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US intercepts Venezuelan tanker; Ukraine responds to peace proposal | Unbiased Updates
Straight Arrow News
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3 hours ago
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00:00
The U.S. grabs a massive oil tanker off Venezuela, a move turning up the heat on Maduro.
00:06
Does this push the region closer to an American ground strike?
00:09
Plus, a relentless atmospheric river slamming the Pacific Northwest, Washington State underwater, and the worst may not be over.
00:18
And a fierce fight for a Hollywood giant, and the president signals he may help decide who buys Warner Brothers.
00:25
The stories that matter, clear and credible, from across the country to around the world.
00:34
These are your unbiased updates from Straight Arrow News.
00:39
Good morning, I'm Craig DeGrali.
00:41
The Trump administration has taken its Venezuela crackdown to a new level,
00:46
seizing what the president calls the largest oil tanker ever taken in a federal crackdown.
00:51
During an event at the White House on Wednesday, the president confirmed the takedown and hinted at more to come.
00:58
As you probably know, we've just seized a tanker on the coast of Venezuela, a large tanker, very large.
01:08
Largest one ever seized, actually.
01:11
And other things are happening, so.
01:14
Can you explain a little more about this Venezuelan oil tanker and share a little more information?
01:20
Well, I'll let the people do it, but you see the result, and I guess they probably have released the pictures by now, pretty soon.
01:28
You'll discuss that with the appropriate people later on, but no, it was seized for a very good reason.
01:34
And now we're seeing video of the operation, right here.
01:38
Attorney General Pam Bondi posted this video on X, saying the tanker had been moving sanctioned oil from Venezuela and Iran
01:45
and was part of an illicit shipping network supporting foreign terrorist organizations.
01:51
She says the seizure was carried out by the FBI, Homeland Security, and the U.S. Coast Guard,
01:56
with support from the Department of Defense, and that it was done safely and securely.
02:01
U.S. officials say the ship, identified as the skipper,
02:04
was intercepted in international waters on Wednesday morning.
02:08
They say it was carrying Venezuelan crude from PDVSA and had been previously linked to smuggling Iranian oil.
02:15
A federal judge signed the seizure warrant about two weeks ago,
02:18
tied to the vessel's past involvement in that global smuggling network.
02:23
Venezuela's government is blasting the seizure, calling it a bare-faced robbery
02:27
and an act of international piracy aimed at stripping the country of its oil and wealth.
02:33
Caracas has repeatedly accused the U.S. of trying to strangle Venezuela's oil industry.
02:38
This comes after more than 20 U.S. strikes on boats the administration says were moving drugs
02:43
for the Venezuelan military, operations that have killed more than 80 people since September.
02:49
Ukraine has now formally responded to the latest U.S.-backed peace plan meant to end the war with Russia,
02:55
as President Trump sets a Christmas deadline for a deal.
02:59
Ukrainian and American officials tell CNN that Kyiv has sent back its feedback on the 20-point draft proposal,
03:06
a plan the U.S. crafted and Russia has signaled it could entertain.
03:10
This comes as leaders of the Coalition of the Willing, Ukraine's close European partners,
03:15
hold a video call today on how or if a final agreement can be reached.
03:20
President Trump told reporters he, quote,
03:21
discussed Ukraine in pretty strong words with his British, French, and German counterparts,
03:27
but not giving any specifics.
03:29
European leaders have been negotiating security guarantees for Ukraine if a deal is struck,
03:34
and they're pushing for a meeting with Trump and Zelensky in the coming days.
03:37
The president, however, indicated he may skip it.
03:40
We said before we go to a meeting, we want to know some things, you know,
03:44
they would like us to go to a meeting over the weekend in Europe,
03:50
and we'll make a determination depending on what they come back with.
03:56
We don't want to be wasting time.
03:59
Sometimes you have to let people fight it out.
04:01
On the ground, the war is still active.
04:04
Ukraine says its sea drones disabled a Russian-linked oil tanker moving through the Black Sea.
04:09
And overnight, Russia claimed it shot down at least 287 Ukrainian drones across multiple regions,
04:15
more than 40 over Moscow alone.
04:18
In the Pacific Northwest, evacuations are underway as parts of Washington state face historic flooding.
04:25
An atmospheric river is parked over western Washington,
04:28
unloading torrential rain and creating life-threatening conditions.
04:32
Governor Bob Ferguson has declared a state of emergency,
04:35
requesting National Guard support as first responders race to handle water rescues,
04:40
road washouts, and mudslides.
04:42
Look at all that water there.
04:44
At least 18 river points are forecast to hit major flood stage.
04:48
The Skagit River, one of the region's most monitored waterways,
04:52
is expected to rise six feet above its previous record, according to the governor.
04:56
More than 17,000 customers are without power,
04:59
and a level three evacuation order,
05:02
Leave Now, Seek Higher Ground, is in effect for several communities.
