Editor’s note: This week, we’re reprinting some of our best stories from the past year. This piece features Daily Wire Editor Emeritus Ben Shapiro&#8217;s exchange with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on U.S. taxpayer dollars being spent in the war with Russia.
As taxpayers raise concerns about corruption in Ukraine, President Volodymyr Zelensky told Ben Shapiro he would be open to an audit into the use of American funds.
In a face-to-face exclusive interview with Shapiro in war-torn Kyiv, Zelensky said he is prepared to allow inspectors to review how the more than $174 billion in American aid has been used to support Ukraine’s war against Russia.
“We’re always ready for any audit,” Zelensky said. “There’s nothing to hide. We are absolutely open, transparent, and that is what’s happening.”
Zelensky said that U.S. inspectors have had oversight following Russia attempting to “undermine the support and assistance coming from the United States” through “fake news and other tools” at the start of the war.
Zelensky added that he is “grateful to all the U.S. taxpayers.”
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“We are grateful to the bipartisan support in Congress,” he said. “We are grateful to the unity around the fight of Ukraine for independence … and the great contribution of the United States in the defense of our people.”
He added that he has his own “internal audit” where his government is “documenting how much assistance was provided.”
According to Zelensky, Ukraine has received $104-$105 billion in assistance, most of which comes in the form of military support.
“The money was paid to the transportation of those weapons,” Zelensky said. “Ukrainian companies were not allowed to transport this money. That&#8217;s why we haven&#8217;t received it — not in the public, not in the private sector — the money for the transportation.”
According to the <a href="https://www.gao.gov/ukraine-oversight">U.S. Government Accountability Office</a>, Congress appropriated more than $174 billion for Ukraine. The funds have been used for security assistance and weaponry, or for economic and humanitarian assistance, including direct budget support for the Ukrainian government, aid for refugees, improving the health sector, and repairing infrastructure such as the energy grid.
Zelensky said he is not attempting to argue with the United States by claiming he is getting nearly $70 billion less than the United States government is reporting.
“It&#8217;s important that both countries and — the taxpayers know — where their money is,” he said. “In terms of the use of that money primarily, it was for the weapons that were used on the battlefield.”
In total, the Ukrainian government was directly given $22.9 billion by USAID for direct budget support, mostly for reimbursing salaries for teachers, civil servants, and health care workers, according to the GAO.
“We are very grateful for all that,” Zelensky said. “The United States has to know that they were not feeding our pensioners and our soldiers with regards to the salary or the compensation. Surely you&#8217;ve provided the most important aspects — that is the weapons.”
The GAO recommended several ways to improve oversight of funding in Ukraine, including tracking the unprecedented amount of military equipment given to the country, making training initiatives more efficient, properly assessing the value of assets given, and more.
The report also points out that the State Department does not have a “systematic, comprehensive approach to specifically track funding that federal agencies have provided for economic and humanitarian assistance to Ukraine.”
Zelensky argued that the United States benefited from providing financial support to Ukraine because it has received intel about weaponry, including drones being used in the current conflict.
Zelensky added that Ukraine is keeping Russia from invading NATO countries that would pull the United States into a much larger war.
“I’ve mentioned it many times before, the U.S. will have to protect the other NATO countries, because such an agreement exists, or the U.S. will have to leave NATO,” Zelensky said. “So as long as Russians are not in any single NATO member nation, your families are not facing this question. So that will be a major question for your families: Are they going to send your child to war?&#8221;

Ben Shapiro

Best Of 2025: Zelensky Tells Ben Shapiro He’s Open To An Audit On How Ukraine Spends U.S. Taxpayer Dollars

