Security Council are not considered legal. Likewise, UN independent experts have consistently maintained that the extraterritorial application of unilateral sanctions is contrary to international law.
Edited by Ricardo Vaz in Caracas.
The post Venezuela Condemns US Tanker Seizure as ‘International Piracy’ as a Potential Oil Blockade Looms appeared first on Venezuelanalysis.
From Venezuelanalysis via This RSS Feed.
Venezuela Condemns US Tanker Seizure as ‘International Piracy’ as a Potential Oil Blockade Looms
cross-posted from: news.abolish.capital/post/1302…Mexico City, Mexico, December 11, 2025 (venezuelanalysis.com) – Venezuela accused the United States of committing “international piracy” after US authorities seized an oil tanker in the Caribbean, denouncing the action as part of a long-running US campaign to strip the country of its energy resources.US President Donald Trump announced Wednesday that Washington seized an oil tanker sanctioned by the US off Venezuela’s coast. He described the vessel as the largest oil tanker ever seized and indicated that the United States would retain the crude aboard.
The move was met with a sharp rebuke from Caracas.
“The Bolivarian Government will appeal to all existing international bodies to denounce this grave international crime and will defend its sovereignty with absolute determination,” read the communiqué. “Venezuela will not allow any foreign power to take from the Venezuelan people what belongs to them by historical and constitutional right.”
According to Reuters, the “Skipper” tanker loaded an estimated 1.8 million barrels of crude at Venezuela’s José terminal early this month before unloading 200,000 to a Cuba-bound ship. The remaining cargo was believed to be destined for Asian markets. The move was viewed as aggression against Cuba as well, which relies on Venezuelan oil shipments for energy and income.
Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez Parilla condemned “the vile act of piracy” as a violation of international law.
Michael Galant, member of the Progressive International Secretariat, said that calling the US seizure an act of piracy fell short.
“This is the deliberate immiseration of the Cuban people, already suffering debilitating fuel shortages, blackouts, and a chikungunya outbreak thanks to the US blockade,” wrote Galant on social media.
US Attorney General Pam Bondi posted a video on social media on Wednesday evening showing armed US forces boarding the vessel. There was reportedly no resistance from the crew nor any casualties. The assault involved Coast Guard members, Marines, and special forces who were seen in the video descending from helicopters onto the ship’s deck.
The seizure of the tanker comes only days after Delaware District Judge Leonard P. Stark approved the sale of Venezuela’s US-based refiner CITGO to Amber Energy, a process that Venezuela called a “barbaric theft” of a Venezuelan asset via a “fraudulent process.”
In past years, the United States has intercepted shipments of Iranian fuel bound for Venezuela, ultimately taking control of the gasoline and selling it at auction. While US-led sanctions have created significant challenges for the sale of Venezuelan oil on international markets, Wednesday’s seizure marks the first time the US has directly impeded a crude shipment of from Venezuela. Reuters reported that buyers in Asia were demanding further discounts on Venezuelan crude as a result of the seizure.
Trump’s latest move is a significant escalation in the latest US effort to oust the Nicolás Maduro government from power. Since September, the US has built up its forces in the region, including the mobilization of the Gerard Ford Carrier Fleet, and has carried out deadly strikes on boats that the administration claims are tied to drug trafficking.
Washington’s decision to seize the tanker drew scrutiny from US lawmakers who have questioned the true intentions behind military mobilization and campaign in the Caribbean.
“If Trump’s aggression in the Caribbean is about drugs, why did he just seize an oil tanker?” asked US Representative Nydia Velázquez. “This is yet another dangerous escalation that brings us closer to a regime change war.”
Senator Mark Warner, who serves as the top Democrat on the Senate intelligence committee, questioned how the US was able to seize an oil tanker but has opted to strike alleged drug smuggling boats from the skies without an effort to arrest the occupants or seize the purported contraband.
Democratic Senator Chris Van Hollen spoke Wednesday on the floor of Congress to call on lawmakers to stop Trump’s ”regime change war” against Venezuela.
Caracas maintains that the US attacks are motivated by a desire for regime change in order to secure access to Venezuela’s natural resources.
Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado, speaking from Oslo where she traveled to receive her Nobel Peace Prize, publicly endorsed the seizure of the tanker as a “very necessary step.”
Juan González, Joe Biden’s former chief Latin America adviser and the architect behind the former president’s Venezuela policy, said that a US Naval blockade was “potentially a viable option” despite admitting that it would constitute an act of war against Venezuela.
