Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief: here are the top news stories for the 21st of December, covering the latest developments you need to know.
The United States and Venezuela have been jamming GPS signals in parts of the Caribbean, raising safety concerns for civilian air and maritime traffic, as tensions between the two countries escalate, according to The New York Times.
The U.S. Coast Guard is pursuing an oil tanker in international waters near Venezuela, officials told on Sunday, in what would be the second such operation this weekend and the third in less than two weeks if successful.
The United States is not concerned about a potential escalation with Russia over Venezuela, Secretary of State Marco Rubio has said, as President Donald Trump increases U.S. military deployments in the Caribbean.
Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has offered to mediate between the U.S. and Venezuela, warning that urgent diplomatic intervention is needed to prevent a “fratricidal war” in Latin America.
The ongoing U.S. military actions against vessels in Latin American waters are raising alarm both regionally and internationally.
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi has held a phone conversation with his Venezuelan counterpart Yvan Gil at the latter’s request.
International oil prices rose sharply on Wednesday after U.S. President Donald Trump ordered a “total and complete blockade” of all U.S.-sanctioned oil tankers entering and leaving Venezuela.
The United States military has carried out another lethal strike against an alleged drug-trafficking vessel in the eastern Pacific Ocean, marking the second such attack in the space of a week and underscoring a sharp escalation in Washington’s anti-narcotics campaign.
U.S. President Donald Trump has ordered a "blockade" of all sanctioned oil tankers entering and leaving Venezuela on Tuesday (16 December), in Washington's latest move to increase pressure on Nicolas Maduro's government, targeting its main source of income.
Venezuela has formally accused the United States of “maritime piracy” after a Venezuelan oil shipment was seized in international waters, escalating diplomatic tensions between the two countries.
The Pentagon has released video showing U.S. military strikes on three vessels in the eastern Pacific that Washington says were involved in narcotics trafficking, operations that U.S. Southern Command said killed eight people on Monday (15 December).
Washington’s seizure of a tanker carrying Venezuelan oil shows a shift from financial sanctions to direct maritime action, further straining relations with Caracas and increasing risks for global shipping.
Oil prices are rising worldwide as investors assess supply risks linked to growing tensions between the United States and Venezuela after the former seized an oil tanker Skipper on 10 December, a move Caracas calls “international piracy”.
Venezuela’s oil shipments have plunged following the United States’ seizure of a tanker earlier this week.
The United States issued new sanctions targeting Venezuela on Thursday, imposing curbs on three nephews of President Nicolas Maduro's wife, as well as six crude oil tankers and shipping companies linked to them, as Washington ramps up pressure on Caracas.
Following a dramatic, clandestine journey that saw her miss the official awards ceremony by mere hours, the Venezuelan opposition leader has finally emerged in the Norwegian capital, marking a defiant end to her time in hiding.
Venezuela has condemned the U.S. seizure of an oil tanker off its coast, describing the action as "blatant theft" and "international piracy." The move marks a sharp escalation in Washington-Caracas tensions, as Venezuelan officials vow to contest the seizure through international bodies.
The U.S. has seized a sanctioned oil tanker off the coast of Venezuela, President Donald Trump said on Wednesday (10 December), a move that sent oil prices higher and sharply escalated tensions between Washington and Caracas.
The 2025 Nobel Peace Prize has been awarded to María Corina Machado, a prominent Venezuelan opposition leader, for her tireless efforts in advocating for democracy and a peaceful transition in Venezuela.
Democracies must be prepared to fight for freedom in order to survive, Nobel Peace Prize laureate Maria Corina Machado said on Wednesday, in a speech delivered by her daughter during a ceremony Machado could not attend.
The world’s leading minds and voices will be honoured on Wednesday, 10 December, the anniversary of Alfred Nobel’s death, as Nobel Prizes are presented in Stockholm and Oslo.
Scores of demonstrators gathered outside the Norwegian Nobel Institute in Oslo Tuesday (9 December) to protest against the awarding of this year’s Nobel Peace Prize to Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado.
Pressure is mounting between Venezuela and the United States as both nations emphasise military preparedness and strategic positioning.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