Global Politics

Ukraine

Ukraine-Russia War

Volodymyr Zelensky

World

President Donald Trump said on Monday that the U.S. had &#8220;hit&#8221; an area in Venezuela where boats are loaded with drugs, marking the first known time Washington has carried out land operations in Venezuela since a pressure campaign began against President Nicolas Maduro&#8217;s government.
&#8220;There was a major explosion in the dock area where they load the boats up with drugs,&#8221; Trump said.
&#8220;We hit all the boats, and now we hit the area&#8230; it&#8217;s the implementation area. That&#8217;s where they implement, and that is no longer around.&#8221;
It was not immediately clear what target was hit nor which part of the U.S. government acted.
Asked if the CIA had carried out the attack, Trump said: &#8220;I don&#8217;t want to say that. I know exactly who it was but I don&#8217;t want to say who it was.&#8221;
Trump has previously said that he has authorized the CIA to carry out covert operations in Venezuela.
On a radio show last week, Trump made vague comments about an apparent U.S. operation against a &#8220;big facility&#8221; in Venezuela.
The Central Intelligence Agency, the White House, and the Pentagon have not publicly elaborated on those comments and declined to comment on questions posed by Reuters. The Venezuelan government has not commented on the incident Trump described and there have been no independent reports from Venezuela of it.
Primazol, a chemical plant in Zulia state which suffered a fire on Christmas Eve, has denied online rumors that the blaze was what Trump alluded to in his comments. The company also said the fire was quickly extinguished and was under investigation. Nearby residents told Reuters they heard an explosion, saw the fire and smelled chlorine.
The Venezuelan communications ministry, which handles all press requests for the government, did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Monday.
Trump&#8217;s administration has previously touted its success in taking out suspected drug trafficking vessels, and the Pentagon has posted footage of several of its strikes on social media.
The lack of response by U.S. national security agencies had raised questions about whether the incident Trump mentioned was carried out covertly. Such an operation would likely limit the ability of U.S. officials to speak on the matter.
Last month, Reuters reported that the U.S. was poised to launch a new phase of Venezuela-related operations, as the Trump administration escalates pressure on Maduro&#8217;s government.
At the time, two U.S. officials said covert operations would likely be the first part of the new action against Maduro.
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The U.S. mission has primarily focused on military strikes against suspected drug trafficking vessels and has prompted intense oversight from Congress. More than 100 people have been killed in more than 20 strikes in the Caribbean and Eastern Pacific.
Earlier this month, U.S. military leaders briefed lawmakers on an incident in September in which an American strike killed 11 people but left several survivors who were killed in a second strike ordered by Admiral Frank Bradley.
Congressional Democrats have questioned whether the second strike was conducted in accordance with international law.
Trump&#8217;s administration has overseen a massive U.S. military buildup in the Caribbean, including more than 15,000 troops.
(Reporting by Andrea Shalal, Erin Banco and Idrees Ali; Editing by Humeyra Pamuk, David Gregorio and Rosalba O&#8217;Brien)

UK Hosts President Trump And First Lady Melania Trump For State Visit – Day Three

U.S. Hits Drug Boat Loading Facility In Venezuela, Trump Says

Cartels

Donald Trump

Drugs

Venezuela

El Salvador&#8217;s President Nayib Bukele, who came to power in 2019 and is now serving a second term which critics have called unconstitutional, said he was open to staying in power for another decade.
&#8220;If it were up to me, I would stay for 10 more years,&#8221; Bukele said in a video interview published by Spanish YouTuber TheGrefg on Monday. He noted that he had initially agreed with his wife that he would leave politics in 2029.
El Salvador is expected to hold its next presidential election in 2027, to decide who will run the country through to 2033.
Bukele will be eligible to run for a third term, after the ruling party-controlled Congress pushed through a constitutional reform in July to abolish term limits, bring forward the next election and extend presidential terms from five to six years.
Legal experts at home and abroad have questioned the legality of Bukele&#8217;s attempts to extend his term. The country&#8217;s constitution prohibits presidents&#8217; consecutive reelection in at least six of its articles.
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Early in 2024, Bukele won his second term with a landslide victory despite a constitutional ban.
The wildly popular 44-year-old publicist enjoys some of the world&#8217;s highest approval ratings thanks to a hardline approach to crime which has helped drastically reduce murder rates.
Critics say this has come at the expense of civil rights and people have been arbitrarily detained, tortured and even killed in custody.
Bukele, who once described himself on his Twitter account as &#8220;the world&#8217;s coolest dictator,&#8221; said he did not plan to establish a dictatorship in El Salvador and it would be up to Salvadorans to decide whether he should continue in power.
(Reporting by Gerardo Arbaiza; Writing by Sarah Morland; Editing by David Gregorio)

President Of El Salvador Nayib Bukele Visits “The Story With Martha MacCallum”

El Salvador’s Bukele Open To Staying In Power For ‘Ten More Years’