The White House has repeatedly threatened further escalation, including land strikes. The New York Times reported that US officials expected additional seizures in the coming weeks. This action would constitute an act of force and place additional pressure against Venezuela’s oil industry.
The United Nations (UN) Charter expressly prohibits all Member States from using or threatening force against the territorial integrity or political independence of another state. Blockades imposed without a declaration of war or that are not sanctioned by the UN Security Council are not considered legal. Likewise, UN independent experts have consistently maintained that the extraterritorial application of unilateral sanctions is contrary to international law.
Edited by Ricardo Vaz in Caracas.
The post Venezuela Condemns US Tanker Seizure as ‘International Piracy’ as a Potential Oil Blockade Looms appeared first on Venezuelanalysis.
From Venezuelanalysis via This RSS Feed.
Subsoil Bonanza: Venezuela’s Natural Resources - Venezuelanalysis
A detailed infographic exploring Venezuela's vast wealth of natural resources, including massive oil, natural gas and gold deposits.ricardo (Venezuelanalysis)
Trump Gives Big Tech Friends an Early Christmas Gift With Order Against State AI Regulations
US President Donald Trump on Thursday signed an executive order aimed at preventing state-level regulation of the burgeoning artificial intelligence industry, a gift to tech corporations that bankrolled his inauguration and are currently funding his White House ballroom project.
Trump's order instructs the US Justice Department to establish an AI Litigation Task Force with a single mandate: sue states that enact AI laws that the administration deems "onerous and excessive." The order also threatens to withhold federal funding from states that implement AI regulations.
Public Citizen, a watchdog group that has tracked increasingly aggressive AI influence-peddling in Congress and the administration, said Trump's order "grants his greedy Big Tech buddies’ Christmas wish."
"This reward to Big Tech is a disgraceful invitation to reckless behavior by the world’s largest corporations and a complete override of the federalist principles that Trump and MAGA claim to venerate," said Robert Weissman, Public Citizen's co-president. "Everyone should understand why this is happening: During and since the last election cycle, Big Tech has spent at least $1.1 billion on campaign contributions and lobby expenditures. Big Tech corporations poured money into Trump’s inaugural committee and to pay for his garish White House ballroom. A major Big Tech and AI investor is serving as Trump’s 'AI czar' and driving administration policy."
"While Trump has ensured the federal government is doing almost nothing to address the harms that AI is already causing, states are moving forward with sensible AI regulation," Weissman added. "These include efforts to address political deepfakes, nonconsensual intimate deepfakes, algorithmic pricing manipulation, consumer protection measures, excessive data center electricity and water demand, and much more. Big Tech is whining about these modest measures, but there is zero evidence that these rules are impeding innovation; in fact, they are directing innovation in more positive directions."
Jenna Sherman, a campaign director focused on tech and gender at Ultraviolet Action, said Trump's order "only has one group of winners: his wealthy donors in the tech sector."
"Every other person loses from this wildly unpopular move. And not just in theory, as stripping away state AI regulations puts many—namely, women and children—at risk of real harm," said Sherman. "These harms of AI—which the Trump and the tech sector are clearly happy to ignore—are already here: non-consensual deepfake porn sexualizing women and girls, children being led to suicidal ideation by AI chatbots, and AI-powered scams and crimes targeting older Americans, especially women, to name but a few."
The US Chamber of Commerce and other corporate lobbying organizations representing tech giants such as Microsoft and Google celebrated the order, predictably characterizing it as a win for "small businesses."
The leaders of California and other states that have proposed and finalized AI regulations were defiant in the face of Trump's threats of legal action and funding cuts."
"President Trump and Davis Sacks aren’t making policy—they’re running a con," said California Gov. Gavin Newsom, referring to the scandal-plagued White House AI czar. "Every day, they push the limits to see how far they can take it. California is working on behalf of Americans by building the strongest innovation economy in the nation while implementing commonsense safeguards and leading the way forward."
Trump signed the order after the Republican-controlled Congress repeatedly rejected efforts to tuck a ban on state AI regulations into broader legislation.
"After months of failed lobbying and two defeats in Congress, Big Tech has finally received the return on its ample investment in Donald Trump," Sen. Ed Markey (D-Mass.) said in a statement Thursday. "With this executive order, Trump is delivering exactly what his billionaire benefactors demanded—all at the expense of our kids, our communities, our workers, and our planet."
