Venezuela Blockade, Saturated Fats, & "Slop"

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Adam Rogers
December 17, 2025

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President Trump announced Tuesday that he is ordering a naval blockade of Venezuela, targeting tankers transporting sanctioned Venezuelan and Iranian oil. Trump said the deployment aims to cut off oil revenue he claims finances drug trafficking under President Nicolás Maduro.
US forces seized the oil tanker Skipper last week carrying 1.8 million barrels, with at least seven other tankers identified as potential targets. Trump also said military operations will expand from sea to land.
White House National Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett assured that future seizures won't increase global oil prices, calling it a crackdown on a 'black market for oil.’

A meta-analysis of 17 studies with over 66,000 participants found that reducing saturated fat intake provided no significant benefit for people at low cardiovascular risk, according to research published in Annals of Internal Medicine. The findings challenge decades of dietary advice warning against butter, red meat, and full-fat dairy.
For high-risk cardiovascular patients, replacing saturated fats with polyunsaturated fats like fish and nuts showed reductions of six fewer deaths and 12 fewer heart attacks per 1,000 people. Researchers also found certain saturated fats in coconut oil and dairy may improve cholesterol profiles and blood sugar control.
Current guidelines advise limiting saturated fat to under 10% of daily calories, based on the belief that it raises cholesterol and heart disease risk. But the upcoming 2025–2030 Dietary Guidelines are expected to relax those limits under HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s health initiative.

The European Commission revised its 2035 ban on new combustion engine cars on Tuesday, reducing the required emissions cut from 100% to 90%. The change allows combustion engine vehicles and plug-in hybrids to remain on the market beyond 2035 alongside electric cars.
The EU also adjusted its 2030 emissions target, allowing automakers to average reductions over three years rather than meeting a 50% cut in a single year.
The Commission cited challenges facing European automakers, including weak electric vehicle sales and competition from Chinese manufacturers. The changes provide flexibility while the EU works toward carbon neutrality by 2050. The Commission maintains that despite the revisions, its climate objectives remain on track.

House Speaker Mike Johnson said he won't hold a vote to extend Obamacare subsidies, meaning millions of Americans will face higher insurance premiums when the enhanced aid expires this month. (More)

Brian Walshe was convicted of murdering and dismembering his wife Ana, whose body was never found, and faces mandatory life in prison without parole. (More)

Milwaukee Judge Hannah Dugan began trial for helping an undocumented immigrant slip out a private courtroom door to avoid ICE agents, recorded saying "I'll get the heat." (More)

Britain will rejoin the EU's Erasmus student exchange program starting in 2027, letting UK students study across Europe without extra fees as part of efforts to rebuild ties after Brexit. (More)

A driver who plowed through Liverpool's victory parade, injuring 134 fans, including a 6-month-old baby, was sentenced to 21 years in prison for the road rage attack. (More)

Thousands lined up in Tokyo to see twin pandas Xiao Xiao and Lei Lei before they return to China in January, leaving Japan without pandas for the first time in 50 years. (More)

US stock markets closed mixed on Tuesday (S&P -0.24%, Nasdaq +0.23%, Dow +0.62%). The S&P 500 fell for a third day as November's jobs report showed 64,000 new jobs but revealed October lost 105,000 jobs and unemployment rose to 4.6%. (More)

Tesla stock hit an all-time high of $489.88 after plunging 36% earlier this year, boosted by Elon Musk's announcement that the company is testing fully driverless cars in Austin. (More)

Jared Kushner's private equity firm dropped out of backing Paramount's $108 billion hostile takeover bid for Warner Bros. Discovery. (More)

The New York Knicks rallied from a double-digit deficit to beat San Antonio 124-113 and win the NBA Cup despite Jalen Brunson's off night and a Karl-Anthony Towns injury. (More)

A doctor got eight months of home confinement for illegally selling ketamine to another doctor who gave it to Matthew Perry before the actor's fatal overdose. (More)

Donna Summer, the Queen of Disco who died in 2012, was posthumously inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame for hits like "I Feel Love" and "Bad Girls." (More)

DoorDash launched Zesty, a new AI app that recommends restaurants based on quirky requests like "good brunch for introverts" and works like a social network for foodies. (More)

A unique 12-mile-thick rock layer beneath Bermuda acts like a raft, keeping the islands afloat even though their volcanoes died 30 million years ago. (More)

Scientists discovered they can block chemical signals between mouth bacteria to boost healthy species and reduce plaque buildup, offering a new way to prevent gum disease. (More)

Science-backed method for the best chocolate chip cookies.

“Slop” is Merriam-Webster’s Word of the Year.

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