El Salvador

Nayib Bukele

South America

Editor’s note: This week, we’re reprinting some of our best stories from the past year. In this piece, originally published in April, Daily Wire Editor Emeritus Ben Shapiro offered Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky the opportunity to respond to accusations that Christians are being persecuted in Ukraine.
Ben Shapiro confronted Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky over allegations of Christian persecution and forcibly conscripting men off the street in a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/ben-shapiro-probes-zelensky-in-ukraine-as-clock-ticks-on-peace-deal?author=Kassy+Akiva&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Ben+Shapiro+Probes+Zelensky+In+Ukraine+As+Clock+Ticks+On+Peace+Deal" target="_blank" rel="noopener">face-to-face interview</a> in war-torn Kyiv this week.
Shapiro questioned Zelensky on the concerns that he has cracked down on the religious freedom of the Russian Orthodox Church — marking one of the first times the Ukrainian leader has been pressed on such issues by a member of the American media.
“There have been a lot of accusations that there&#8217;s been a crackdown on religious freedom in Ukraine, particularly with regard to the Russian Orthodox Church,” Shapiro said. “Maybe you can respond to the accusations that there&#8217;s a restriction on religious freedom with regard to Russian Orthodox in Ukraine.”
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Zelensky started off by observing that Shapiro witnessed him moments before the interview holding a meeting with the leaders of 15 different religious sects who make up the All-Ukrainian Council of Churches and Religious Organizations.
“We have a meeting like that a couple of times per year, and I truly visit some of the churches’ sites,” he said. “I believe that what Ukraine has is the largest council of churches in Europe. All of our churches are united — different religions, different believers, and everyone is united.”
Zelensky said that there is no pressure on religious institutions generally, but admitted that the Ukrainian government has cracked down on some churches that he believes are working on behalf of Russia’s intelligence agency.
“The Moscow church is just another agency of the KGB,” Zelensky said. “Everyone knows that Russia’s special services are in control of the church.”
Zelensky said that the churches must be free of influence and that “Moscow cannot be in control.”
“The legislative changes in Ukraine are related to the fact that there could be no connection between Moscow and the church,” Zelensky said, referring to a 2024 law <a href="https://www.hrw.org/news/2024/10/30/ukraine-new-law-raises-religious-freedom-concerns" target="_blank" rel="noopener">banning religious organizations</a> with ties to the Russian Orthodox Church. <a href="https://www.hrw.org/news/2024/10/30/ukraine-new-law-raises-religious-freedom-concerns" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Human Rights Watch</a> raised concerns about the law&#8217;s broad scope and its potential to target the Ukrainian Orthodox Church, the country’s main religious body, founded in 1990 when it split from the Russian Orthodox Church.
Zelensky denied that any churches were closed but pointed out that he and Shapiro were outside the Saint Sophia Cathedral, a UNESCO World Heritage site, whose foundations are believed to have been laid in 1011.
“Sophia is older than Russia&#8217;s capital city and any churches they have,” Zelensky said. “That&#8217;s the answer. We shouldn&#8217;t be having any disputes. We have scientific evidence. We are just saying that our church should be free from any authorities. It&#8217;s free for the people.”
“Nobody closed anything or anyone. But it can&#8217;t be the case that Russia&#8217;s KGB is in control of the church in Ukraine. Everyone is against these legal ties.”
Shapiro also pressed Zelensky on the reports that Ukrainian men have been kidnapped off the streets and forcibly recruited into the military — a claim that Vice President JD Vance brought up during Zelensky’s contentious <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-and-vance-clash-with-zelensky-in-fiery-white-house-meeting" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Oval Office meeting</a> in March.
“There have been reports online that people are being picked up off the streets and in places in eastern Ukraine and recruited into services,” Shapiro asked. “How do you respond to accusations and videos like that?”
In response, Zelensky called the act “military mobilization” and said that it’s a policy created in accordance with martial law after the 2022 Russian invasion.
“The country is at war,” Zelensky said. “That is why we do have mobilization. We want the war to end…but as long as there is war, as long as we have the law, there is still mobilization.”
Zelensky downplayed the accusations, claiming that there are “different approaches&#8221; to military mobilization and that taking men off the streets is not “the main thing that describes Ukraine today.”
“No, Ukraine has 800,000 right now, or 600,000 people who volunteered to go to the army,” he said. “That was the law on mobilization, but the people were volunteering to go and defend Ukraine.”
Zelensky added that the issue is “not massive” and that he believes law enforcement should be “making sure that everything would be transparent” and that there is “no coercion.”
“We shouldn&#8217;t be hiding that like a corruption,” he went on. “If we are fighting with this on an everyday basis — well, of course, you can hide it, like everything, as in [the] case in Russia or in some European countries — but Ukraine clearly shows that it is fighting on a constant basis against aspects like that. But those are kind of singular cases. This is not massive. That&#8217;s more important, and that should be reducing on a daily basis. We&#8217;re doing that.”