"A broad, bipartisan coalition in Congress has rejected the AI moratorium again and again," he added, "and I intend to keep that streak going. I will use every tool available to challenge this indefensible and irresponsible power grab. We will defeat it again."
From Common Dreams via This RSS Feed.
Trump Calls for GOP to Ram Through AI Regulation Ban in Must-Pass Military Spending Bill
"If lawmakers are serious about AI governance, they must create strong, enforceable national protections as a regulatory floor—not wipe out state laws so Big Tech can operate without consequence," said one consumer advocate.julia-conley (Common Dreams)
Trump Gives Big Tech Friends an Early Christmas Gift With Order Against State AI Regulations
cross-posted from: news.abolish.capital/post/1318…
US President Donald Trump on Thursday signed an executive order aimed at preventing state-level regulation of the burgeoning artificial intelligence industry, a gift to tech corporations that bankrolled his inauguration and are currently funding his White House ballroom project.
Trump's order instructs the US Justice Department to establish an AI Litigation Task Force with a single mandate: sue states that enact AI laws that the administration deems "onerous and excessive." The order also threatens to withhold federal funding from states that implement AI regulations.
Public Citizen, a watchdog group that has tracked increasingly aggressive AI influence-peddling in Congress and the administration, said Trump's order "grants his greedy Big Tech buddies’ Christmas wish."
"This reward to Big Tech is a disgraceful invitation to reckless behavior by the world’s largest corporations and a complete override of the federalist principles that Trump and MAGA claim to venerate," said Robert Weissman, Public Citizen's co-president. "Everyone should understand why this is happening: During and since the last election cycle, Big Tech has spent at least $1.1 billion on campaign contributions and lobby expenditures. Big Tech corporations poured money into Trump’s inaugural committee and to pay for his garish White House ballroom. A major Big Tech and AI investor is serving as Trump’s 'AI czar' and driving administration policy."
"While Trump has ensured the federal government is doing almost nothing to address the harms that AI is already causing, states are moving forward with sensible AI regulation," Weissman added. "These include efforts to address political deepfakes, nonconsensual intimate deepfakes, algorithmic pricing manipulation, consumer protection measures, excessive data center electricity and water demand, and much more. Big Tech is whining about these modest measures, but there is zero evidence that these rules are impeding innovation; in fact, they are directing innovation in more positive directions."
Jenna Sherman, a campaign director focused on tech and gender at Ultraviolet Action, said Trump's order "only has one group of winners: his wealthy donors in the tech sector."
"Every other person loses from this wildly unpopular move. And not just in theory, as stripping away state AI regulations puts many—namely, women and children—at risk of real harm," said Sherman. "These harms of AI—which the Trump and the tech sector are clearly happy to ignore—are already here: non-consensual deepfake porn sexualizing women and girls, children being led to suicidal ideation by AI chatbots, and AI-powered scams and crimes targeting older Americans, especially women, to name but a few."
The US Chamber of Commerce and other corporate lobbying organizations representing tech giants such as Microsoft and Google celebrated the order, predictably characterizing it as a win for "small businesses."
The leaders of California and other states that have proposed and finalized AI regulations were defiant in the face of Trump's threats of legal action and funding cuts."
"President Trump and Davis Sacks aren’t making policy—they’re running a con," said California Gov. Gavin Newsom, referring to the scandal-plagued White House AI czar. "Every day, they push the limits to see how far they can take it. California is working on behalf of Americans by building the strongest innovation economy in the nation while implementing commonsense safeguards and leading the way forward."
Trump signed the order after the Republican-controlled Congress repeatedly rejected efforts to tuck a ban on state AI regulations into broader legislation.
"After months of failed lobbying and two defeats in Congress, Big Tech has finally received the return on its ample investment in Donald Trump," Sen. Ed Markey (D-Mass.) said in a statement Thursday. "With this executive order, Trump is delivering exactly what his billionaire benefactors demanded—all at the expense of our kids, our communities, our workers, and our planet."
"A broad, bipartisan coalition in Congress has rejected the AI moratorium again and again," he added, "and I intend to keep that streak going. I will use every tool available to challenge this indefensible and irresponsible power grab. We will defeat it again."
From Common Dreams via This RSS Feed.
