International News Briefs for Thursday, December 11, 2025
HAVANA TIMES – We bring you some of the top international news stories compiled by Democracy Now on Thursday, December 11, 2025.
Caracas Condemns U.S. Seizure of Oil Tanker Off Venezuela’s Coast as “International Piracy”
Dec 11, 2025
U.S. forces seized a tanker loaded with crude oil off the coast of Venezuela Wednesday, as the Pentagon ramps up its military buildup in the Caribbean ahead of possible strikes on Venezuela. Attorney General Pam Bondi announced the seizure of the 20-year-old tanker named The Skipper in a social media post, accompanied by video showing soldiers rappelling from helicopters and pointing weapons at sailors. Bondi said Coast Guard, FBI and Homeland Security officers carried out a seizure warrant for the tanker, which she said was used to transport sanctioned oil from Venezuela and Iran. At the White House, President Trump confirmed the raid.
President Donald Trump: “As you probably know, we’ve just seized a tanker on the coast of Venezuela, large tanker, very large, largest one ever seized, actually.”
Reporter: “We’re interested in the seizure of this tanker. What happens to the oil on this ship?”
bq. President Donald Trump: “Well, we keep it, I guess. I don’t know.”
Venezuela’s government condemned the seizure as an “act of international piracy.” It comes after the Pentagon carried out more than 20 strikes on alleged drug boats that human rights groups have condemned as murder.
“He’d Better Wise Up, or He’ll Be Next”: Trump Threatens Colombian President Gustavo Petro
Dec 11, 2025
President Trump signaled Wednesday he may expand his attacks on alleged narcotraffickers to Colombia, following up his threats against Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro with a new threat against Colombian President Gustavo Petro.
President Donald Trump: “Colombia is producing a lot of drugs, a lot of — they have cocaine factories that they make cocaine, as you know, and they sell it right into the United States. So, he’d better wise up, or he’ll be next. He’ll be next, too.”
We’ll have more on this story after headlines.
Child Freezes to Death as Torrential Rains Flood Tents of Gaza’s Displaced Palestinians
Dec 11, 2025
In Gaza, hundreds of thousands of displaced Palestinians are struggling to stay warm and dry as a fierce winter storm brings heavy rains and flash flooding to the territory. Forecasters are predicting two months’ worth of rain to fall on Gaza over just two days, threatening to flood makeshift tents housing families. Already the storm has claimed at least one life. Eight-month-old Rahaf Abu Jazar died of cold exposure earlier today after water flooded her family’s tent in Khan Younis.
Meanwhile, Israel’s military continues to violate the U.S.-brokered ceasefire deal it agreed to in October. Health officials report four bodies and 10 injured Palestinians were brought to hospitals over the last 24 hours. That brings the number of Palestinians killed since the truce was declared to 383. This is Umm al-Abd al-Jarjawi, the aunt of a Palestinian killed in an Israeli airstrike on Monday.
Umm al-Abd al-Jarjawi: “They were sitting in their home thinking they were safe, because there is a ceasefire and nothing is happening. He was bombed while he was at home. His mother was few steps away from him. God saved her. … There is no safety here. There is no consideration for the ceasefire. The war is still going on. People are bombed every day in their homes.”
Five Palestine Action Supporters Hospitalized While on Hunger Strike to Protest Imprisonment
Dec 11, 2025
In Britain, five political prisoners awaiting trial for supporting the banned protest group Palestine Action have been hospitalized due to deteriorating health as a result of hunger strikes. It’s now the largest coordinated hunger strike in U.K. prisons since the 1981 Irish Republican protests led by political prisoner Bobby Sands.
House of Representatives Passes $901 Billion National Defense Authorization Act
Dec 11, 2025
On Capitol Hill, the House of Representatives has passed the $901 billion National Defense Authorization Act. Combined with a supplemental bill passed earlier this year, the NDAA would expand the U.S. military’s budget to over $1 trillion. The bill drew bipartisan support, passing on a vote of 312 to 112, with 94 Democrats and 18 Republicans in opposition. Minnesota Democratic Congresswoman Ilhan Omar voted no. She said it was because “Congress cannot continue writing blank checks for endless war while millions of Americans struggle to afford housing, healthcare, and basic necessities.”
NTSB Chair Says New Military Bill Would Make Washington, D.C., Airspace Less Safe
Dec 11, 2025
The chair of the National Transportation Safety Board warned Wednesday that a section in the National Defense Authorization Act would weaken safety measures near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport. NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy specifically cited the board’s investigation into the January 29 collision between an Army helicopter and a commercial jet that killed 67 people. The investigation found that the military helicopter was not using enhanced tracking technology. The recently passed defense authorization bill creates a waiver for military aircraft to turn off their enhanced tracking software while flying on national security missions through parts of the Washington, D.C., airspace.
