The U.S. Oil Blockade of Venezuela Is Pushing Cuba Toward Collapse
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What is the main topic discussed in this episode?
Denmark and Greenland call on President Trump to respect the island's sovereignty. Plus, Trump's pressure campaign on Venezuela is pushing Cuba toward collapse. And a new guide on workplace manners is stirring up debate among readers.
And they propose that if somebody sort of just wiped their nose after sneezing or just wiped their nose and then extended their hand to you, that you should take that hand, you should shake that hand and just wash it right after.
It's Tuesday, December 23rd. I'm Daniel Bach for The Wall Street Journal, filling in for Luke Vargas. And here's the AM edition of What's News, the top headlines and business stories moving your world today. The leaders of Denmark and Greenland are calling on President Trump to respect the sovereignty of Greenland after he appointed a new special envoy to the Arctic Territory. On Sunday, Trump named Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry as envoy for the island, which is part of the Kingdom of Denmark and makes up 98% of its territory.
How is the U.S. oil blockade affecting Cuba's economy?
Landry in turn said he aimed to make Greenland a part of the U.S. In a joint statement, the Danish and Greenlandic prime ministers said that international law guides national borders, adding, quote, Speaking to reporters at Mar-a-Lago yesterday, Trump said Greenland was of strategic importance.
We need Greenland for national security. And if you take a look at Greenland, you look up and down the coast, you have Russian and Chinese ships all over the place. We need it for national security. We have to have it.
Denmark said it wasn't informed about Landry's appointment, adding to a sense in Copenhagen that it's being kept in the dark about Washington's ambitions. Denmark's foreign minister said he would summon the U.S. ambassador to express his discontent and demand an explanation. Meanwhile, the Trump administration is recalling almost 30 career diplomats from posts in at least 29 countries. The chiefs of mission, both ambassadors and senior staffers appointed during the Biden administration, were told last week that their posts were ending in January. That's according to two officials. The State Department declined to comment on specific numbers or ambassadors affected, but it defended the changes, calling them a standard process in any administration.
Also in Washington, efforts to ban popular drones made in China have finally paid off. The Federal Communications Commission announced a ban on the tech yesterday. It was prompted by a White House-led group that informed the commission the drones posed unacceptable risks. The ban covers all drones and critical components made in a foreign country, including from major Chinese manufacturers like DJI and Hotel Robotics. The move has been met with uproar from many of the nearly half a million American commercial drone pilots, many of whom say that American drones just can't compete. DJI said it was disappointed with the FCC's decision and reiterated the security of their products. Othell didn't respond to a request for comment.
What are the implications of the U.S. sanctions on Venezuela?
U.S. regulators have approved the first GLP-1 weight loss pill, a tablet formulation of Novo Nordisk's Ozempic and Wegovy. The drugmaker said the pills could be available in the U.S. in early January and will cost $149 a month for the starting dose. The move into pill format is expected to broaden the use of the drug. So far, the obesity market has been dominated by weekly shots, which put many people off the idea of taking it, either due to cost, insurance coverage, or a fear of needles. Well, as we get closer to 2026, talk of midterm elections is only growing louder in Washington. And there will be a lot of open races. According to Ballotpedia, 52 lawmakers will not be seeking re-election. Our Washington coverage chief, Damian Paletta, says that number could soon surpass the 54 who retired in 2018, which was the most in any election cycle going back to 2012.
It used to be considered quite prestigious to be a senator or a congressman. You can shape laws in U.S. policy. But a growing number of these lawmakers, they're deciding this is not for them anymore.
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Chapters
6 chapters
1
What is the main topic discussed in this episode?
0:00–1:06
2
How is the U.S. oil blockade affecting Cuba's economy?
1:06–3:10
3
What are the implications of the U.S. sanctions on Venezuela?
3:10–5:45
4
How does Cuba rely on Venezuela for oil?
5:45–7:51
5
What challenges is Cuba facing due to oil shortages?
7:51–10:44
6
What does the future hold for Cuba amidst economic crisis?
10:44–11:23