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Oil Tanker Seized, Flooding Emergency & 'Pride Match' Backlash - Thursday, December 11, 2025
00:13:59
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- [00:00]
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Today is Thursday, December 11th. We're talking about a major escalation in the Caribbean as the US Military is now targeting Venezuela's largest revenue source with a forceful takeover. Also, catastrophic floods in the Pacific Northwest that are only expected to get worse. And the latest interest rate decision after a divisive vote from the Federal Reserve. Plus, a growing baby formula recall, new restrictions on foreign tourists, and the World cup match that's already stirring controversy. The those stories and even more news to know next.
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Welcome. Welcome to the Newsworthy. All the day's news in around 10 minutes. Fast, fair, fun and on the go. I'm Erica. Mandy, thanks so much for being here. You ready? Let's do this.
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The US Military has now seized a large oil tanker off the coast of Venezuela. In fact, President Trump said it was the largest one ever seized. The operation involved the FBI, Homeland Security Investigations, and the US Coast Guard. They had a warrant for the tanker saying it was used to transport sanctioned oil from Venezuela and Iran. Video of the seizure shows troops rappelling out of helicopters that hovered above the tanker's deck before entering the ship with long guns. Officials say there was no resistance from the crew and no casualties. Venezuela's government denounced the operation, calling it a blatant theft and an act of international piracy. Of course, the move is just the latest escalation in the Trump administration's pressure campaign against Venezuela and its authoritarian leader, Nicolas Maduro. Now the country's foreign minister says it's clear the US Is not after Venezuela because of migration, drug trafficking, democracy, or human rights, as American officials have said. He claims it's really just about resources like oil and that this seizure is proof Venezuela has the world's largest crude reserves. As we've told you, the Trump administration has been building up a military presence around Venezuela over the last month, and the US has been striking suspected drug boats in the Caribbean since September.
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Some lawmakers are demanding more information on those boat strikes in the Caribbean we just mentioned, as well as support for allies in Europe, including Ukraine. Those are provisions that were added to the yearly defense policy bill that's typically not controversial or partisan. This time, it took a lot of negotiation and compromise, and in the end, both parties declared victory for different reasons since each side got their own provisions in it. Now, it includes one that would cut Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth's travel budget until Congress gets unedited video of the strikes against alleged drug boats near Venezuela, as well as the exact orders given. Another part of the bill that sparked debate, commitments to Europe. It forces the Pentagon keep at least 76,000 troops and major equipment stationed in Europe unless NATO allies are consulted, and it authorizes $400 million for each of the next two years to make weapons to be sent to Ukraine. It also changes how the Pentagon buys weapons in general, with an emphasis on speed. The bill makes $1.6 billion in cuts to climate change related spending, and it cuts diversity, equity and inclusion offices, programs and trainings. It also includes a 4% pay raise for troops, as well as housing and facility improvements on military bases. Overall, it's worth $901 billion. The Senate is expected to pass the bill next week, and President Trump says he'll sign it.
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The Federal Reserve decided to cut interest rates for the third time in the last four months, and that means rates are now at their lowest point since 2022, down to a range of 3.5 to 3.75%. Now this could potentially make borrowing more affordable, from credit cards to personal loans to car financing and so on. Typically, lowering rates is a sign the Fed sees inflation cooling and economic risks easing, though this time the Fed was going off incomplete or delayed data because of the government shutdown that just ended last month, and it ended up being a split decision. The vote was 9 to 3. It's the first time there were three no votes in more than six years, and the Fed as a whole signaled fewer rate cuts next year. Fed Chairman Jerome Powell says he and other members are just going to wait and see how the economy does. Powell is actually nearing the end of his second term as chair. He has just three meetings left before he makes way for President Trump's next nominee, and Trump has said he'll choose someone who prefers lower rates.