Best Of 2025: Ben Shapiro Confronts Zelensky On Christian Persecution And Conscription In Exclusive Interview

Russia

China&#8217;s foreign ministry announced sanctions on Friday targeting 10 individuals and 20 U.S. defense firms, including Boeing&#8217;s St. Louis branch, over arms sales to Taiwan.
A spokesperson for the U.S. State Department said the United States strongly objected to the Chinese move, which freezes any assets the companies and individuals hold in China and bars domestic organizations and individuals from doing business with them.
Individuals on the Chinese list, including the founder of defense firm Anduril Industries and nine senior executives from the sanctioned firms, are also banned from entering China, it added.
Other companies targeted include Northrop Grumman Systems Corporation and L3Harris Maritime Services, and Boeing&#8217;s St. Louis branch, which focuses on defense work.
The Chinese action appears largely symbolic given China&#8217;s lack of dealings with U.S. defense firms, whereas it has been a major purchaser of Boeing civilian aircraft.
The move follows Washington&#8217;s announcement last week of $11.1 billion in arms sales to Taiwan, the largest ever U.S. weapons package for the island, drawing Beijing&#8217;s ire.
&#8220;The Taiwan issue is the core of China&#8217;s core interests and the first red line that cannot be crossed in China-U.S. relations,&#8221; a Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson said in a statement on Friday.
&#8220;Any provocative actions that cross the line on the Taiwan issue will be met with a strong response from China,&#8221; the statement said, urging the U.S. to cease &#8220;dangerous&#8221; efforts to arm the island.
China views democratically-governed Taiwan as part of its own territory, a claim Taipei rejects.
The U.S. is bound by law to provide Taiwan with the means to defend itself, though such arms sales are a persistent source of friction with China.
The State Department spokesperson said this policy had &#8220;remained consistent across nine different U.S. administrations and contributes to the maintenance of peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait.&#8221;
&#8220;We strongly object to Beijing’s efforts to retaliate against U.S. companies for their support of U.S. arms sales that support Taiwan’s self-defense capabilities,&#8221; the spokesperson said, while urging Beijing to cease military, diplomatic, and economic pressure against Taiwan and instead engage in meaningful dialogue with Taipei.
Boeing has been in talks to sell Chinese carriers up to 500 civilian jets, according to a report in September, which would represent a major breakthrough for the company in the world&#8217;s second-largest aviation market, where orders have stalled amid U.S.-China trade tensions.
(Reporting by Beijing Newsroom; Additional reporting by David Brunnstrom in Washington; Editing by Joe Bavier, Peter Graff and Alistair Bell)

The two sides clashed with missiles. trade war. Flag of the People’s Republic of China. Flag of the United States. Taiwan flag

China Hits U.S. Defense Firms With Sanctions Over Arms Sales To Taiwan

Communist China

Department of Defense

Taiwan

President Donald Trump ordered the United States military to carry out strikes on ISIS targets in Africa on Christmas Day, saying that he had warned them to stop the systematic slaughter of Christians and they had not heeded that warning.
Trump shared the news first in a post to his Truth Social platform, saying that the War Department had — on his orders — carried out a number of &#8220;perfect strikes&#8221; on targets throughout Northwest Nigeria.
&#8220;Tonight, at my direction as Commander in Chief, the United States launched a powerful and deadly strike against ISIS Terrorist Scum in Northwest Nigeria, who have been targeting and viciously killing, primarily, innocent Christians, at levels not seen for many years, and even Centuries!&#8221; Trump posted, adding, &#8220;I have previously warned these Terrorists that if they did not stop the slaughtering of Christians, there would be hell to pay, and tonight, there was.&#8221;
&#8220;The Department of War executed numerous perfect strikes, as only the United States is capable of doing,&#8221; he continued. &#8220;Under my leadership, our Country will not allow Radical Islamic Terrorism to prosper. May God Bless our Military, and MERRY CHRISTMAS to all, including the dead Terrorists, of which there will be many more if their slaughter of Christians continues.&#8221;
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&#8220;The President was clear last month,&#8221; War Secretary Pete Hegseth added. &#8220;The killing of innocent Christians in Nigeria (and elsewhere) must end. The @DeptofWar is always ready, so ISIS found out tonight — on Christmas. More to come… Grateful for Nigerian government support &amp; cooperation. Merry Christmas!&#8221;
Just hours before President Trump confirmed that the strikes had taken place, the War Department posted a Christmas message that served as a reminder that the United States military did not rest just because it was a holiday.
&#8220;Christmas night, 1776… The world slept while Washington crossed the Delaware. We carry his legacy,&#8221; the post read, and included an image of then-General George Washington and his men crossing the Delaware River.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Christmas night, 1776…
The world slept while Washington crossed the Delaware.
We carry his legacy. <a href="https://t.co/eFRDAwfewO">https://t.co/eFRDAwfewO</a> <a href="https://t.co/ePUt394Qdj">pic.twitter.com/ePUt394Qdj</a>
— DOW Rapid Response (@DOWResponse) <a href="https://twitter.com/DOWResponse/status/2004235843448504500?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 25, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
On Christmas night of 1776, Washington led some 2,400 men in crossing the treacherously icy Delaware River. They surprised an encampment of Hessian soldiers — Germans fighting for the crown — near Trenton, where they won a decisive victory and took some 900 of the Hessians prisoner. Two other generals were supposed to cross the Delaware that same day — one to harass other troops in the area and prevent them from providing backup and another to prevent the Hessians a safe avenue of retreat — but only Washington and his men were able to make it across the river.