Trump Gives Big Tech Friends an Early Christmas Gift With Order Against State AI Regulations
US President Donald Trump on Thursday signed an executive order aimed at preventing state-level regulation of the burgeoning artificial intelligence industry, a gift to tech corporations that bankrolled his inauguration and are currently funding his White House ballroom project.
Trump's order instructs the US Justice Department to establish an AI Litigation Task Force with a single mandate: sue states that enact AI laws that the administration deems "onerous and excessive." The order also threatens to withhold federal funding from states that implement AI regulations.
Public Citizen, a watchdog group that has tracked increasingly aggressive AI influence-peddling in Congress and the administration, said Trump's order "grants his greedy Big Tech buddies’ Christmas wish."
"This reward to Big Tech is a disgraceful invitation to reckless behavior by the world’s largest corporations and a complete override of the federalist principles that Trump and MAGA claim to venerate," said Robert Weissman, Public Citizen's co-president. "Everyone should understand why this is happening: During and since the last election cycle, Big Tech has spent at least $1.1 billion on campaign contributions and lobby expenditures. Big Tech corporations poured money into Trump’s inaugural committee and to pay for his garish White House ballroom. A major Big Tech and AI investor is serving as Trump’s 'AI czar' and driving administration policy."
"While Trump has ensured the federal government is doing almost nothing to address the harms that AI is already causing, states are moving forward with sensible AI regulation," Weissman added. "These include efforts to address political deepfakes, nonconsensual intimate deepfakes, algorithmic pricing manipulation, consumer protection measures, excessive data center electricity and water demand, and much more. Big Tech is whining about these modest measures, but there is zero evidence that these rules are impeding innovation; in fact, they are directing innovation in more positive directions."
Jenna Sherman, a campaign director focused on tech and gender at Ultraviolet Action, said Trump's order "only has one group of winners: his wealthy donors in the tech sector."
"Every other person loses from this wildly unpopular move. And not just in theory, as stripping away state AI regulations puts many—namely, women and children—at risk of real harm," said Sherman. "These harms of AI—which the Trump and the tech sector are clearly happy to ignore—are already here: non-consensual deepfake porn sexualizing women and girls, children being led to suicidal ideation by AI chatbots, and AI-powered scams and crimes targeting older Americans, especially women, to name but a few."
The US Chamber of Commerce and other corporate lobbying organizations representing tech giants such as Microsoft and Google celebrated the order, predictably characterizing it as a win for "small businesses."
The leaders of California and other states that have proposed and finalized AI regulations were defiant in the face of Trump's threats of legal action and funding cuts."
"President Trump and Davis Sacks aren’t making policy—they’re running a con," said California Gov. Gavin Newsom, referring to the scandal-plagued White House AI czar. "Every day, they push the limits to see how far they can take it. California is working on behalf of Americans by building the strongest innovation economy in the nation while implementing commonsense safeguards and leading the way forward."
Trump signed the order after the Republican-controlled Congress repeatedly rejected efforts to tuck a ban on state AI regulations into broader legislation.
"After months of failed lobbying and two defeats in Congress, Big Tech has finally received the return on its ample investment in Donald Trump," Sen. Ed Markey (D-Mass.) said in a statement Thursday. "With this executive order, Trump is delivering exactly what his billionaire benefactors demanded—all at the expense of our kids, our communities, our workers, and our planet."
"A broad, bipartisan coalition in Congress has rejected the AI moratorium again and again," he added, "and I intend to keep that streak going. I will use every tool available to challenge this indefensible and irresponsible power grab. We will defeat it again."
From Common Dreams via This RSS Feed.
Trump Calls for GOP to Ram Through AI Regulation Ban in Must-Pass Military Spending Bill
"If lawmakers are serious about AI governance, they must create strong, enforceable national protections as a regulatory floor—not wipe out state laws so Big Tech can operate without consequence," said one consumer advocate.julia-conley (Common Dreams)
Federal court rules Canada legally obliged to provide housing to First Nation communities
Federal court rules Canada legally obliged to provide housing to First Nation communities
Indigenous leaders in Manitoba are calling it a major step forward after a federal court ruling confirmed Canada has a legal duty to provide adequate housing on First Nations communities.News Staff (CityNews Winnipeg)
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“All we know is that our band-based capital was capped nearly three decades ago and we are not given the resources to respond and to plan with adequate housing for our community members,” said St. Theresa Point Anisininew Nation Chief Raymond Flett.
They've essentially become two sides of the same coin. The whole political landscape has had the Overton Window shifted to the right.
