UN Warns of Rising Israeli Settler Violence in West Bank as Palestinian Death Toll Grows 
Rio Tinto Stock Jumps as Strong Earnings, Higher Dividend and AI Metal Demand Boost Outlook 
SpaceX Wins $1.6 Billion U.S. Space Force Launch Contracts for Falcon 9 Missions Through 2027 
Lebanon Lawyers Seek Probe Into Banker Over Alleged Netanyahu Dinner in Washington 
U.S., Saudi Forces Launch Precision Strikes on Iran-Backed Militants in Iraq 
AI Avatar of Jair Bolsonaro Sparks Legal Battle Ahead of Brazil’s 2026 Presidential Election 
Oman Proposes Strait of Hormuz Plan as U.S., Iran Remain Divided Over Shipping Fees 
New Jewish-Arab Party Seeks Young Voters Ahead of Israel Election Amid Debate Over Arab Vote 
Trump, Netanyahu Discuss Iran Nuclear Options as Tensions Escalate 
Anthropic Reveals Claude AI Accessed Real Production Systems During Cybersecurity Tests 
Spain Deploys Troops as Ceuta Faces Major Migrant Surge From Morocco 
Starbucks Stock Jumps as Q3 Earnings Beat, Sales Growth Drives Higher 2026 Outlook 
Amazon Q2 Earnings Beat Estimates as AWS AI Growth Surges, But Q3 Revenue Forecast Disappoints 
GSK Unveils $2.52 Billion Cost-Cutting Plan to Accelerate Drug Pipeline 
US Intercepts Iranian Ballistic Missiles as Middle East Tensions Escalate 
Meta-backed research finds exposure to ‘untrustworthy’ social media is rare. The fine print is less reassuring 
Toyota First-Half Global Sales and Production Decline on Weak China Demand, RAV4 Transition 
U.S. oil major Chevron is reportedly in discussions with the U.S. government to expand a crucial license that would allow it to increase crude oil exports from Venezuela, according to sources close to the negotiations. The potential license expansion could enable Chevron to ship more Venezuelan oil to its own refineries and sell crude to third-party buyers, marking a significant shift in U.S.-Venezuela energy relations.
The talks come as Washington and Caracas advance negotiations on supplying up to 50 million barrels of Venezuelan oil to the United States. This development aligns with President Donald Trump’s push for American energy companies to re-engage with Venezuela’s oil sector despite ongoing sanctions. U.S. officials have indicated that proceeds from these oil sales would be managed by a U.S.-supervised trustee and used to fund American goods for Venezuela, ensuring that PDVSA, the state-owned oil company, does not directly receive cash payments.
Chevron remains the only U.S. oil producer currently operating in Venezuela under a special sanctions exemption. However, stricter restrictions imposed by the Trump administration in July sharply reduced Chevron’s export volumes to about 100,000 barrels per day in December, down from roughly 250,000 barrels per day earlier in the year. These measures also blocked PDVSA from accessing any export proceeds.
If approved, the expanded license would allow Chevron to restore previous export levels and resume partnerships with international buyers, including refiners outside the United States. Sources noted that some former business partners, including an Indian refiner, have already begun exploring the possibility of restarting oil loadings in Venezuela.
The U.S. government is also encouraging other American companies, such as Valero Energy, Exxon Mobil, and ConocoPhillips, to participate in Venezuelan oil exports. However, their potential involvement has reportedly added tension to ongoing diplomatic talks.
Despite these negotiations, U.S. officials have reiterated that the oil embargo on Venezuela remains in effect, underscoring the complexity and sensitivity of any changes to sanctions policy.