President Trump Attends Pentagon Ceremony On 24th Anniversary Of 9/11

Trump Strikes ISIS Targets In Nigeria On Christmas Day

Africa

ISIS

Military

Terrorists

The Trump administration moved more troops and military assets into the South Caribbean this week as the president continues to ratchet up pressure on Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro.
The U.S. military moved a large number of special operations aircraft, soldiers, and more equipment into the area this week, according to <a href="https://www.wsj.com/politics/national-security/u-s-moves-troops-and-additional-special-operations-aircraft-into-caribbean-bb8167c6?mod=hp_lead_pos1">The Wall Street Journal</a>. The deployment comes as the United States has begun to seize oil tankers known for transporting sanctioned Venezuelan oil.
In a press conference on Monday, Trump <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-warns-maduro-against-playing-tough-itll-be-the-last-time">warned</a> Maduro against playing “tough” with the U.S. military.
“He can do whatever he wants. We have a massive armada formed, the biggest we’ve ever had – by far the biggest we’ve ever had in South America. He could do whatever he wants. It’s alright. Whatever he wants to do, if he wants to do something. If he plays tough, it’ll be the last time he’s ever able to play tough,” said Trump.
At least 10 CV-22 Osprey tilt-rotor aircraft and a C-17 cargo plane flew from the United States to the South Caribbean on Monday, according to WSJ. The aircraft carried troops and other equipment.
Maduro has accused the Trump administration of pursuing colonialism in South America and of violating international law. U.S. military operations against drug trafficking began in international waters off the coast of Venezuela over the summer and have resulted in dozens of drug boats being sunk by U.S. missiles.
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During his first term, Trump called on Maduro to step down as Venezuela’s leader. Trump has increased pressure in the first year of his second term, raising a bounty on Maduro to $50 million and approving CIA operations in Venezuela targeting the dictator.
The United States has seized at least two sanctioned oil tankers in recent weeks and pursued a third, according to reports. The president said on Monday that the United States would keep the oil and potentially add it to “the strategic reserves.”
The decision to target Venezuela’s international oil business marks a significant escalation in the pressure campaign against Maduro. Oil is the foundation of Venezuela’s economy and accounts for much of the money used to maintain Maduro’s regime.

Trump Just Made The ‘Massive Armada’ Off The Coast Of Venezuela Even Bigger

Nicolas Maduro

President Donald Trump warned Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro against playing “tough” with the United States on Monday.
The president offered grave advice to Maduro while taking questions from reporters after announcing the construction of a new &#8220;Trump-Class&#8221; of battleship. Trump, asked why Maduro “should take [Trump’s] threats seriously,” said Maduro could do “whatever he wants.”
“He can do whatever he wants. We have a massive armada formed, the biggest we&#8217;ve ever had – by far the biggest we’ve ever had in South America. He could do whatever he wants. It&#8217;s alright. Whatever he wants to do, if he wants to do something. If he plays tough, it&#8217;ll be the last time he&#8217;s ever able to play tough,” said Trump.
The president was asked about Maduro and U.S. goals in Venezuela several times throughout the press conference and repeatedly said the decision is up to Maduro.
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“I think it probably would,” said Trump when asked if the United States is seeking to oust Maduro from power. “That’s up to him what he wants to do. I think it would be smart for him to do that, but, again, we’re going to find out.”
The Trump administration has ramped up the U.S. pressure campaign on Venezuela. Over the summer, the U.S. military began to surge battleships and troops into the southern Caribbean to close down drug trafficking routes out of Venezuela. The United States has added the USS Gerald R. Ford aircraft carrier, the most advanced warship in the U.S. fleet, to the military assets stationed off Venezuela’s coast.
In recent weeks, the Trump administration has targeted sanctioned tanker ships used to move Venezuelan oil to international buyers, such as Iran. The president said that the United States will keep the ships and the oil that it confiscates as the administration ramps up its pressure campaign on Maduro.
“We’re going to keep it. Maybe we’ll sell it. Maybe we’ll keep it. Maybe we’ll use it in the strategic reserves,” <a href="https://thehill.com/policy/defense/5660486-trump-seizes-venezuelan-oil-tankers/">said</a> Trump on Monday.