Jennifer Homendy: “This is a significant, significant safety setback. It represents an unacceptable risk to the flying public, to commercial and military aircraft crews and to the residents in the region. It’s also an unthinkable dismissal of our investigation and of 67 families, 67 families who lost loved ones in a tragedy that was entirely preventable. This is shameful.”
Federal Reserve Votes to Cut Interest Rates by Quarter Point
Dec 11, 2025
In economic news, the Federal Reserve voted Wednesday to cut interest rates by a quarter point for the third time this year. But the vote to reduce rates was split 9 to 3; usually the Fed votes unanimously when making major changes to the interest rate. This comes as the U.S. economy is reeling from tariffs, immigration crackdowns and cuts to government spending. And despite inflation and unemployment ticking up in September, not to mention four months of job losses over the past six months, President Trump offered an optimistic assessment of the U.S. economy.
Dasha Burns: “But I do want to talk about the economy, sir, here at home. And I wonder what grade you would give your economy.”
President Donald Trump: “A-plus.”
Dasha Burns: “A-plus?”
President Donald Trump: “Yeah, A-plus-plus-plus-plus-plus.”
President Trump was interviewed by Politico’s Dasha Burns.
200+ Environmental Groups Demand Halt to Construction of New U.S. Data Centers
Dec 11, 2025
More than 200 environmental groups are demanding a national moratorium on the construction of data centers in the U.S until new regulations are put in place. In an open letter addressed to Congress, the groups, which include Greenpeace, Friends of the Earth and Food & Water Watch, write, “The rapid, largely unregulated rise of datacenters to fuel the AI and crypto frenzy is disrupting communities across the country and threatening Americans’ economic, environmental, climate and water security.” Vermont’s independent Senator Bernie Sanders urged opponents of AI data centers to keep up the pressure against elected officials.
Sen. Bernie Sanders: “In community after community, Americans are fighting back against data centers being built by some of the largest and most powerful corporations in the world. They are opposing the destruction of their local environment, soaring electric bills and the diversion of scarce water supplies. Nationally, how will continued construction of AI data centers impact our environment?”
Report: Wealthiest 0.001% Hold Three Times More Wealth Than the Poorest Half of Humanity
Dec 11, 2025
A new report on global inequality shows the wealthiest 0.001% hold three times more wealth than the poorest half of humanity. Publishers of the World Inequality Report say their findings show the global wealth gap is much larger than most people imagine, with fewer than 60,000 multimillionaires and billionaires holding unprecedented financial power, while billions of the world’s poor remain cut off from even basic economic stability.
Federal Judge Orders Trump Administration to End Deployment of Troops to Los Angeles
Dec 11, 2025
A federal judge in California has ordered the Trump administration to end its deployment of National Guard forces to Los Angeles and to return control of the troops to Governor Gavin Newsom. District Judge Charles Breyer issued the preliminary injunction on Wednesday, after rejecting government claims that protests against Trump’s immigration crackdown in L.A. amounted to a “rebellion.” But Judge Breyer put the decision on hold until next Monday to give the Trump administration time to appeal.
Trump Launches “Trump Gold Card” Visa Program for Wealthy Noncitizens
Dec 11, 2025
President Trump has officially launched a visa program that provides a pathway for wealthy noncitizens to get expedited permission to live and work in the United States. For a $1 million payment, visitors can obtain a “Trump Gold Card” that promises to expedite U.S. residency applications “in record time.” The administration says it’ll soon offer a $5 million “Trump Platinum Card” allowing visitors to avoid paying some U.S. taxes.
Separately, new U.S. Customs and Border Protection rules published this week would require visitors from 42 countries on the visa waiver program to provide up to five years of their social media history, along with telephone numbers, email addresses and biometric data including DNA, face, fingerprint and iris scans.
Trump Administration Abruptly Cancels Naturalization Ceremonies for Immigrants from 19 Nations
Dec 11, 2025
The Trump administration recently told green card holders on the cusp of becoming U.S. citizens that their naturalization ceremonies had been canceled. Among those affected were immigrants who lined up at Boston’s Faneuil Hall last week and prepared to pledge allegiance to the United States. The group Project Citizenship told radio station WGBH, “officers were asking everyone what country they were from, and if they said a certain country, they were told to step out of line and that their oath ceremonies were canceled.”
At Least 33 People Killed After Myanmar Military Bombs Hospital
Dec 11, 2025
Image Credit: AP photo
In Burma, at least 33 people were killed after forces loyal to the country’s military leaders bombed a hospital in Rakhine state. The airstrike left dozens of people injured, including 27 in critical condition. The attack came on International Human Rights Day and ahead of elections set for the end of December. Burmese opposition groups are boycotting the election, after major political parties were barred from running by the ruling military junta.
Bolivia’s Former President Luis Arce Arrested over Alleged Graft
Dec 11, 2025
Bolivia’s former President Luis Arce has been arrested in the capital La Paz as part of the government’s investigation into alleged graft. Arce is accused of authorizing transfers from the public treasury to the personal accounts of political leaders when he served as economy minister under former President Evo Morales.