The CIA reports Cuba faces severe economic distress but is not necessarily on the verge of collapse, contradicting Trump’s claim that the regime is “ready to fall” after the Venezuela intervention.
Trump orders the immediate refining and sale of 50 million barrels of Venezuelan oil, valued at nearly $3 billion. The move integrates Venezuelan crude into the US economy and cuts off previous exports to China.
Lviv is hit by ten explosions minutes after air raid alerts, with reports suggesting Russia launched an “Oreshnik” IRBM. The rapid succession of impacts points to the weapon’s multiple warhead capability targeting Western Ukraine.
US forces seize the sanctioned tanker Marinera (formerly Bella 1) in the North Atlantic after a weeks-long chase. The “Shadow Fleet” vessel had painted a fake Russian flag to evade capture.
The Lebanese Army seizes a major Hezbollah warehouse in South Lebanon containing 1,640 rockets, cruise missiles, and converted Tu-143 “suicide drones.” Engineering units are currently dismantling the site.
Trump threatens Venezuelan Interim President Delcy Rodríguez with a “bigger price than Maduro” as reports reveal the deposed leader rejected a December exile deal to Turkey. The crisis escalates amid new details of CIA infiltration.
Danish PM Mette Frederiksen rejects Trump’s “threats” to annex Greenland, stating the US has no right to take the territory. She cites NATO guarantees and tells the US to stop threatening an ally: “Greenland is not for sale.”
Canada’s Mark Carney welcomes the “opportunity for freedom” in Venezuela, citing the illegitimate 2018 election. The statement supports the regime change but calls for a “Venezuelan-led” transition process.
President Trump announces the capture of Nicolás Maduro and his wife following a “large-scale strike” in Venezuela. The operation, involving US law enforcement, marks the climax of Operation Southern Spear.
Zelenskyy appoints military intelligence chief Kyrylo Budanov as Head of the Presidential Office, replacing Andriy Yermak. The move signals a shift to a “security-first” strategy amid critical peace talks.