Trump Warns Maduro Against Playing ‘Tough’: ‘It’ll Be The Last Time’

The United States is interdicting and seizing a vessel off the coast of Venezuela in international waters, three U.S. officials told Reuters on Saturday, a move that comes just days after U.S. President Donald Trump announced a &#8220;blockade&#8221; of all sanctioned oil tankers entering and leaving Venezuela.
This would mark the second time in recent weeks that the United States has seized a tanker near Venezuela and comes amid a large U.S. military build-up in the region.
The officials, who were speaking on the condition of anonymity, did not say where the operation was taking place but added the Coast Guard was in the lead.
The Coast Guard and Pentagon referred questions to the White House, which did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Venezuela&#8217;s oil ministry and state oil company PDVSA did not immediately reply to requests for comment.
&#8220;I am ordering A TOTAL AND COMPLETE BLOCKADE OF ALL SANCTIONED OIL TANKERS going into, and out of, Venezuela,&#8221; Trump said on Tuesday.
In the days since U.S. forces seized a sanctioned oil tanker off the coast of Venezuela last week, there has been an effective embargo in place, with loaded vessels carrying millions of barrels of oil staying in Venezuelan waters rather than risk seizure.
Since the first seizure, Venezuelan crude exports have fallen sharply.
While many vessels picking up oil in Venezuela are under sanctions, others transporting the country&#8217;s oil and crude from Iran and Russia have not been sanctioned, and some companies, particularly the U.S.&#8217; Chevron, transport Venezuelan oil in their own authorized ships.
China is the biggest buyer of Venezuelan crude, which accounts for roughly 4% of its imports, with shipments in December on track to average more than 600,000 barrels per day, analysts have said.
For now, the oil market is well supplied and there are millions of barrels of oil on tankers off the coast of China waiting to offload. If the embargo stays in place for some time, then the loss of nearly a million barrels a day of crude supply is likely to push oil prices higher.
Since the U.S. imposed energy sanctions on Venezuela in 2019, traders and refiners buying Venezuelan oil have resorted to a &#8220;shadow fleet&#8221; of tankers that disguise their location and to vessels sanctioned for transporting Iranian or Russian oil.
The dark or shadow fleet is considered exposed to possible punitive measures from the U.S., shipping analysts have said.
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As of this week, of more than 70 oil tankers in Venezuelan waters that are part of the shadow fleet, around 38 are under sanctions by the U.S. Treasury, according to data from TankerTrackers.com. Of those, at least 15 are loaded with crude and fuel, it added.
Trump&#8217;s pressure campaign on Maduro has included a ramped-up military presence in the region and more than two dozen military strikes on vessels in the Pacific Ocean and Caribbean Sea near Venezuela, which have killed at least 100 people.
Trump has also said that U.S. land strikes on the South American country will soon start.
Venezuela&#8217;s President Nicolas Maduro has alleged that the U.S. military build-up is aimed at overthrowing him and gaining control of the OPEC nation&#8217;s oil resources, which are the world&#8217;s largest crude reserves.
(Reporting by Idrees Ali, Phil Stewart and Marianna Parraga; Editing by Alison Williams, Sergio Non and Franklin Paul)