What the conservatives suggested 20 years ago was unthinkable today ... but since the conversation has shifted to the right, it has become normalized today.
Call Center Agoda Indonesia
Cryptographers Show That AI Protections Will Always Have Holes
Cryptographers Show That AI Protections Will Always Have Holes | Quanta Magazine
Large language models such as ChatGPT come with filters to keep certain info from getting out. A new mathematical argument shows that systems like this can never be completely safe.Peter Hall (Quanta Magazine)
Comic sans.
Just kidding. I use the dyslexia font. It does what it says on the tin.
Usually whatever the default serif typeface is. What I care more about is flush left (“ragged right”) alignment, ideally with automatic hyphenation. I find justified alignment very distracting.
Get Comic Neue
Comic Neue fixes the shortcomings of Comic Sans. It's the casual script choice for everyone, including the typographically savvy.comicneue.com
Older favorites of mine are Adobe Caslon Pro and Adobe Devanagari.
Baumschrift is a fantastic clean sans font but honestly it shines best on larger sizes for headers rather than prose.
If we are doing monospace I love IBM Plex Mono in the light variety.
OpenDyslexic. I used to hate reading. Read one and a half books this year. Also 3 novella's. For fun! I never read for fun. Usually just programming books to get my feet wet before jumping into documentation. Never an entire book cover to cover unless Im obsessed enough.
I was sceptical but it really does help.
but it really does help
depends on the person and symptoms. I was the opposite of sceptical, but when I tried it, I was super disappointed, because reading suddenly became MUCH more difficult.
The non-open dyslexiefont is what helped me. Even though the differences seem minor.
But the best solution for me is modern TTS while reading along.
As i understand it we dyslexic people read more in blocks of words among other issues with order of letters and or sounds. Easily two words can become confused with each other if the look enough alike. Take defiantly and definitely, two words I often mistake for one another and often have trouble spelling individually. The dyslexic font has more spacing between letters which helps a ton.
If you want to know more about dyslexia
mayoclinic.org/diseases-condit…
And here is some research related to dyslexia from the openDyslexic website
opendyslexic.org/related-resea…
Dyslexia - Symptoms and causes
This learning disorder involves difficulty reading due to problems identifying speech sounds and learning how they relate to letters and words.Mayo Clinic
I've used that font on an ereader for more then a year, then switched to something else and noticed no difference at all.
I've also seen research claiming that it does not help at all, so idk.
Copperplate Gothic.
Just kidding, I don't have one but would love some suggestions.
Atkinson Hyperlegible Font - Braille Institute
Read easier with Atkinson Hyperlegible Font, crafted for low-vision readers. Download for free and enjoy clear letters and numbers on your computer!Braille Institute
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Since the first time of seeing it on a Mac (Plus, probably), I've been in love with Palatino. It just seems to flow so nicely, and the italic is gorgeous.
I missed it for many years until I found TeX Gyre Pagella.
nztt.
Made it myself.
Works for my dyslexia, and efficient for vertical space.
It divides opinion, some very enthusiastic, some hate it.
Atkinson hyperledgable. Made by the RNIB.
I'm visually impaired and it really helps.
It is also a good font in general for easy reading.
There is also a next version. Little more modern looking and a mono version.
Does science reveal the absolute truth about reality?
Does science reveal the absolute truth about reality?
Science isn't absolute. Its truths and discoveries enable us to approximate reality, but we must always remain open-minded to revisions.Ethan Siegel (Big Think)
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davel, ghost_laptop, Cowbee [he/they], anarchoilluminati [comrade/them], mufasio, تحريرها كلها ممكن and JustVik like this.
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davel, Cowbee [he/they] and T4V0 like this.
sns
in reply to Sunshine (she/her) • • •Sunshine (she/her)
in reply to sns • • •dabster291
in reply to Sunshine (she/her) • • •snoons
in reply to Sunshine (she/her) • • •Context:
canadians.org/media/media-rele…
This is one of the many insurance companies operating in Canada that have been making records this year by lobbying the government with about 25 million dollars, almost triple the amount of any year previous. By doing so they have successfully put brakes on the budget for pharmacare. The link above can explain the issue a lot better than me.
MEDIA RELEASE “Massive lobbying offensive” behind pharmacare funding freeze: Council of Canadians
The Council of CanadiansSunshine (she/her)
in reply to snoons • • •