Ship Seizures Could Break Global Trade

A U.S. oil-tanker seizure off Venezuela raises a bigger question: what happens to the world economy if powerful countries start intercepting commercial ships as a routine pressure tactic, especially as the United States pulls back from being the global “referee” of sea lanes?

Plus: a new executive order seeks to override state artificial intelligence laws, igniting a battle over whether one national framework means clarity or a regulatory vacuum. Vietnam’s trade surplus with the United States hits a record despite tariffs, while its deficit with China keeps expanding, an X-ray of modern supply chains. Elon Musk calls the “Department of Government Efficiency” only “somewhat successful” and says he would not do it again, prompting scrutiny of what was cut versus what was avoided. And the Senate deadlocks on Affordable Care Act subsidies, risking sharp premium increases and reviving the long-running “replace it” promise that still has no real plan.

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