Venezuela Oil Tanker

U.S. Seizes Vessel Off Venezuelan Coast, Officials Say

Pentagon

Federal authorities have accused another Chinese researcher of smuggling biological materials into the United States, as the FBI cautions American universities about growing threats from the communist nation.
FBI Director Kash Patel announced Friday that Chinese national Youhuang Xiang was arrested for allegedly smuggling genetic material from E. coli bacteria into the United States while working as a researcher at Indiana University. According to court documents, Xiang entered the country in 2023 on an educational exchange visa to secure a postdoctoral position at the school.
“This is yet another example of a researcher from China — given the privilege to work at a U.S. university — who then allegedly chose to take part in a scheme to circumvent U.S. laws and receive biological materials hidden in a package originating from China,” Patel posted on X. “The [FBI] and our CBP partners are committed to enforcing U.S. laws put in place to protect against this global threat to our economy and food supply. If not properly controlled, E. coli and other biological materials could inflict devastating disease to U.S. crops and cause significant financial loss to the U.S. economy.”
Xiang has been charged with conspiracy to commit smuggling, smuggling, and making false statements. He could face up to 20 years in prison and fines totaling hundreds of thousands of dollars if convicted. James Tunick, Xiang&#8217;s lawyer, disputed the allegations.
&#8220;Youhuang Xiang was legally working in the United States on a J-1 visa with a professor from the Biology Department at Indiana University to better wheat crop production in the United States,&#8221; Tunick told The Daily Wire. &#8220;The allegation that Youhuang smuggled E. coli into the United States is completely false and is not even charged by the United States Department of Justice.&#8221;
Xiang, whose <a href="https://biology.indiana.edu/about/research-associates/index.html">bio</a> says he specializes in “recognition specificity in host-pathogen interactions and engineering crop resistance to pathogen,” was first arrested on November 25. Information about the case was unsealed this week. 
In March 2024, Xiang requested that a person in China referred to as “Individual A” ship plasmid DNA from E. coli bacteria to his home in Bloomington, Indiana, according to the indictment. The material was shipped to him shortly after, concealed in a package of clothing items that &#8220;Individual A&#8221; declared included a men&#8217;s vest and women&#8217;s underwear, investigators said. The package allegedly came from Guangzhou Sci Tech Innovation Trading.
More than a year later, on November 23, 2025, Xiang landed in Chicago after returning from a trip to London, where agents with Customs and Border Protection questioned him. During that interview, he allegedly lied to them about the package he had sent to his home and about his ties to the Chinese government. 
Xiang was scheduled to remain at Indiana University through 2027 and was leading a research program focused on genome editing in wheat plants to increase resistance to fungal diseases.
The FBI was made aware of the shipment by CBP as part of an investigation into biological materials being smuggled into the United States from China, which is why he was questioned on November 23. 
“Information provided to the FBI by CBP included information about the history of shipments from China to certain individuals at IU conducting research into wheat pathogen Resistance,” the criminal complaint said. “That information indicated that XIANG was associated with that research and that XIANG received a shipment from China at his residence on March 28, 2024.”
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The FBI also thought it was “odd” that Xiang purchased and shipped “women’s underwear from China, and further assessed it as peculiar that a company by the name ‘Guangzhou Sci Tech Innovation Trading’ would sell underwear or clothing,” according to the complaint. 
A <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1674205219301625">paper</a> written by Xiang also listed his affiliation with the National Key Laboratory of Plant Molecular Genetics in Shanghai, which raised flags for investigators. 
“I know from my training and experience that the PRC ‘Key Laboratories’ are overseen by the Chinese Government and have a history of concerning actions including technology transfer and theft of intellectual property,” the FBI agent who investigated the case wrote in the criminal complaint. 
Over the last few months, other Chinese researchers at American universities have been arrested for smuggling biological materials into the country. Multiple arrests have been made at the University of Michigan, where <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/feds-makes-more-arrests-as-alarming-pattern-of-chinese-smuggling-continues">investigators said</a> that shipments of concealed biological materials related to roundworms were smuggled into the United States. 
President Donald Trump has faced criticism over the presence of Chinese students at American universities. While some critics have called for reducing the number of Chinese nationals admitted to U.S. schools, Trump has argued that their enrollment helps provide funding for American institutions.