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Remember we told you about a botulism outbreak linked to Bihart baby formula? Well, now health agencies say it's much wider than originally thought. The outbreak is now linked to at least 51 babies across 19 states who got sick after drinking Bihart formula. The CDC has not been able to rule out the possibility that the formula's production has been contaminated since it was first introduced in 2022, meaning all Bihart formula products ever made could have been dangerous. Botulism can be deadly, but thankfully there is a treatment and all the children who were confirmed sick from this outbreak were able to receive it and recover. All Bihart products were recalled a few weeks ago. Before that, the company had been selling about 200,000 cans each month. If any baby who drank the formula also has had any kind of symptoms like poor feeding, difficulty swallowing or a loss of head control they'll need medical attention right away by Hart says it's cooperating with the investigation.
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Another wave of heavy rain has swept into the Pacific Northwest and this time it could bring record breaking flooding to Washington State. Some rivers are expected to hit historic levels this morning, so nearby communities have already told people to evacuate to higher ground. Though it's not easy for everyone to leave town since some roads are now underwater. An Amtrak said trains are suspended between Seattle and Vancouver. Hundreds of National Guard members have been sent out to help. Heavy rain should be over by this afternoon, but some rivers could take several days to fully recede. Then another storm system is expected to bring in more rain this weekend. Elsewhere, unusually strong winter storms are expected to drop heavy snow and strong winds. That threat spans across the upper Midwest, Northeast and Mid Atlantic. Some areas could see as much as a foot and a half of snow by the weekend. The National Weather Service has issued a range of winter weather advisories and warnings throughout the day today, and even more areas could be affected by tomorrow.
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More news for you still coming up. But first, a break for our sponsor. As the holidays near, I try to do even little things around the house to create a little bit of that magical, joyful vibe. And having super cozy, soft and festive pajamas is definitely one of those little things that can make a big difference. I appreciate that. I don't feel like I have to hide away when we take a spontaneous family picture early in the morning. And really, holidays or not, the Skim sleep set is my new go to just because of the fabric. It is so soft and nice on my skin and it's cozy without being too warm. I think it actually helps me sleep better. And with women's, men's, kids, and even pet pajamas, Skims makes it really easy to check off a lot of people on your holiday list at once. Shop my favorite pajamas@skims.com after you place your order. Be sure to let them know we sent you select podcast in the survey and be sure to select our show the Newsworthy in the dropdown menu that follows. And if you're looking for the perfect gifts for everyone on your list, the Skims Holiday Shop is now open@skims.com now back to the news.
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As it turns out, what kind of font you choose matters even in the federal government. This week, Secretary of State Marco Rubio ordered all U.S. embassies and consulates to use Times New Roman font for diplomatic communication. Under President Biden. They used the Calibri font, but Rubio called that a wasteful example of diversity equity and inclusion. That's because using Calibri was meant to help readers with disabilities like dyslexia, as well as people using screen readers and other assistive technologies. Apparently, fonts like Times New Roman have decorative edges that can make them less easy to read for those circumstances, but Rubio says it's more professional and formal. One expert explained calibri is more modern. Most of the font you see on your computers and phones are similar to Calibri, while Times New Roman is more traditional. The text printed in, say, novels is typically Times New Roman or similar. The change in font policy takes effect immediately.
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People traveling to the US may soon have to go through more vetting. The federal government is proposing they hand over their social media history from the last five years before they can enter the US and this applies even to people who usually have easier requirements than others. We're talking about tourists from Australia, Germany, Japan, the UK and dozens of other countries who don't need a visa. It's not official yet, but it's expected to take effect in the next couple of months after a public comment period. Already, the State Department has added social media review requirements for student visas and H1B visas for high skilled workers. Meanwhile, Canada is hoping to make it easier to attract global talent. This week, the Canadian government announced it will spend $1.2 billion over the next few years to brid in people from around the world who are experts in their fields, like researchers, scientists and other highly skilled workers, as well as younger scholars looking to start their careers. Already this year, major Canadian academic and healthcare institutions have been actively recruiting in the US and some European countries have been doing the same.