05:06
The heavy rain is expected to last into tomorrow morning,
05:09
and NOAA warns floodwaters might linger for days as rivers stay swollen and unstable.
05:15
This morning, the battle to buy Warner Brothers, Discovery,
05:18
and the future of CNN is getting even louder,
05:21
and President Trump is now weighing in.
05:23
With an all-out bidding war underway and questions swirling about his son-in-law,
05:28
Jared Kushner's financial stake,
05:30
the president was asked how much he intends to steer himself and changes he'd want at CNN.
05:36
I'm not involved in that.
05:37
I will be probably involved, maybe involved in the decision.
05:41
It depends.
05:42
You have some good companies bidding on it.
05:45
I think the people that have run CNN for the last long period of time are a disgrace.
05:52
I think it's imperative that CNN be so,
05:55
because you certainly wouldn't want to put people,
05:59
just leave those people with some money, good money, and CNN,
06:04
so that they can spend even more money spreading poison, because it's lies.
06:09
Trump's comments come as Paramount Skydance,
06:12
led by David Ellison, son of Larry Ellison,
06:15
launched a hostile takeover bid to buy the entire Warner Brothers company.
06:18
That bid directly competes with Netflix,
06:21
which just struck a deal for Warner Brothers Studio and streaming business,
06:25
but not CNN.
06:27
Under that plan, CNN and the Turner networks would be spun off into a new company.
06:32
One wrinkle getting attention?
06:33
Paramount's offer has financing from Jared Kushner's private equity firm,
06:37
though Trump says he has not talked with Kushner about it.
06:41
Ellison has also signaled he would make major editorial changes at CNN if he wins,
06:46
a shift Trump has publicly praised,
06:49
and one that could loom large as the White House weighs the deal.
06:52
Calling it a deceptive scheme,
06:54
the Trump administration is ending a popular Biden-backed student loan repayment plan,
07:00
known as the SAVE program.
07:01
The Education Department announced a settlement with the state of Missouri this week
07:05
that effectively shuts down the Saving Unvaluable Education Plan,
07:10
a program created under President Biden that's been helping about 7 million borrowers.
07:14
SAVE offered zero-dollar payments for people earning $16 an hour or less,
07:20
lower monthly payments for many others,
07:22
and protections against interest ballooning as long as borrowers made their payments.
07:26
Missouri sued to block the program, and the settlement now ends it.
07:30
Opponents of loan forgiveness, including President Trump,
07:34
have argued that borrowers should pay back what they owe,
07:37
not shift the cost to taxpayers.
07:39
Education Secretary Linda McMahon said on X that Biden's plan was illegal
07:44
and would have cost taxpayers more than $342 billion over 10 years,
07:49
writing,
07:49
We won't tolerate it.
07:51
Finally this morning,
07:52
one of the most iconic images of the 20th century just sold for a record-setting price.
07:58
The original painting that introduced the world to Star Wars
08:01
sold on Wednesday for just under $3.9 million.
08:05
Yep, close to $4 million.
08:06
Wow, setting a new record, not only for Star Wars memorabilia,
08:11
but for any movie artwork ever sold.
08:13
The first piece appeared in newspaper ads on May 13, 1977.
08:18
Yep, I was just a 10-year-old boy at the time, but boy did I love that movie.
08:22
A couple of weeks before the film's release,
08:24
it hung for decades in the office of producer Gary Kurtz,
08:27
who later passed it down to his daughter,
08:29
and the family eventually put it up for auction.
08:31
Bidding opened at $1 million
08:33
and quickly shot past the previous record.
08:36
Until now, the spot belonged to Darth Vader's lightsaber,
08:39
do you know that?
08:40
Which sold for $3.6 million back in September.
08:43
And we should say this morning,
08:45
may the force be with you.
08:47
In fact, may the force be with all of us.
08:50
How about that?
08:51
All right, before we head out,
08:52
here's what we're tracking today.
08:53
At 10, a House hearing on worldwide threats to the homeland,
08:57
including testimony from HHS Secretary Kristi Noem.
09:00
At 1, White House Press Secretary Caroline Levitt holds a briefing.
09:04
At 2, the Utah man accused of killing Charlie Kirk is back in court
09:08
as his attorney signals whether he'll push for a preliminary hearing.
09:12
At 3, MyPillow founder Mike Lindell says he'll reveal
09:16
whether he's jumping into the Minnesota governor's race.
09:18
Hey, be the one who nails the small talk
09:20
without having to pretend to read the newspaper.
09:23
Sign up for the Unbiased Updates newsletter.
09:25
Go to san.com slash newsletters.
09:28
Those are your Unbiased Updates for this Thursday.
09:30
We'll see you back here tomorrow, Friday.
09:31
We love that.
09:32
For all of us here at Straight Arrow News,
09:34
I'm Craig DiGrelli.
09:35
Have a great day.
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