Cornfield and blue sky

Chinese National Accused Of Smuggling E. Coli DNA Into United States

Chinese National Accused of Smuggling E. Coli DNA Into United States

China

Crime

Department of Justice

Indiana

kash patel

Smuggling

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced Thursday that his government would move to crack down on antisemitism and increase visa oversight following last weekend’s Bondi Beach terrorist attack targeting Jewish people observing Hanukkah.
The Australian government, which is led by Albanese&#8217;s leftist Labor Party, is set to adopt a plan that was first proposed in July to go after people spreading “hate, division, and radicalization,” The Guardian <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2025/dec/18/what-changes-are-planned-to-australias-hate-speech-laws-and-how-will-they-work-ntwnfb">reported</a>. The proposal would give Australia&#8217;s Department of Home Affairs more power &#8220;to cancel or reject visas for those who spread hate and division.&#8221;
The plan would also create a &#8220;new aggravated hate speech&#8221; charge for religious preachers and leaders who promote violence and would develop a list of organizations led by people who engage in violent rhetoric or promote racial hatred.
&#8220;Every Jewish Australian has the right to feel safe, valued and respected for the contribution that they make to our great nation,&#8221; Albanese <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cgmneem1e89o">said</a> at a press conference. He added, &#8220;The terrorists, inspired by ISIS &#8230; sought to turn Australians against each other.&#8221;
Albanese has been criticized by many in Australia&#8217;s Jewish community for ignoring the rise in threats toward Jewish people since Hamas&#8217; terrorist attack on Israel more than two years ago. After Australia’s Special Envoy to Combat Antisemitism, Jillian Segal, put forward a plan earlier this year to address antisemitism and “hate speech,” Albanese was accused of ignoring the proposal and failing to push back against antisemitism following the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas terror attack. On Thursday, Albanese acknowledged that criticism from the Jewish community over his earlier inaction was valid.
&#8220;I accept my responsibility for the part in that as prime minister of Australia,&#8221; he said. &#8220;But what I also do is accept my responsibility to lead the nation and unite the nation. Because what people are looking for at this time isn&#8217;t more division.&#8221;
The Australian government&#8217;s proposal to crack down on &#8220;hate speech&#8221; has drawn opposition from critics who argue it would further encroach on free speech. In the wake of last weekend&#8217;s antisemitic mass shooting, Australian leaders have <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/australias-leftist-leaders-call-for-tougher-gun-laws-after-antisemitic-massacre">renewed</a> calls for &#8220;tougher gun laws,&#8221; with Albanese <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/bondi-beach-shooting-australia-announces-new-gun-buyback-plan/">announcing</a> another gun buyback plan on Friday to &#8220;get guns off our streets.&#8221;
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“If you’re not a farmer, you’re not involved in agriculture, why do you need these massive weapons that put the public in danger and make life dangerous and difficult for New South Wales Police?” New South Wales Premier Chris Minns asked.
The suspected gunmen who killed 15 people and wounded dozens more on Sydney&#8217;s popular Bondi Beach were inspired by ISIS, according to Australian authorities. Sajid and Naveed Akram, a father and son, are accused of targeting Jewish people. Naveed, who has been charged with terrorism, was on the Australian government&#8217;s radar over suspected ties to ISIS in 2019. Still, authorities at the time ultimately said there &#8220;was no indication of any ongoing threat or threat of him engaging in violence.&#8221;
Sajid, who was killed by police in the shooting, moved to Australia from India in 1998, and his children were all born in Australia, according to police. Since moving to Australia 27 years ago, Sajid had traveled to India just six times, and his family in India <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cwyvxke3wgko">said</a> they had &#8220;no knowledge of his radical mindset or activities,&#8221; according to officials.

Australia

Australia To Target Antisemitism And Visa Oversight After Bondi Beach Terror Attack

Bondi Beach

Hate Speech

Terrorism

terrorist attack

Heavily armed Australian police officers on Thursday detained seven men after receiving intelligence that the group, en route to Bondi Beach, might be planning a “violent act.”
Police rammed a white hatchback reportedly traveling from the southern state of Victoria to Sydney&#8217;s Bondi Beach, the site of last weekend&#8217;s ISIS-inspired antisemitic terror attack. Videos published by <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/men-pulled-from-crashed-car-by-heavily-armed-tactical-police-20251218-p5nouo.html">The Sydney Morning Herald</a> show authorities in camouflage gear, rifles in hand, zip-tying five of the men on a street in southwest Sydney.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">
Sydney police arrested five men near Bondi Beach on suspicion of carrying weapons after a vehicle they were in collided with a police car, officials said. Authorities acted on specific intelligence linking the group to potential threats near the site of Sunday’s deadly attack. <a href="https://t.co/9aHvHcPR6r">pic.twitter.com/9aHvHcPR6r</a>
— Open Source Intel (@Osint613) <a href="https://twitter.com/Osint613/status/2001607012388421769?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 18, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">
🚨Breaking News🚨
In Sydney five Muslims have been arrested as they were making their way to Bondi Beach for a copycat slaughter.
They were being watched by the Australian Intelligence service. <a href="https://t.co/CNpS6ahbyw">pic.twitter.com/CNpS6ahbyw</a>
— David Atherton (@DaveAtherton20) <a href="https://twitter.com/DaveAtherton20/status/2001670938333471092?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 18, 2025</a></blockquote>
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A second hatchback was stopped by police just a few blocks away, and two men inside were also arrested. While the precise reason for the dramatic arrests was not disclosed, the group had been flagged by authorities in Victoria, according to the Herald. New South Wales police said only that “Tactical Operations police responded to information received that a violent act was possibly being planned.”
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A source told the Herald that authorities might have recovered a weapon in one of the vehicles, but police have not verified that claim. Authorities promised to release more information on the arrests and assured the public that &#8220;there is no ongoing risk to the community.&#8221;
The arrests on Thursday came just days after suspected gunmen Sajid and Naveed Akram, a father and son, were accused of killing 15 people and wounding dozens more in an attack targeting Jewish people participating in a Hanukkah celebration on Bondi Beach. Australian authorities said that 24-year-old Naveed was inspired by ISIS and was previously investigated over his ties to the terror group. Officials said they &#8220;have not identified any connection to the current police investigation of the Bondi terror attack.”

Australian police

Australian Police Arrest 7 Near Bondi Beach Over Suspected Plot To Carry Out ‘Violent Act’

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