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There is growing backlash over a World cup match that's scheduled for June in Seattle. The city is planning to make it a Pride match as a way to celebrate the LGBTQ communities. It's been in the works for a while now, since the game happens to fall on the same day as the city's annual Pride festival. That includes a big parade. But no one knew which teams were actually going to play the match until this last weekend. And now it's clear the two teams are Egypt and Iran, and both countries impose severe penalties on LGBTQ people. So officials in Egypt and Iran are protesting the scheduling, and they've complained directly to FIFA, saying the event could alienate their fans. So far, no comment from the international soccer governing body, but the local organizing group in Seattle says it plans to move forward with Pride celebrations as planned, more than 750,000 visitors are expected for the World cup in Seattle alone.
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The University of Michigan fired its head football coach just two years after he helped the team win a national championship, the school explained, saying coach Sharon Moore was having an inappropriate relationship with a staff member. Then, soon after he was fired, Moore was booked into jail as a suspect in an assault case. But so far, authorities have not shared any more details and neither has the university. Biff Poggi was named the interim head coach, and he'll be on the sidelines when Michigan faces Texas in the Citrus bowl on New Year's Eve.
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Italian has become the first international culinary style to be recognized by the UN's cultural body, UNESCO. Basically, being included on that list is meant to mean a tradition is worthy of preserving. In this case, it means Italy's traditional way of growing, harvesting, preparing and serving food is recognized. And it symbolically protects against fake Italian food, like when Italian sounding names are used on products that aren't actually made in Italy. Besides Italian cooking, this year, UNESCO is also recognizing pool swimming in Iceland and beekeeping in Slovenia, yodeling in Switzerland, and more. Some countries can be given UN funding to protect their culture, and being recognized can bring prestige and tourism business. In the past, the US has been recognized for things like jazz music, Hawaiian hula dancing and more.
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That's it for the main news today. So now it's time for Thing to Know Thursday. But first, this episode is sponsored by Oneskin. This time of year gets busy, fast travel events, eating more and different foods. It all adds up. So I find myself craving simple rituals that make me feel like I'm actually taking care of myself. And for me, one of those rituals is my One Skin routine. Their face moisturizer has become a staple and the new peptide lip mask is a must have for me as well. Now that's why I'm thrilled to tell you that both are part of One Skin's Nightly Rewind gift set. In fact, you can check out all their limited edition holiday sets that help renew skin at the cellular level for a stronger, smoother and more youthful looking complexion. These make great gifts. Of course, the core of all their products is their OS1 peptide, proven to target the root cause of things like wrinkles and loss of elasticity. Plus, OneSkin has been certified safe for sensitive skin. Their products are free from over 1500 harsher, irritating ingredients. They're dermatologists tested and have been awarded the National Eczema Association Seal of Acceptance. For a limited time, try OneSkin for 15% off using the code newsworthy at OneSkin Co newsworthy Again, you can try OneSkin for 15% off using THE code Newsworthy at Oneskin Co Newsworthy after your purchase, they'll ask you where you heard about them. So please support our show and tell them we sent you now back to Thing to Know Thursday Two new studies have come out recently saying even a short conversation with an artificial intelligence chatbot could meaningfully change some people's political opinions. In fact, in one of those studies, it proved to be roughly four times as persuasive as TV ads from recent presidential elections. As for why, researchers think it's the sheer amount of evidence chatbots cite to support their position. But the problem is that evidence is not always accurate. In fact, in one experiment, researchers actually told the chatbots not to use facts when making an argument, and some participants were still convinced. So there are concerns political opinions could be manipulated in a malicious way, though some researchers also point out how the work suggests people are actually capable of changing their long held political beliefs when presented with new information. And in some cases, the chatbots might actually be able to pull people out of conspiracy theory rabbit holes, or at least show how issues are not always black and white. Either way, they expect AI to play a larger role in political campaigns, even in next year's highly anticipated midterm elections.
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Thank you so much for listening today. We'll catch you up on more news to know tomorrow. Until then, have a great day.